The Slip: The Complete First Season

by Herschel K. Stroganoff

  The engineer rolled his eyes. “I'm busy,” he said. “I won't be taking you to the captain.”

  “Well, you need to get the woman out of my room? It's completely and utterly ridiculous that I've been forced to live in this squalor.” she said, gesturing to steel walls. “The least you could do is try to make my journey at least vaguely tolerable.”

  The engineer rubbed his chin and smirked. “You're on a Fune ship,” he shrugged. “You're not on V5 now.”

  Meer raised her eyebrows and gasped. “Well I never.” She folded her arms. “Perhaps some Sols will change your mind?”

  The engineer snorted. “I'm busy.” He ducked Meer's arm as she tried to block him again and walked past her along the corridor.

  “Two hundred Sols?”

  The engineer stopped, hesitated, then turned to Meer. Meer reached into her leather shoulder bag then retrieved a two hundred Sol piece. The engineer gave a broad smile and snatched the coin from her hand.

  “Follow me,” he said.

  Meer shuffled behind the engineer as they passed along the dozens of doors along each side. The air ducts hissed and the light strip buzzed. They reached a locked door.

  “I'm probably going to get in trouble for this,” the engineer grumbled. “Go on.” He gestured for Meer to go through the door.

  “Well aren't you going to make the introductions?” Meer said.

  The engineer shook his head. “Fine.”

  Meer followed the engineer into an octagonal room with screens showing views from the ship. Venus was already a small blue dot. The engineer cleared his throat. “Captain, there's a woman to see you.”

  The engineer slunk back through the door as a broad woman turned to Meer. “This had better be important,” she said.

  “Oh it certainly is. If I can introduce myself, my name is Meer Vin Ranghi.”

  The captain shrugged. “So?”

  Meer rested a hand on her hip and sighed. “And your name is?”

  “Captain Sofia Al-Haq. I repeat, this had better be important.”

  “Sofia, dear. I understand that you Fune types like to run things in a certain way, but there's absolutely no way I can share my room.”

  “Flynn brought you to see me for this? Let me tell you something, lady. We've got two thousand people travelling to Lunar, and it's my job to get you there.”

  Meer laughed. “I'm sure we can work something out. Come to some arrangement.”

  Sofia frowned. “We have no more rooms. We are full. You're lucky. There are a lot of people still on V5 and I'm not sure how they're going to get off.”

  Meer shrugged. “Well, that's not my fault. I don't see why I should be the one who's punished.”

  “You're not being punished. The ship is already over-capacity.”

  Meer scratched her head. “And how many people might I ask are you sharing your quarters with?”

  Sofia blinked. “I think we're done here.” She leaned past Meer and looked towards the door. “Flynn? Will you take this woman back to her room?”

  Meer huffed. “I'd hazard that you have your own room. What if I offered you a thousand Sols to swap rooms with me until we get to Lunar?”

  “Flynn?” Sofia called.

  “Five thousand Sols?”

  Flynn placed a hand on her shoulder. “Come with me,” he said.

  “Get your hands off me you abhorrent little man,” Meer snapped.

  “It's okay Flynn,” said Sofia. “Let her go.”

  Meer straightened her dress and raised her chin. “Well?”

  “Make it six and you've got a deal.”

  “Done,” Meer said with a satisfied grin. “You can deliver my bags to the captain's personal quarters,” she said, turning to Flynn.

  Kurosawa household, Insularum 3, Lunar

  Natsuki jerked from sleep as her bedroom door burst open.

  “What?” she asked, confused, her voice groggy and slurred.

  “Don't move,” a voice shouted. “Put your hands up on your head. Now!”

  With a rush of adrenaline, Natsuki snapped her eyes open to three masked officers dressed in black aiming firearms at her head.

  “What are you doing - what do you want?” she asked.

  “Slowly now,” the first officer said, her voice firm and gruff.

  “Who—?”

  “Get your hands up on your head,” the officer said. “You are under arrest.”

  Two officers grabbed Natsuki's arms and hauled her to her feet. She felt the sharp squeeze of cold metal as the female officer strapped her arms quickly behind her back.

