by J. Naomi Ay
I hopped on the bus, and as I flew over the University, I looked down on it with a bit of nostalgia that I didn't know I felt. I liked being here. I liked the frat and my classes. I liked walking on campus with my backpack on my shoulder, checking out the girls who were all checking out me.
When I came here a few months ago, I had plans to be a scientist. I imagined myself in a lab coat and goggles discovering something nobody had ever done. How did I go from that to being this loser? Maybe I should consider that hardship pass after all? It would be like getting a reset on this whole quarter. I could start over instead of running away. I decided when I got to Farku, I'd discuss it with my granddad.
Chapter 13
Berkan
"What do you mean I need to come back to Mishnah?" I demanded. "I've got meetings all day today with Prime Minister Beek, and tomorrow, I've scheduled General Verneyus, who is coming in from Xironia. It's extremely urgent, you know. I just can't cancel everything and come back there because you miss me."
"I don't miss you!" Luci snapped. "It's all a mess here, and Madame needs you."
My heart skipped a beat for a moment. Katie needed me? Could it be that Senya was still away, and Katie was calling for my return? Was it possible that she felt even a little bit of what I had? I recalled that last moment when we had been alone in her office. She hadn't pushed me away, had she? Perhaps, she had even kissed me back.
I softened my voice and smiled warmly at my wife.
"Why, darling?" I asked, pulling the ends of my robe closed.
I was sitting on the balcony of my suite at the Nensk Ritz Carlton Hotel. It was just after eight in the morning, and the temperature out here was a delightful seventy-three degrees. Room service had just arrived with a cart full of Cascadian delicacies.
Cascadia, to their credit was populated by quite a few former Earthlings, and their taste in cuisine was quite similar to the Mishnese. I always enjoyed visiting the Cascadian planets, as not only their food was good, but their hotels were first rate.
Luci was still speaking, as I went back inside to my small buffet and lifted the top off the warming tray. There were Eggs Benedict, Maple French Toast and fresh raspberries with Crème Fraiche.
“Delightful,” I muttered aloud, as a whistling noise sounded from the street below.
With a filled plate, I returned to the balcony to gaze down at the scantily clad young women who were crossing in front of the hotel. Their long tan legs and barely covered breasts attracted the attention of several men, who were washing the windows on the office building opposing us. I certainly could see why they preferred to gaze at the girls, rather than the filthy panes, and found myself staring as well, barely restraining myself from whistling too.
"Berkie!" my wife of forty years shouted, her holographic image floating above the coffee pot in the living room. "HIM's uncle, Prince Tuman has suffered a heart attack and is being taken by ambulance right now to a hospital in Farku. Katie and I are heading over there as soon as our limo is ready. HIM is still nowhere to be found. Eberly came down with the flu yesterday, so only Garing is here to tend to matters. Can't you come back now? You're the most senior member of the staff. There is no one else in charge!"
"What do you mean Senya is still nowhere to be found? He hasn’t reported in yet?" Reluctantly, I tore my eyes away from the girls on the street and went back to fetch my breakfast plate and pour myself a cup of hot coffee. "Perhaps he has gone off to Karupatani for another festival?" Those Karuptas celebrated an endless number of occasions. It seemed every week they were either fasting, repenting or sacrificing something and then afterward throwing a party to congratulate themselves for having done so.
"There hasn't been a peep from him in more than a week now!" Luci cried, eyeing the dish I set down on the table and the toast I proceeded to spear with a fork.
"He doesn't peep actually. Only little tiny birds peep. He makes loud screeching noises that assault one's ear drums." I held up my fork as if to emphasize the point.
"Berkan, why are you eating all those fatty foods? Talk about heart attack, you'll be the next in line. What happened to your doctor's recommendation to eat only high fiber cereals or bran muffins for breakfast?"
"Now, Luci…"
"Fine Berkan. Don't listen to me. You never listen to me anyway, do you? Do whatever you want. I'm just warning you in advance that Her Imperial Highness is going to ring you as soon as we get in the limo. She's planning to order you back here, so you'll just have to reschedule your meetings and your fancy hotel meals. Pity your own holiday has been prematurely ended." My wife sniffed huffily and rang off. I stared at my eggs, which were already lukewarm, droplets of fat congealing on top.
