Cosmic Cabaret

by SFR Shooting Stars

  “You’ll see,” Trenna said in a sing-song voice.

  They had barely dropped into various seats when someone knocked on the door. Daloya hopped up and checked the viewer on her door. “It’s him,” she said to Trenna. She activated the door and stepped back. “Come on in.” Daloya gestured for Rodney, one of Quantum costume designers, to come in.

  Trenna got up to greet him. “Thanks so much for coming, Rodney.” He kissed her cheek.

  Pitannah shot a questioning look at Daloya. She knew Rodney—not as well as Trenna—but certainly not enough to hang out with him. “Hey, Rodney, how are you?”

  “Well, thank you.” He hung the bag he carried on the hook next to Daloya’s closet then faced her. “I hear you are in need of a few costumes for the talent search.”

  Pitannah glanced at Daloya then Trenna. “Well, it’s not definite, but yeah. I’ve been thinking of entering the competition.”

  “Trenna seems to think you have a shot at winning.”

  Pitannah lifted her chin. “I’d like to think so.”

  “If you do, then I have a personal interest in helping you.”

  Pitannah frowned. “You do?”

  “Without getting into it, I’ll just tell you that I know this year’s leading contender, Ms. Candi DeLite.” Rodney’s lip curled in disgust when he said Candi’s name. “And if there is anything I can do to make sure someone outshines her, then I’d like to do so.”

  “Uh…okay.”

  He went to the bag he had hung on the hook and unzipped it. Lengths of fabric, feathers, and sequins spilled to the floor. “What kind of routine are you planning to do?”

  “Um, mostly, Old Earth classic elegance. I was thinking something reminiscent of Casablanca or maybe even The Great Gatsby.”

  He nodded his approval and sorted through the things he brought. He pulled out a sheer gray robe lined with fine, silver and dark gray feathers along the sleeves, neckline and bottom edge.

  Daloya, Trenna, and Pitannah all made sounds of approval.

  “That would be wonderful paired with your black silk under-bust corset and stockings,” Daloya cooed.

  Rodney looked to Pitannah. “Can I assume you have basics covered?”

  “Yes. I do have something that would work. I might need new stockings, though. I’ll have to check mine.”

  Rodney made a dismissive gesture. “Easily solved.” He hung the robe off to the side. “What about this?” He pulled out a gold sequined gown.

  “That’s absolutely beautiful, Rodney,” Daloya murmured.

  “I don’t know a lot about burlesque, but don’t you need something you can easily take off?” Trenna asked.

  “Yes, you do,” Pitannah answered. “Or to have a routine that works around the garment. But that takes time to develop.”

  “You don’t have time,” Trenna stated the obvious.

  “What about this?” Rodney pulled out several more and they debated how well each one would work for Pitannah and the routines she was comfortable with. By the time they finished going through everything she’d found two more pieces. Enough for all three rounds of the contest.

  “Well, I’ve done my part.” Rodney declared as he zipped his bag. “The rest is up to you.” He went to the door then looked back at Pitannah. “I wish you much luck.”

  “Thank you so much, Rodney. I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

  “You can knock Candi’s arrogant ass down a few notches.”

  She grinned. “I will do what I can.”

  He nodded then sailed out the door.

  After he left, the girls looked at each other then let out a squeal of glee.

  “You have the entry fee, costumes, and routines. All you need to do now is enter.” Trenna looked at her communicator. “And you have about three hours left until the deadline.”

  “I really can do this,” Pitannah marveled at the possibility.

  “Yes, you can,” Daloya reassured her.

  “What will my boss say?”

  “Why do you have to tell him?” Trenna asked.

  “I…” Pitannah’s mind drew a blank. She looked at Daloya for help but Daloya shook her head.

  “I guess I don’t have to. Won’t he find out when the contestant list comes out?”

  “Not if you use a stage name. Isn’t that customary?” Trenna reminded her.

  Pitannah pointed to Trenna. “Actually, yes.”

  “What name did you use before?” Daloya asked. “Wasn’t it some kind of drink?”

  Pitannah grinned. “Ginni Fizz.”

  “Can you use it again?” Daloya pressed.

  “I don’t see why not.”

  “Well there you go,” Trenna said.

  Pitannah bit her lip as her grin spread from ear to ear. She really wanted to enter and they had eliminated all of her hurdles. There was no reason she couldn’t do this. Excitement bubbled in her veins.