  “Arrest?” she finally mustered. “What—?”

  “You have defamed the Lunar Secretary. We're here to take you to the Judiciary.”

  “No!” Natsuki struggled as she tried to wriggle free of her binds.

  “Stop that,” snapped the officer. “Do you know what I'm holding? Do you know what is being pointed at you right this moment?”

  Natsuki regarded the small hand weapon. “I don't know,” she said frowning, “is it some kind of weapon?”

  “Precisely. All I need to do is press this button and you will die. It's really that simple.”

  Natsuki stared. “Where's Riko? Where's my daughter?”

  “Your daughter will be taken away. She will be perfectly safe.”

  “No,” Natsuki pleaded, “Riko must stay with me.”

  “A prison cell is no place for a young girl.”

  Natsuki cried in pain as the two male officers yanked up her bound arms to lead her out, still in her bedclothes.

  “Where's my daughter?” she screamed, her legs flailing.

  “Let her go,” the female officer growled. Natsuki froze. The officer reached to her belt and pulled out a stunner. The finger-sized lozenge flashed. White and purple bursts rippled through her head before everything faded to black.

  L2 Platform, Lunar

  Meer elbowed her way to the front of the queue, ignoring the tuts and curses of the other passengers as she stepped up to the customs barrier.

  “I need to be on the next elevator to Lunar immediately, if not sooner,” she demanded. “That transport craft was absolutely horrific.”

  “I'm sorry Madam, but there is a queue,” a stout customs agent said, gesturing to the hundreds of refugees waiting in line.

  “Yes, yes,” said Meer with a dismissive wave. “Now, about my elevator. I need to purchase a new apartment - somewhere high profile, somewhere desirable. Where would that be? Lunar's such a backwater compared to V5.”

  “Erm—” the customs agent frowned, “Insularum's quite—”

  “The capital? Of course. I will take the next elevator there. I'll also need a child - they seem to be all the rage these days.”

  The customs agent rolled his eyes. “I'm sorry madam, but—”

  “Take me to the elevator,” she snapped. “And take my bag.” She pushed a leather luggage bag into the customs agent's arms.

  The customs agent smirked. “Okay, that's enough now. Please make your way to the back of the line, you're holding everyone up.”

  Meer glared for a long moment then gave a warm smile. “Of course, where are my manners,” she said. “Twenty Sols should do it?” She reached into her handbag.

  “I can't leave the barrier - I am calling security now.”

  “One hundred Sols?”

  Meer smiled as the customs agent looked over his shoulder. “Okay,” he said in hushed tone. “I can arrange to take you to the elevator.” He scratched his head and looked down at his shoes. “I'll make some calls to arrange accommodation for you too.”

  “And the child?” Meer said. “Don't forget the child.”

  “Right,” the officer agreed. “I'll sort it.”

  Judiciary Holding Cells, Insularum 1, Lunar

  Natsuki lips curled as she sat with her legs hanging over the side of the bunk. Her sleep had been restless and filled with disjointed dreams about Riko and Hayao, Akira Yamamoto and Takeshi Ozu. Looking
down, her nose wrinkled at the sight and smell of the ill-fitting yellow prison garb. She brushed dirt from her cold, bare soles, cursing the binds around her wrists.

  The cell door swung open as Takeshi strode in flanked by two guards and a third to the rear. He wore a light grey suit of soft fabric, his shirt white and fastened with a clasp adorned fine leather swirls.

  “What do you want?” Natsuki growled.

  “Natsuki,” Takeshi said through an ironic smile. “I hope the room is to your taste?”

  Natsuki blinked, her eyes sore, bloodshot.

  “I chose this cell especially for you. It's the room where your husband spent his last night and where you will spend yours.”

  “You bastard,” she whispered.

  “Of course, you'll have a trial, but you did defame the Lunar Secretary. The evidence is clear and—” he smirked, “I think you already know what happens to those who cross me.”

  Natsuki put her head in her hands. “Just leave me alone.”