"Bran muffin and oatmeal," I spat and took a bite of the eggs anyway. They had too much cheese and butter and tasted like liquid cholesterol going straight to my arteries for the sole purpose of plugging them up.
Tossing down my fork, I picked up my coffee, which still managed to taste pleasant, as I had filled my cup with a fair amount of sugar and fresh cream.
I pondered how Luci, from seven light years away, had ruined my appetite again this morning, but at the same time, I anxiously began to anticipate Katie's call.
It had been several days since the events in her office and knowing that Senya was still away, I began to wonder if the opportunity to expand our relationship was still there. Taking my cup I went back out to the balcony and sat upon the chaise imaging how delicious this morning would be if Katie was lounging here beside me. Instead, to my horror, Senya appeared exactly where I hoped for Katie to be instead.
"Blessed Saint! What are you doing here?" I gasped, spilling my coffee all over my bathrobe, while at the same time, doing my best to wipe my brain of any untoward thoughts.
"I wish you would quit calling me that," he replied. "I am not now, nor have I ever been a saint, and I apologize for not being my wife."
He was stretched on the chaise dressed in some sort of odd silver robe, his bare feet and hideous toenails crossed one over the other.
"Well don't pop in on me like this!" I cried returning inside to fetch a towel. "And don't read my mind. I don't know anything about your wife."
I shouted this from the bathroom, as the louder I yelled, the more forceful it sounded. "You're not dead again, are you?" Returning to the balcony, I wiped up the coffee, noting how both the towel and my hand passed straight through his body.
"No, not at all." He lit a cigarette and proceeded to blow very real looking smoke rings out over the balcony rail. "At least, I don't think so." He frowned and touched his face and hair as if to make certain they were all still there too. "I haven't gotten anything else on me, do I?" Now, he patted his back. "No, I am here and as I should be." He smiled as if this were a great accomplishment.
"This hour in the morning is far too early to start drinking," I lectured myself, but still went off to fetch a bottle of something stiff and alcoholic. The vid began to ring again and Katie's image appeared over the buffet. "Although right now, I am very tempted to abandon that rule especially, when I am in an extreme circumstance such as this."
"Go right ahead." Senya called from balcony. "I shall join you. Where are we anyway? Was it Cascadia? Their whiskey is quite nice. Their gin isn't too terrible either. However, their vodka is disgusting. I shan't want any of that. What are you opening, Berk? Pour me a glass."
"You're not really here." I hugged the bottle of whiskey to my chest. "I'm not going to waste good booze on a hallucination."
"Berk?" Katie interrupted, her image forming completely. Was there a new softness to her voice as she called my name? No, I must not think about that especially with Senya here with me.
Katie was sitting in a limousine with Luci next to her. There certainly was no softness in my wife's eyes. I quickly put the bottle down. In fact, I shielded it with my back, although Luci had clearly seen it.
"First fatty foods and now alcohol, Berkan?" she snapped.
"Give it a res
t, Luci." Katie put her hand on Luci and then turned back to me. "Berk, I need you to come back to Mishnah today. As Luci told you, we are on our way to Farku. Senya's still missing and…"
"Actually, Madame" I interrupted. "Senya's right here."
"He is?"
"No, I'm not. Don't tell her that, Berk." Senya faded away as if he was hiding from his wife.
"No?" I looked at the empty space, which he had previously occupied, and then back at the lady who was leaning forward and trying to see the chaise, as well. "No. I guess I'm wrong. No, he's not actually here at all."
"What are you talking about, Berkie?" Luci snapped again, her voice dripping with venom.
"But he was," Katie concluded. "Why else would you say that? He's not dead again, is he?"
"No." I shook my head quickly. "Not dead and not here. Definitely, not either one."
"Is he angry?" She spoke hesitantly.
"At who?" Luci asked.
"No," I insisted. "He didn't seem so."
