Ellie looked down at the bag with sadness. It had fallen open again under Tila's rough handling. Ellie closed it again and offered it to Theo, who was looking at the floor and sighing angrily.
"This is for you, Theo." she said.
"What is this? A birthday present, from you?" His face softened a little.
"From Tila," said Ellie. "She hoped you would like it."
Intrigued by the gift and yet half-reluctant to discover what Tila might have gotten him, Theo opened the package and pulled out the brass nameplate of the ship which had delivered him, his wife and his son to the Juggernaut.
"What is it?" Theo asked.
"Gratitude," said Ellie, sadly. "And selflessness."
Five
Tila folded her arms around the guardrail and worked her chin back and forth against wrists. The cold metal burned against her bare forearms as she let her mind empty and her legs swing free, and she stared unseeing into the mid-distance.
The noise and activity of the marketplace below her failed to penetrate the bubble of isolation had willed around herself.
The market was unusually busy today. Traders and merchants mingled with the residents of the New Haven freeport as well as visitors from neighbouring communities.
New arrivals trickled into the market from the nearby docks. Travel by ship was the safest option. Everyone else had to make the journey between the communities on foot. They would have moved in larger groups for safety, but once you were outside the secure New Haven perimeter the tunnels and corridors were still dangerous.
Tila heard and ignored the approaching footsteps. Not many of the people she knew would take the time to seek her out here, perched high above the market. She suspected she wasn't worth the trouble, not unless she was in trouble. She only knew two people who would bother, and the footsteps were too heavy for Ellie.
"Hey," she said when Malachi was close enough. It was just a word. Enough to acknowledge but not welcome another human being. There was no warmth in it.
"Can I sit down?"
"If you want." She dug her chin into her arm again and swung her feet back and forth together.
Malachi sat cross-legged on the floor next to her and leaned back against the same railings through which Tila spied on the bustling crowds below.
"So...," he said.
"So?"
"So, Ellie told me what happened between you and my dad yesterday," said Malachi.
Tila dropped her gaze to the marketplace, not really focusing on any particular detail. "You know it bothers her when you don't get along with him."
Tila mumbled something inaudible.
"Huh?"
"I said, what's that got to do with her? It's not like he's her father."
"Wait, are you mad at Ellie, or at my dad?"
"Isn't everyone mad at me?"
Malachi shuffled around to face the same direction as Tila and dropped his legs over the side of the gantry too.
"No, but you don't make it easy sometimes. Look, you know what Ellie's like. She wants everyone to always get along. It's hard for her when people don't."
"By people you mean me."
"She cares about you. Even my dad cares about you really."
"But?"
Malachi sighed. "But he has to care about everyone else as well, and-"
"And I don't?" she challenged, looking at him for the first time.
"No one's saying that. Well, some people are, but he's not. It's just, you know, he has to look at the big picture and manage all the little details at the same time, and you don't."
"But it's not like I don't care."
"I know. I think he knows that too, but you don't... I don't know, you don't blend in."
"You mean I'm not welcome?"
"No, no, no. Not at all! Wait, that sounds wrong. I mean you are welcome but you never seem to, uh, commit to the people here. You drop in and out when it suits you."
"Well, why should I commit?" She gestured angrily, taking in the whole market. "This isn't my home. I don't have anything keeping me here. But I still do my part. I work hard and I help people."
Malachi nodded. "That's true, but you're more like a hired hand than a resident."
"I don't take advantage of anyone. I work hard and fair."
"I mean you act more like a visitor than one of the family. That's all I'm saying."
Tila fell silent. She knew this was the crux of it. Eventually she said, "But I'm not one of the family, am I?"
"Neither is Ellie," Malachi pointed out. "She doesn't have anyone else either but she's part of the family. She's a part of the community. She joins in."
"Everyone only loves her because she's cute and harmless."
"No, they love her because she cares, and she gets involved. Without those things she would just be..." Malachi searched for a word.
Tila looked at him for the first time and managed to suppress the involuntary smirk that threatened to break her dark mood. Ellie could do that, even when she wasn't around. "Annoying?" she offered.
Malachi laughed. "Maybe. That's one word for it."
Tila worried her chin against her wrist again and felt the small bones in her wrist shift under the pressure. "Well, she is annoying sometimes."
Malachi smiled to himself. She wasn't wrong. "But you love her anyway, right?"
Tila threw back her head in defeat. "Fine! Yes. I love her even though she can be annoying." She threw him a look. "Just like you!" She curled her legs up on the floor beside her and climbed to her feet. She offered Malachi a hand and helped him up. "I'm sorry," she said, squeezing his hand.
Malachi squeezed Tila's in return. "That's all I wanted to hear. Now let's go and buy stuff." "Good one. With what?"
"Let's go and pretend we can buy stuff."
The market occupied an old tiered arena, so it was wider at the top than at the bottom. It was like being on the inside of an inverted pyramid.
The lowest part, which attracted the most people and the most popular traders, was also the shortest way to travel from one side to the other.