  “I'm looking forward to performing the cleansing ritual on you,” he whispered as Natsuki cringed. “I'm going to take my time with you.”

  “Why are you doing this?” Natsuki bit her trembling lip - it was all she could do to stop herself from crying.

  Takeshi laughed bitterly. “Because you are a traitor, your husband was a traitor and I am sure your daughter will grow up to be a traitor too.”

  “You leave Riko—”

  “Your daughter is safe,” Takeshi spat. “Don't be so fucking stupid. She's what? Two, three years old? She'll be reassigned a family, her name will be changed, and hopefully the shame of the Kurosawa name will die with you.”

  “Shame?” Natsuki said, raising her voice to a snarl. “What do you know of shame? You lied about Hayao publically to cover your bad decisions.”

  “Hayao was a traitor,” he said, his tone impassive, deadpan.

  “Hayao was the nearest thing you've ever had to a conscience,” Natsuki said through clenched teeth. “You know he had absolutely nothing to do with the Purdah - you know that.”

  “You didn't like him because he wasn't afraid to tell you the truth when you needed it - that's the simple truth of the matter.”

  “Truth? The truth is what I say it is,” he snapped. “Nobody gives a shit about truth - citizens want to feel safe. By getting rid of traitors - especially those closest to me - demonstrates to all the citizens that their safety is paramount.”

  Natsuki shook her head. “What's happened to you Takeshi? You used to be a good man. We used to be friends - good friends. What happened?”

  “Well, you won't have to worry about that soon,” he said. “Goodbye Natsuki, and good luck tomorrow,” he said as a guard opened the cell door.

  “You bastard,” she said, hope slipping away.

  Judiciary Holding Cells, Insularum 1, Lunar

  “Wake up.”

  Natsuki was aware of being shaken, a firm hand clasping her left shoulder, rousing her from sleep.

  “Get up,” a man's voice said in a loud whisper.

  Natsuki sat up and blinked as the room came into focus.

  “Shh,” a guard said holding his finger over his mouth. He had thick black hair and his fingers were fat and blistered.

  “What time is it?” Natsuki asked, confused. She scratched itch on her face with her wrists bound.

  “Just after four. Put these on.” The guard ripped open a bag containing a pair of thick blue trousers, a coarse black tunic, a pair of undyed rough wool socks and a pair of worker's boots. “It's the best I could do,” he said.

  Natsuki smiled weakly as the guard released her binds. “What's going on?”

  “I could have helped your husband when he was in the same situation and I did nothing. I watched him—” he paused. “I need to get you out now.”

  The guard turned away as Natsuki's yellow coveralls dropped to the floor and she pulled on the trousers and tunic. “They're a good fit,” she said. “Thank you.”

  “Good,” the guard said, wringing his hands. “We really need to go before the shifts change.”

  The guard reached into the pocket of his black jacket and handed her a worker's cap. “Put this on.”

  Natsuki fastened the boots. “I look like I'm in maintenance,” she said.

  “Let's hope it works long enough for you to get out of here.”

  “I need to find my daughter.”

  The guard shook his head. “I don't know about that. She won't be here and I won't be coming with you once you're out of here.”

  “I understand, but if you've any idea—”

  “Honestly, I've no idea. We need to go.”

  Natsuki got to her feet as the guard leaned out of the cell door. “Come,” he said.

  She walked alongside the guard down a corridor, its whitewashed walls echoing the sound of their footsteps. She creased her nose at the pungent smell of cleaning fluid.

  “Walk normally,” the guard whispered. “You look like you're about to start running.”

  “Sorry.”

  They halted before a security door. The guard pushed his face against a scanner, then the door hissed open. Walking through, Natsuki felt a nervous chill as the door closed behind them with a harsh clunk.

  “I really appreciate you doing this,” Natsuki began. “Where should I go?”

  “Don't talk,” the guard said. “You're here on maintenance, remember. Where you go is up to you. I need to get you out and make it look like you escaped. I can only help you so far. Trust me, the less I know, the better it is for you.”

