The message ended with a turn of the logo. The more Tredd saw it, the uglier it looked. He deleted the message.
I will make haste, he thought, to get the blast out of here. Screw your crasher. I’m not going to be any part of it.
He went back to the galley, picked up a tumbler and bottle of his favourite Kikuchian, and went down to his quarters.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
IT WAS the same as always. The second Eddie saw the black walls and the numbered doors he knew he had blacked out. This was happening too often.
Whenever he blacked out, his mind entered another reality. This time he found himself lying on his stomach on the floor. It was always the same position his body had been in the moment he blacked out. Beside him stood a black chair, which seemed to grow out of the floor.
He brought himself up to sit and recalled the events leading to his blackout.
Too many free drinks.
Tipped like a winner, played like loser.
Lost thousands of terabucks.
In his drunken stupor he had gone to the toilet, and had intended to return to the table, but instead had fallen down on the floor.
There had been a woman. He remembered her nice smell just before he fell, and wondered what the folks around him thought, and what they did to his body. It would be a surprise to see when he woke up to the reality.
He had been smashed, but in this unconscious state of reality, everything was sober. The room was a perfect cube, and to Eddie it felt like he was inside a die. Four black walls, doors on two of them, window on one, and a clock opposite the window. The black floor and black ceiling sucked in the white light bleeding in from between the corners.
The doors were identical, with the same panels, rails, metallic knobs, and two hinges, but one was marked with the number one, and the other with the number two. Eddie always tried the doorknobs, but they didn’t turn, nor did the doors open. He had tried pulling and pushing, ramming and kicking, but the doors stayed shut.
He stood up and took hold of the knob on the door number one, like he always did. It felt cool and smooth under his palm. He tried to turn it, but it didn’t move. Pulling or pushing had no impact. There was no keyhole. There never was.
He tied to look through between the door and the frame, but he saw only darkness.
Then he repeated the motions on door number two. The results were the same as they always were. Still, he had to try.
He turned to the window. It was small and round, like a porthole, and the glass was thick, at least ten centimetres. The view was the same as always, a vast expanse of space, distant stars he could not recognise.
He had wanted to record and analyse the view to understand where it was, but whenever he came into the room, whatever equipment or items he had with him were gone. His clothes remained the same, but marking them had no effect; a sleeve torn in this room would be restored when he came back. The only things he could take to and from the room were his memories.
It was obviously his mind that played the same dream over and over again, but why? This was happening more and more often. What if one time he could not go back? What if he became stranded here?
He turned to the clock on the wall. It was a nondescript round analogue clock, the hands showing one minute to twelve. The second hand passed eleven, and ticked up towards the top.
Then it was time to go.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
EVIE WALKED out from the makeover store with Bells. She had straightened her already quite straight black hair and had a skin whitening treatment to further enhance the contrast – it looked great on a small Jindalar like her. Bells on the other hand had her hair done up in an ornate coiffure, and with lavish make-up with added glow effect which made her radiant.
‘Thanks for taking me here, I never knew this kind of place existed,’ Bells said as they walked along. ‘It’s great to have some girl company – the guys are always so serious.’
‘My pleasure.’ Evie knew this place and its quirks. The makeover store was a neutral place compared to some of the more exotic joints, and thus a place to take the professional girl. Now it was time to up the quirkiness level. ‘Let’s go and see what this place has on today.’
They strolled along the main strip, among the crowds of tourists, taking in the atmosphere, which was at the same time both tacky and awesome. A number of casinos, theatres, and restaurants lined the walkway, each in its own blend of colour, light and sound. The contrasting frontages created a mismatch of style that had become a Star Bar trademark.
‘What do you think about the captain and the pilot?’ Bells asked.
‘Tredd’s so serious,’ Evie said, as they stepped onto a blue glass walkway, under which swam countless numbers of fish, big and small. ‘But I think inside he is just a boy who pretends to be an adult by being grave, and Eddie – well, I don’t really know about him – maybe it’s his gaze, you never know where he’s looking at.’