"Well, then, tell him," Katie continued, "when he returns to share that bottle of whatever you're hiding behind your back that his Uncle Tuman is ill, and we're going to Farku. Wherever he is, he needs to come back quickly. Will you do that please, Berkan? And, can I expect you back in Mishnah by tonight?"
"Yes, Madame." I dipped down in a grandiose bow. "Of course. I am as always at your command."
"Thank you, Berk."
Senya returned at that moment and exhaled a puff of gray smoke. "Clever, isn't she? She is always so perceptive, especially when it comes to ruining our fun."
"Tell him also, that I don't think he's very funny. Whatever game he is playing these days, it needs to end."
"I will, Madame," I insisted glancing cautiously at Senya. "If I see him, that is. In the meantime, I shall summon my plane and return to Mishnah forthwith."
"Thank you, Berkan. Oh, one more thing. Have you had a chance to meet with the General from Xironia?"
"I haven't actually met with him yet, Madame. Since I must hasten back to Mishnah now, I shall have to postpone my appointment with him for another time."
"Alright then," Katie replied. "If by chance, Senya is there with you now, in whatever form, you might want to ask him what he recommends for us to do."
"Of course, Madame." I bowed again as she rang off. The screen went dark and all holographic images dissipated.
"Did you hear that?" I turned back to the balcony where Senya was standing and appearing to gaze as yet more scantily clad girls crossed the street below.
"Did you purposely choose this hotel for the view or the amenities?"
"Neither, but I quite like both. Come now, Sir. Did you hear about your Uncle Tuman? Perhaps you ought to pop yourself back there instead of lying about here?"
"What makes you think I intend to lie about here? For your information, I am quite busy trying to prevent all sorts of havoc in the Universe." He walked inside the suite as if he was surveying it, sniffing at the buffet table, but frowning at the selection.
"I'm certain you are." I followed, still carrying the unopened bottle of booze. "What do you want from me? Why am I so fortunate as to be graced by your presence such as it is this day?"
"Actually, it concerns Xironia." Now he walked toward the bedroom, his flowing silver robes swaying behind him. He poked his head through the door and then turned around apparently satisfied that the room was empty.
"What are you looking for?"
"I don't know." He shrugged and smiled oddly. "I thought perhaps you had acquired a cat. In any case, I should like for you to return to Mishnah. However, you must not postpone your meeting with General Verneyus. Bid him come to Mishnah. Send a spaceplane for his conveyance."
"Really? You think that's necessary? I can just ring him and reschedule our meeting here for next week. I have some other business in the Cascadian system that shall have to be postponed, as well. I can address everything when I return."
"No." Senya walked toward me. Though we were nearly the same height, he seemed to tower over me. I felt shorter, smaller and far more insignificant in his presence than ever before.
"I believe I just told you what I wish to happen." His silver eyes bored holes into my face.
"Yes, of course you did. I'm so sorry, Sir." I dropped to my knees and bowed my head. "I'm sorry for anything I have ever done that might have upset you in any way."
"Is that right? Have you something to confess to me, Berk?"
I stared at his feet peeking out between the folds of his odd robe. If he wanted, he could simply lift a foot and slash my neck with one of those claws. On the other hand, if he wanted me dead he need not lift even a finger or toe. He could kill me by thought. He always could. My heart skipped a few beats and felt inordinately heavy in my chest. A passing notion flitted through my brain that he might just be causing these palpitations.
He laughed in a way that sent spikes of fear down my spine. Sweat broke out on my forehead and dribbled into my eyes.
"Are you hot, Berk?"
"Yes, actually. It's a bit stuffy in here, Sir. Don't you agree?"
"You have no conception of heat," he scoffed and went back out to the balcony. "Be careful, m'lord, lest you find yourself experiencing what truly hot means." He raised his arms as if to leave but paused a moment longer. "Be forewarned, Berkan. I enjoy killing rats. I find them quite tasty."
He smiled broadly exposing those odd fanglike teeth and then he was gone, instantly disappeared. In fact, he had vanished so quickly and so completely, for a moment I wondered if he had been here at all.