  “If you are worried about people knowing who you are, you could always wear a mask,” Trenna suggested.

  Pitannah pondered the idea. “I’m not worried about people knowing who I am, but the idea of a secret identity would add a whole new level of sexiness. Don’t you think?”

  “Ooooo, yes! And I have the perfect one for you to use,” Daloya exclaimed. She went to her cot and stood at the end on her tip toes. She took something from the top shelf and held it out for Pitannah.

  Pitannah’s breath caught. It was a beautiful mask made of black and silver lace and iridescent feathers. It was long enough to cover most of her face and would keep her identify hidden.

  “Wow,” Trenna said over Pitannah’s shoulder. “Where did you get it?”

  “My sister sent it to me. She made it last term at University for a project in her set design class. She thought I might like it.”

  “Oh, Daloya. Are you sure?”

  “Absolutely. It’s just collecting dust up there.” She shrugged. “Dalleigh got an A on her project with it. Maybe it’ll bring you luck too.”

  “Oh my God, you guys are the best.” She hugged both of the girls.

  Trenna handed Pitannah the comm pad. “Okay, let’s get you registered so we can start cheering you on.”

  Six

  After escorting Ruby to the events she needed to attend that evening, Vordol led her back to her suite. The excitement from the attack that morning generated quite a bit of attention with both the contest sponsors and the press. She ended up fending off questions more than socializing so he wasn’t surprised when she signaled she was ready to leave earlier than planned.

  Once he was satisfied she was secure with Zak, Vordol left to check out the overall situation on the ship. The attack that morning had left him antsy. He needed assurance that everything was once again secure aboard Quantum.

  During his exploration, he stumbled across Pitannah with a couple of her friends. He ducked into the shadows so they wouldn’t see him and simply watched. The three of them were leaving Tavern Lounge and seemed to be having a great time. Either Pitannah wasn’t half as bothered by the attack as he was or her friends were going out of their way to distract her.

  Hopefully it was the latter.

  Keeping enough distance to avoid detection, he followed them until they went through a set of doors labeled as Crew Only. Based on where the area was located on the ship—and the fact that they had to use programmed bracelets to enter—he suspected it housed crew cabins.

  Did the fact that she spent the evening with friends instead of a man mean she was unattached? And why did that thought please him so much? For all he knew, the three of them could have been out trolling for male companionship—or worse, rich male companionship. He growled and returned to his exploration of the ship.

  He took one of the clear lifts to the main deck and made his way to the casino. His mood had deteriorated enough that he opted for a dark corner in the back to watch the crowd. It didn’t take long before a curvy redhead intruded upon his solitude. Her flirtations grew bold enough that he h
ad to tell her outright he had no interest in anything she had to offer. The most disturbing thing about the situation was realizing he didn’t send her away because of his job or because he found her unattractive. He simply had no interest.

  Thoughts of Pitannah drifted through his mind but he ruthlessly cut them off.

  Dammit. This was one of the reasons he never became involved with women. He didn’t want a woman getting into his head and making him lose focus.

  When a newcomer took the chair the woman had vacated, Vordol’s brooding turned into irritation. He had deliberately taken a seat at the mostly empty end of the bar. Why didn’t people take the hint that he didn’t want company?

  Vordol turned to scowl at whoever had dared to sit next to him.

  “You look as if someone ran over your favorite dog. But I’m pretty certain you’ve never had a dog, Vordol.”

  Vordol’s scowl melted away when he realized he knew the man speaking to him. “Tangier Zagorski.” Vordol extended his hand. “What are you doing here?”

  “Working.” The man grasped Vordol’s hand and shook it. “What about you?”

  “Same.”

  Vordol motioned for the bar keeper to bring a drink for Tangier.

  “I hear you still work private security,” Tangier said.

  “I do. What about you?”

  Tangier flashed his Quantum security badge. It labeled Tangier as Commander Zagorski. “Been here for about ten months.”

  Vordol lifted a brow in question. “Is this an official visit?”

  Tangier grinned. “No. I’ve been off ship for the last week. When I arrived today and read the reports on the Terridine attack I learned you were on board. I’ve kept an eye out for you all day hoping to get a chance to catch up with you.”

  “Well, you did.”

  Tangier took a sip from the drink the waiter set on the bar for him. “How’s Ms. Ruby?”

  “That’s one tough lady. It’ll take more than another attempt on her life to stop her.”

  “So I’ve heard.”