Bells laughed. ‘So true. He has quite a severe case of strabismus, but I think he is nice, although I was thinking more about their mission.’ They passed the Bundle of Light, a famous restaurant that specialised in modern Jindalar with a twist: many of the dishes came in luminous wrappers of various colours. ‘Don’t you think it’s weird that two human bounty hunters are hauling a Baar skincare substance to Spit City, and need all of us to come with them?’
Evie found it amusing that Bells had noticed it too. ‘It’s obvious that the whole thing about the mud is a story. Have you noticed Tredd’s body language change when he talks about it? And the next time when he speaks about it, look at Eddie. You’ll have fun.’ Evie smiled with a raised eyebrow.
‘Why didn’t you say anything?’
‘Look, I don’t mind. Like you, I was in need of transport. They’re not bad guys, I can tell.’
‘I wouldn’t be so sure about it,’ Bells said, crossing her arms and slowing down. ‘Former military bounty hunter, and a pilot… on a postal gig? I don’t think so.’
Evie shrugged. ‘I don’t think so either, but who cares? It’s none of my business. Come on, it’s right there.’ She beckoned Bells to follow her.
Evie enjoyed chatting with Bells. They walked past the Ace of Spades casino and into the theatre district. Further up was the Hoot Branch, one of Evie’s favourite stages for audio-visual performances. Evie wanted to see what was in store for today. She hoped to introduce Bells to some crazy tunes.
‘I guess you’re right about them just giving us a lift to Five Ways,’ Bells said. ‘Berossus is the one they actually need to keep the Rut – that’s it, I said it – keep it flying, I mean.’
Evie smiled at Bell’s mention of the Rut and made a squeezing motion with her hands, almost bumping into a group of Andron tourists taking a visual memory of themselves on the strip.
Bells gave a half-suppressed laugh, and followed Evie through the crowds. ‘This station is our final stop. I appreciate you taking the time to show me around. Where are you headed next?’
Evie thought for a moment as they walked along. She had prepared her answer, as she had for Tredd, but it didn’t feel right. Neither could she tell Bells the truth. Instead, she said, ‘I just want to travel, to explore new places, before I settle – if I ever will.’
‘Makes sense, I guess, but you’d think there were better ways to travel.’
‘Not if you’re broke,’ Evie said with a frown, which dissolved quickly as she looked up. They had reached the entrance of Hoot Branch, and it was packed. ‘Let’s go look at the day’s line-up.’
Evie took Bells by the wrist and pulled her through the masses. Just before they reached the information screens, a tall, long-haired man stepped up in front of them, blocking the way.
‘Hey there, sweetie,’ the man said, and narrowed his eyes as he bent down to Evie’s level. ‘Do I know you from somewhere?’
Evie gasped. While unable to put a name on him, Evie was certain she had met the man before. Perhaps he had been one of Ash’s fr
iends she’d met at some party… Whoever it was, Evie had no intention of finding out.
‘I don’t think so,’ she said, and tried to push past the man, but he blocked the way.
‘What’s going on?’ Bells asked.
Evie had a bad feeling about this. The man could know something. He might know they were looking for her… A sense of panic started creeping up. She had to get away.
Without giving the man a chance, she hit his stubbed chin with an explosive jab, clicking his teeth together.
Bells cried out behind her.
The big man stumbled and fell back. The other big men around him turned to Evie and started pushing up their sleeves.
‘Bells, run!’ Evie shouted. Then she dropped down and darted between the standing crowds of fans and tourists.
Scrambling out from the midst of the crowd, she glanced back and thought she saw three big guys pushing through behind her. Bells remained behind in the crowd, but Evie knew the doc would be fine, because it was her they were after.
She ran as fast as she could. Like an asteroid belt racer, she zig-zagged past the standing humanoids on the walkway, and when no one noticed, she slid through an entrance to a casino.
Inside, on a red carpet, she walked swiftly past the concierge in a black and white lobby, and up the mirrored escalator. She glanced back, but saw no pursuers.
She needed to find a safe place.