On this occasion the shortest way was not the fastest way. The market was packed, and Malachi and Tila found it impossible to move from stall to stall without shouldering their way through the throngs of buyers and sellers.
"How come it's so crazy in here today?" Tila said.
"You didn't hear? Some trading vessel had engine trouble while transiting the system. Luckily there was someone here with the skills to repair it."
"Let me guess. Your dad?"
"And the best part is that everything they had on board was still fresh. It would have spoiled by the time they reached their destination so he made a deal with them to accept the food as part payment."
"Looks like everyone else heard about it too. Anyway, you didn't hear about it, your dad just told you."
"I guess so."
"So why didn't you just say so? You're always so coy about what you know, Mal. If you know something, say it. You should be more direct."
"Because that always works out so well for you?" Malachi teased.
"Shut up," she said affectionately.
"So, anyway, they get cheap repairs and we get a shipment of fresh food."
"Just one of the many benefits of Juggernaut life." Tila said sarcastically.
"We sure do have it good."
They waded through the crowds until they found shelter in the lee of a stall selling used clothing shipped in from Commonwealth planets.
"Do you know where they're docked?" Tila asked as she unconsciously brushed the back of her hand along a scarf of synthetic silk.
"Bay one. It's the biggest bay this close to the market."
"Ugh. That's near where they sell all the junk."
"Junk?"
"Yeah, scraps of cable, engine parts, whatever fascinating equipment they have that can fix the AG units."
"I heard you, and I said 'Junk?' Anyway, artificial gravity units are quite important out here. You know, what with all the space and all."
>
"Yeah, but it's not like you can eat them."
"Finding new and exciting food is not the most important thing."
She dropped the scarf and held up a finger to make sure Malachi listed her to her point. "Yes, it is!" she corrected him. "It is the most important thing, especially around here. Think about it. We might get all the potatoes and processed algae we can dream of but basically, we only get what no other planet wants.
"You forgot mushrooms."
"Ugh, mushrooms. Look, the only real meat we get is from the rat farms. Imagine what Commonwealth planets get to eat! When was the last time you ate fruit that was even close to fresh? I mean, how is it we can travel between stars but still can't preserve a strawberry?"
"I know, I know. Our priorities are all wrong!"
"Strawberries are not even that big."
"I don't think size is the problem they are trying to solve, Tila."
"It's still important," she said.
The crowd thinned and they struck out again.
"I remember grapes," Malachi said wistfully. "They were so, sweet, and juicy..."
"And they would burst in your mouth like a...like a...flavour popping."
They sighed together over sweet childhood memories until a voice intruded.
"You two are always talking about the things you remember from planets. When are you going to show me?!"
"Ellie!" said Tila.
Ellie folded her arms and waited for Tila to continue. She tried to look angry, but the effect was spoiled by the flow of people constantly bumping into her which made her lose her balance and then apologize for being in the way.
"Aren't you going to say sorry?" Ellie finally demanded when she could steady herself once more.
"Oh, the party. I'm sorry Ellie, but he just...you know, gets to me."
Ellie pointed at Malachi. "Not to me, to him. It was his father's party you ruined."
Tila stiffened. "Ruined?"
Malachi quickly stepped in to defuse the situation before it could escalate any further. He might have already had Tila's apology, but he knew she took a while to cool down properly.
"It's ok, Ellie. We've talked about it. She's apologised."
Ellie glare at Tila some more until Tila was kind enough to attempt a contrite expression. Then the cloud passed from Ellie's face and they were friends again.
"Well, good. I'm glad that's settled. Are you looking for the food delivery? It's this way." She turned and led them on to Docking Bay One.
"What was that all about?" Tila whispered to Malachi when Ellie was out of earshot.
"She's just looking out for me. She would do that same for you."
"I know, but it's strange watching her be angry. It's like being threatened by a kitten."
When they reached the docking bay the crowds were too deep for them to pass. This rare opportunity was not to be missed. Tila could feel the anticipation in the recycled air.
Someone had taken charge of the crowd and organised them into a line. One person was being let into the docking bay for each one who departed.
Those waiting for their turn were a jumble of curious residents and professional traders, each jockeying for position, each looking to buy or barter as much fresh food as they could carry or afford.
The residents wanted to eat it there and then, but the traders were just as eager to resell their merchandise at a profit margin which would fall somewhere between healthy and outrageous.
The cargo transport Orion barely fit in the bay. It squatted before the great docking bay doors which led to the space dock entrance. The ship's name was stencilled in huge white letters above the open cargo ramp and over the primary port and starboard engine housings.
Crew members were shifting items down the cargo ramp and onto the deck where they were being sold and claimed as fast as they could be removed from the ship.
Tila grumbled, "We can't buy anything anyway. Why do we have to wait in line?" It seemed the slow minutes of steady shuffling had brought them no closer to the front of the line. It wasn't just the wait that was getting on her nerves. Malachi's enthusiasm was starting to grate.
"Because I want to see this ship for myself," he said. "My dad said I should look at the ship now in case he decides to punish me by not letting me help him fix it."