  Natsuki nodded. “I appreciate that, thank you.”

  The pair attracted a few brief glances from Judiciary staff as they strode through processing.

  “Thanks for sorting out the machine,” the guard said.. “You've no idea how grumpy the guys get when they can't get their snacks.”

  “No problem,” she said.

  The guard pressed a button to open the glass outer doors of the Judiciary. “You take care now,” he said with a wave.

  “Thank you,” Natsuki whispered as she stepped through the door. She smiled, but did not look back.

  VanderMeer Apartments, Insularum 2, Lunar

  Meer stood with her arms folded as the elevator hummed, wrinkling her nose at Aladeen Petamine, a real estate trader standing to her right.

  Meer gave an impatient sigh as she picked a dust mote from the cuff of her white leather shirt.

  “I think you'll like this one Madam Ranghi, something tells me this will be exactly what you're looking for,” Aladeen said.

  Meer scowled. “Yes, I'm sure you said exactly the same thing about that disgrace of an apartment in Insularum 5, and that horrid little hovel in Insularum 3. Honestly, if this is the best the capital has to offer, I'd probably have been better waiting it out on V5.”

  Aladeen wore brown trousers trimmed with leather and a shirt with silk flourishes. He was lean with a salesman's grin. He hummed to himself as the elevator climbed the side of the apartment building.

  “As you can see, you get wonderful views over Insularum 2,” he said, gesturing out of the window. “On a clear day, you can see the Lunar Band from here.”

  “Well, it's cloudy today. Look at all that mist gathered around the top of dome, you'd think one of those Bani types would fix it. It looks disgusting. At least on V5 we don't have to worry about all these ghastly natural phenomena you Lunars seem to love so much.”

  “The VanderMeer apartments are the most exclusive beyond Venus,” Aladeen said, his tone apologetic. “Perhaps it won't be up to the standard of luxury you're accustomed, but let me assure you that you're going to fall in love with what I'm confident will be your new home.”

  Meer signalled for silence. “Show me - do not tell me, man. My taste is exemplary, if the apartment is worth my time, I will be the one to tell you. Do I make myself clear?”

  “Yes, Madam.” Crestfallen, Aladeen continued to hum.

  “And please do stop that disgrac
eful noise. You sound like a trapped pig.”

  “Yes, Madam.”

  The elevator bell dinged as it stopped on the top floor. The door slid open and Meer stepped inside.

  The apartment was large and white. A round pine table dominated the centre of the reception room. A pair of leather sofas rested flush against walls adorned with blue and green swirls of art.

  “Oh my,” Meer said. “This is lovely.” She strode over to the line of windows that made up the far wall of the apartment and looked over the city. “Oh my,” she gasped. “Is that the Secretarial Palace?”

  Aladeen nodded. “The very place, And if you look over there, you can see the Insularum Museum. You know they say they've got one of the oldest—”

  “Yes, yes,” snapped Meer. “I don't care for museums, but this apartment is truly splendid.”

  “You can see the changes in architectural styles. It's sad: the newer the building is, the smaller and more decorative it is. Look at some of the older buildings to the west,” he stared longingly out of the window. “White, swooping, wonderful.”

  “Oh no, they just look like big penises to me. Penises just won't do for me I'm afraid when it comes to buildings.”

  Aladeen smiled. “So, what do you say? You like the apartment.”

  Meer pursed her lips and raised her chin. “Does anyone of note live in this building?”

  Aladeen shrugged. “I think a few of the Muedin higher-ups probably live around here, but no one famous.”

  Meer looked around the apartment. “This is a magnificent apartment. Whose was it? It must be someone of note, surely?”

  Aladeen rubbed the back of his need. “The person who lived here died recently,” he said, his tone evasive.

  Meer frowned. “That's completely ghastly, why would you tell me that?” She looked around again. “It wasn't here was it?”

  “It was Yao Chin,” Aladeen said, the grin falling from his face for the first time.

  Meer's eyes widened. “Yao Chin? Well, in that case, I'll take the apartment.”

  Capsule Line, Insularum, Lunar