Up at the mezzanine, she saw a black and white sign pointing towards the ladies’ toilet. That would have to do. She slipped in, entered a private booth, and sat down on the seat, panting. Her heart was still racing.
How wrong I was, thinking I could leave it all behind by leaving Spit City, Evie thought. I shouldn’t have come here, I should have stayed away from the rock scene. The ghost of Ash follows me; his motley crew is everywhere.
And to make it worse, Bells had seen it all.
EVIE STAYED in the toilet for some time. She had to catch her breath and plan her actions. She would sneak back to the ship, where she would be safe until they took off again. However, it was a short-term solution. Must I run for the rest of my life? Where can I rest? Can I ever rest? Her mind started running through these difficult questions, but she caught them and shoved them aside. She remembered an old saying that a woman who suffers before it is necessary, suffers more than is necessary.
She sneaked out of the toilet, glancing around for her pursuers in the mezzanine, and down to the lobby. She tensed as a man stumbled out of the men’s room, almost bumping on to her. She quickly realised it was Eddie. He was smashed.
‘Evie!’ he said with too much volume. A few people turned their heads, but none came over. ‘He’s a blasting lotto player! I’m gonna kick his—’ Eddie did a kicking motion and fell on the floor.
Evie took a step back. So this was the steady pilot and family man – a drunk. ‘Eddie, damn it. Get up, and be quiet.’
‘I’ll be cute if you want me to,’ he said with a wonky look on his face as he tried to get up. ‘You’re quite cute too!’
‘Quiet, stupid. You are our pilot; you need to sober up.’ She extended her hand.
Eddie staggered up on his knees and leered as he pushed his hand forward. One of his eyes was fixed somewhere around Evie’s neck, and the other one… who knows? Evie grabbed his hand and started pulling him towards the exit.
‘You smell so nice!’ he said, again too loud.
‘Quiet,’ she whispered. ‘We must go back, now.’
‘I don’t wanna go. I was just about to start winning,’ Eddie whined as they went down the escalator.
‘I don’t care. I want to get out of here, and you must be our pilot. Come on.’ Evie pulled Eddie by the hand, making him stumble on his steps. She slowed down, supported him upright and nudged him towards the glimmering downward escalator.
‘The floor’s liquid! We’re gonna fall!’ Eddie shouted as they went down. Eyes turned at them, tourists. Evie frowned and kept him steady so that he would not trip.
As they exited the casino complex to the main walkway, Eddie stopped. ‘I don’t feel very good,’ he said, pushing himself away from Evie and falling down on the ground. He lay there motionless.
‘Eddie! Are you all right?’ What’s wrong with him? she thought, glancing around to see if any one of her followers was there. She didn’t see them, but a lot of people were starting to gather around them, wanting to see what the action was about. So much for a quiet escape.
Eddie didn’t respond. She looked up to the crowd, and said, ‘Help me!’
Nobody came forth; everyone just stood and watched like it was a show instead of real life. Just as she was about to cry out in frustration, a big figure emerged from the middle of the crowd. Evie thought it as one of her pursuers, but it was not. It was Berossus.
‘I’m so glad to see you,’ Evie said. ‘Help us get out of here.’
‘What’s wrong with him?’ Berossus asked.
‘I don’t know... I don’t know. Just found him, accidentally. He’s been drinking, completely wasted, and now he’s gone completely limp.’
Berossus knelt down beside Eddie, who lay on the walkway, motionless and unconscious, saliva dripping from the corner of his mouth. ‘Drunk. Passed out,’ Berossus said, and stood up.
‘There’s nothing to see here, folks,’ Berossus said to the crowd. He clearly had some authority – as you would expect from a strapping bloke of over two metres – and people started scattering, some still eyeing them with curiosity as they passed by.
Eddie lay spread out on his stomach on the walkway, his eyes closed, but breathing calm. He looked like he was sleeping.
‘Eddie, can you hear me? Oh God, he stinks,’ Evie said, and turned away, holding up her nose.
There was no response.