"That's a punishment?" said Ellie.
"Punish you for what?" said Tila.
"Your birthday present," said Malachi without turning around.
"Oh."
"If it's so amazing why did it break down?" Ellie asked.
Malachi shrugged. "He doesn't know. Maybe they just hadn't bedded in the design yet. Could be anything."
"How come older ships don't break down here," said Ellie.
"Ellie, the older ships don't even come here because their crews know how dangerous this system is," said Tila.
"If only that were true. You know most ships would avoid this system if they could, but until they can build new beacons for longer range jumps Celato is still the fastest route for most trade.
A thought occurred to Ellie. "Why is Theo punishing you? Tila's the one who went to the Eclipse."
"I'm the one who told her where it was. I was supposed to stop her from going, not help her find it."
"Didn't you tell him you couldn't stop me even if you wanted to?" said Tila.
"No. Believe it or not I didn't tell him that!"
"It might have helped," she offered.
"It might!"
Eventually their long slow shuffle brought them to the threshold of the docking bay. The shouts of the traders haggling with the crew and arguing with each other were magnified by the cavernous space as echoes reverberated around the chamber.
Once through the bay doors Malachi started impatiently hopping in and out of the queue trying to see more of the ship's design. He was the only person there looking up. Everyone else was intent on buying anything and everything they could before someone else beat them to it.
"Back in line," warned one of the crew, wary that anyone from the Juggernaut would be taking an interest in his valuable ship. None of the crew wanted to be here, and they had no intention of making the best of this bad situation. They wanted out of here now. As far as they were concerned they needed to make what money they could before their stock was worthless and get their ship repaired and underway as soon as possible.
Besides, everyone knew you couldn't trust the dispossessed. Orion's crew knew full well that if you were stuck here it was because you deserved it. Of course, had they made this opinion public someone might well have pointed out to them that they too were stuck here, and might remain so if it weren't for the help of the people they scorned.
But this was still the popular view shared by most of the Commonwealth, right up to the point where they had nowhere else to go.
Disappointed, Malachi took his place back in the queue and the shuffling continued. By the time they reached the front the ship's crew had decided that rather than selling to the traders, they could sell direct, increase the prices and keep the difference. The upside was a wider range of produce. The downside was the price.
"How much for an orange?" Tila asked a crewman when her turn finally came.
He told her.
"What?!" said Tila.
"Come on!" said Malachi.
"Is that a lot?" said Ellie.
They looked at her.
"I don't know! I've never had one!" she explained.
"We still have enough for one," said Malachi.
"It's the last one," said the crewman. "You want it or not?"
"Fine!" said Tila. "We'll take it."
Malachi paid, Tila grumbled and Ellie bit her lip in anticipation as they moved to one side of the crowd and left the docking bay.
Behind them the crewman tossed the empty container aside and pulled out another box full of oranges.
"Dirt-dwellers think they can do what they like!" said Malachi.
"You were a dirt-dweller once," Ellie said.
>
"But I never overcharged for an orange. One orange!" He continued grumbling as they returned to the market.
They paused between two stalls. Tila cradled the fruit in her hands, rediscovering the smooth rippled texture of the skin. She offered it to Ellie.
"Have you ever smelled an orange? Try it. Scratch the skin. It's ok, it's tough, you won't damage the inside."
Ellie's face lit up. "Oh, wow!"
"It's even better inside," Tila promised. She cut into the skin by running her thumbnail across the surface and savoured the fine citrus spray she released. Then, taking care not to damage the soft white-veined flesh of the fruit, Tila peeled back the skin and extracted the segments inside.
"Are you ready?" asked Tila as she shared out the pieces, "It's been years since I had one of these."
"On three?" said Malachi. Tila held up three fingers to start a countdown. On one they each took a bite and shared a happy sigh.
Tila sat down in their little alcove and leaned against one of the stalls as she savoured her treat.
The stalls either side of them were almost buried beneath piles of scrap metal, pipework and cables. It looked like someone had torn apart some huge machine and left the pieces where they fell.
Malachi poked around for anything he thought might be useful while Ellie settled herself beside Tila.
Ellie ate her portion delicately, one piece at a time.
Tila wolfed hers down, then checked the stallholder was looking the other way. "Is he looking for new tech?" she asked Ellie as she surreptitiously wiped her fingers on the cloth draped over the table.
"You mean old tech," said Ellie.
"What's new in this place?" said Malachi. He had finished his orange too and was using both hands to look for buried treasure. He seemed fascinated by everything on offer but as far as Ellie and Tila were concerned it was still only junk.
Ellie delicately sucked orange juice from her fingertips. She hated getting her hands sticky. "I don't know what you expect to find," she said to Malachi, "Nothing that old is going to work anyway."
"What if I told you that I was looking for something for your racer?"
"Oh, then please carry on!"
"Anyway, Tila's staff is old and works fine," Malachi replied without looking up. "It's paleotech for sure."
The Juggernaut (Tales from the Juggernaut: Act 1) Page 6