I now realized that I was in my bed in the suite of this hotel room, the light of the Cascadian sun beating in through the window shades. I was not dressed at all, and the clock still said just past seven which is exactly what it had read when I had first woken up. I was not out on the balcony. There was no cup of coffee or bottle of whiskey by my side. The room service cart had not yet arrived.
"Did I dream all of this?" I asked to no one but the air. "Including that bit about Prince Tuman of Karupatani?"
The vid rang just then so I pulled myself upright and powered it on to discover my wife calling my name.
"Berkie!" she squealed, her holographic image now floating above my bed. "You need to come back to Mishnah. Prince Tuman is ill."
Chapter 14
Shika
Sam and I took the scout out to go investigate the disabled freighter. The console was showing low hydro fluid, but not enough to concern me.
The new control system on this plane was pretty sweet. I didn't know why Sam had a problem with me flying first chair. This baby anticipated my thoughts and knew exactly what I wanted, not unlike some girls I had known.
"I don't know, Sam.” I sighed, leaning back in my seat. "She rides plenty smooth, even if she's a little low on hydro juice."
"Ok Stevie." Sam scratched at his spiky red head. "I've got a warning light over here though. Maybe we should turn back?"
"Nah. Let's go check out that disabled first."
"You're the boss," Sam mumbled. He was always overly cautious. Now that he had a wife and a kid, he was positively paranoid that something might happen to him.
Me, I never worried about anything. I was fearless, maybe even a little reckless. I had the greatest insurance policy ever created. I knew my old man would never let anything happen to me, not when he had the power of life and death.
"Sir?" A woman, a communication's officer hovered in our small cockpit. "Sir, I need to patch through a call to you from the Palace of Mishnah."
"Sure doll," I replied. "Who is it, Mumsy or Daddy?"
"Uh…it's Her Imperial Highness, Sir. I'll put you through now." She disappeared, which was a damn shame. When you're admiring the tight spandex uniform top of a well-endowed Ensign, the last thing you want is your mother's face there instead.
"Shika," she said, and just the tone of her voice made me feel guilty, for what I didn't know. It didn't matter anyway. Anything I did, anything I
said, guilt was rained down upon me just because. It was a cultural thing, I supposed. "Sweetheart, I have some bad news."
"Really? Who died?"
"Shika!" she snapped.
"Sorry," I tried to sound contrite. "Why are you calling me if not to tell me something bad?"
"I am calling to tell you something awful. You just don't have to be such a smart ass about it. Honestly, Shika, I don't know what's gotten into you lately. Is everything okay between you and Hannah?"
"Not now, Mom," I groaned and nodded my head toward Sam. "We're on a party line, and yes, everything is awesome. Hannah's great, I'm great, even Sammy here is doing great. Now, say what you called to say and let us SpaceNavy pilots get back to our important work."
"Hi Sam." Mom waved. "How's little Carolie doing?"
"She's great too, Mom! Now why are you calling?" Somehow the older my mom got, the more she acted like Grandma Charlotte. Back in the day, if Charlotte had rung Mom like this while she was piloting a spaceplane, Mom would have gone ballistic.
"Shika," she said again, her voice now sombre. "Uncle Tuman's had a heart attack. I'm on my way to Farku. He's in the hospital there."
"I'm sorry to hear that." I lowered my voice to a sombre level, as well. "Do you need me to do anything? Should I come back?"
"No, not right away." She frowned, and acted like she was considering it. As much as I liked Uncle Tuman, I actually didn't know him that well and wasn't anxious to head back to Mishnah. "Just be prepared…you know…just in case."
"Okay, I will." I nodded and frowned too, expressing an appropriate amount of concern. I was about to sign off when I suddenly remember the call I had earlier from Jimmy. "Hey Mom, can you call your friend Shelly? There's an issue with that dude, Tim. She's anxious to talk to you."
"Shelly? Sure. Thanks, sweetheart. You boys be careful out there and say a prayer for Uncle Tuman."
"I will, Mom." Finally, I disconnected. "How come your mother never calls you at work, Sam?"