‘Let’s get him back to the ship,’ Berossus said, leaning down. ‘Help me pick him up.’
With Evie’s help, which was mostly just holding Eddie’s hand, Berossus lifted Eddie onto his shoulders. Eddie looked like a thin ragdoll in Berossus’s strong grasp. They started walking towards the ship.
‘So, what happened? Where’s Bells?’
Evie wasn’t going to explain her pursuers to anyone. ‘She’s fine, I guess. We separated some time ago, and then I bumped into Eddie.’
‘He’s drunk,’ Berossus grunted as they moved along, ‘and smelly.’
Evie gave a little smile for the grunting bear, but doubted if he even noticed. ‘Everything good with the ship?’ she asked.
‘The ship is fine. But the captain is not. He was taken.’ Berossus shifted his hold on Eddie on his back.
Evie stopped on her tracks. ‘What? Taken? Where? By whom?’ She ran after Berossus who walked on with Eddie on his back like he hadn’t heard her. ‘Tell me what’s going on!’
‘A bunch of soldiers took him. He wanted me to gather up everyone to the ship for a quick departure, but I’m not leaving before I get to visit my mother with the doc. Know where she is?’
Evie shrugged. Part of her hoped Bells would already be back at the ship, and that nothing had happened to her. Then again, the other part dreaded seeing her again. It was going to be awkward. As for Eddie, he had to sleep away the alcohol. Fast departure was unlikely, unless Tredd piloted himself.
As they entered the ship, they took Eddie straight to the infirmary, and laid him on his back on the examination table. There was no sign of Bells or Tredd.
‘Stupid, drinking himself senseless,’ Berossus said, leaning over Eddie’s resting body.
‘Don’t assume he’s like this because he’s been drinking.’ To her surprise, Evie found herself defending Eddie.
‘What else could you assume?’ Berossus turned to Evie and pointed at Eddie’s face. ‘He’s been drinking, just smell the bugger.’
There was nothing she could say. She felt bad for Eddie, but could understand Berossus. Eddie was drunk when she found him, even to the point of passing out, but the way he fell… it had happened so suddenly – too qu
ickly to be just because of alcohol. Whatever it was, at least now he was breathing more easily.
‘I’m going to find the doc,’ Berossus said, and headed off. Just as he was leaving, Tredd stumbled into the medical room.
‘Sir!’ Berossus stopped at the door, a joyous expression on his face. ‘Great to have you back.’
‘What’s the commotion?’ Tredd said, spitting the words out of his mouth as he staggered across the room to Evie.
‘You’re drunk as well!’ Evie said, and took a step back, shaking her head. The captain of the ship should not be in this shape. ‘What the hell is wrong with you all?’
‘I’m calling off this mission,’ Tredd said. He leaned against a medical cabinet with his left arm, and with his right made a gesture of flying. ‘And I’m gonna fly. I’m gonna fly so freaking far away from this piece of blasted metal, to a planet with a nice warm climate, sweet tanned girls, an abundance of warm rays from a yellow star, and an endless supply of drinks with small umbrellas in them.’
‘You are not serious,’ Evie said. Was everything he said about the mission just a show? The mission had to go on. It was Evie’s ride out. She had to leave this space station.
‘I am serious,’ Tredd said, nodding, ‘I’m done with this. That’s all, folks.’
Berossus stepped back in from the door. ‘Captain, but why?’
Tredd sighed and turned his eyes down. He leaned onto the cabinet with his shoulder. ‘My dream, shattered… She’s gone… and I’m done.’
‘Who’s gone?’ Evie asked.
No reply. He only stared past her with a blank expression, his head swaying back and forth.
‘What about us?’ Evie asked.
Tredd’s eyes found Evie’s and he pushed himself away from the cabinet. ‘What about you? You are free to go. Berossus and the doc can stay with his mother, as they wanted, Eddie can catch a ride home, and you can—’ He halted as he spotted Eddie. He rushed to his side. ‘What is this? What did you do to him?’ He eyed both Evie and Berossus.
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