  They drank in silence then Vordol asked, “You said you’d been off ship for a week. Did you sneak in a vacation?”

  “Of sorts.” Tangier chuckled and patted the side of his own knee. “It finally gave out on me. Had some tech added. Now, it’s good as new.”

  Vordol nodded. “About damn time. You complained about it for years.” He grinned at Tangier over his glass.

  “I know. Didn’t want anyone cutting on me. The wife finally put her foot down.” Tangier leaned close and whispered, “Don’t tell her, but I’m glad she did.”

  Vordol chuckled.

  “So other than one fanatical Terridine with a blaster, how has your stay aboard Quantum been?”

  “Food has been good. Staff has been accommodating. Like you said, other than the one nut-job, the trip has been excellent.”

  “Good. The Vice President for Quantum Marketing sent out a communication that makes me think they’re worried Ruby will move the talent search after this year.”

  “I doubt it.” Vordol slumped back in his seat. “She knows the attack had nothing to do with Quantum. I, however, have a few question about how he smuggled a fully functioning blaster on board.”

  “So do I. Even if someone managed to smuggle one through the inspection process, our systems are programmed to detect the chemicals and metals used in those weapons. We should have had some kind of alert.”

  “That’s what I thought.”

  Tangier tapped the side of his glass. “We recovered the weapon he used. We’re sending it for analysis to see if perhaps it’s made with materials we’re unfamiliar with.”

  “I haven’t heard of anything new coming out.”

  “Me either but it’s only a matter of time.”

  Vordol nodded. “What about your theft problem?”

  Tangier was just about to take another sip when his hand froze in midair. “Our what?”

  “A couple of Ruby’s friends warned her there had been a string of thefts this past week. Anything we should be concerned about?”

  “Damn. I thought we’d managed to keep those quiet.” Tangier groused. He took a deep breath. “There is truth to that rumor.”

  “What’s the story?”

  “We’re not quite sure. We’ve gotten reports of missing items over the past week or two. Mostly smaller, odd items with inflated value. But we cannot find a connection or pattern to the thefts. At first we thought it might be a crewmember. There hasn’t been any passengers on board long enough to have committed all the crimes.” Tangier shook his head. “It’s the strangest damn thing I’ve seen in a while.”

  “What has been stolen?”

  “Loose credits, jewelry, tech. Things easily hidden, used, or sold. But lately, it’s as if the thief has either gotten cocky or more desperate. Larger amounts are being lifted and the thief is taking more risks. We brought in additional security for the talent search. Hate it, but since they won’t consider cancelling or changing dates to give us time to get this figured out, we have to do what we can.”

  “Changing dates would be a big undertaking with all the sponsors involved and the advertising.”

  “Yeah, but you know the clientele this competition brings in. All the jewelry and money will be a buffet for this thief.”

  “Maybe so,” Vordol murmured.

  They chatted for a while longer then Tangier’s comm unit buzzed. He sighed. “I should probably see what they need.” He finished his drink with one gulp then held his hand out to Vordol. They shook.

  “It’s good to see you,” Vordol told him.

  “Let me know when you’re off duty and I’ll treat you to dinner.”

  “I’ll do it.” Vordol lingered long enough to finish his own drink then completed his sweep of the main deck. When he stepped off the lift near Ruby’s suite, he spotted a hooded figure attaching some kind of device to her door. Vordol rushed to grab the stranger, but they took off before he could reach them.

  Vordol raced after them. Along the way, he activated his comm and ordered Zak to secure Ruby, investigate the device, and get Yranac as backup. The stranger ran through the maze of winding passages until they reached one of the exits overlooking the main deck. They burst through the door and leapt onto the railing. All of the connecting room on that level opened to a large atrium like space, several stories high, where the pool and floating bar were located.

  The stranger shot a line from a device strapped to his wrist into the trees and leapt from the balcony. He swung across the open span, then climbed down a few floors and disappeared into the thicker foliage.

  Vordol activated his comm. “Dammit! He got away. What did you find on the door?”

  “I’m not sure. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Zak admitted. “I’m running diagnostics on the suite computer to see if he accessed anything.”

  “I’ll be there shortly.” Vordol took one last look at the space where the attacker disappeared then headed back to Ruby’s suite. When he arrived, he did a thorough search of the area. He found no clues to indicate who the stranger was.

  “Zak said someone tried to break in?” Ruby asked when he finished and entered.

  “I think that’s what he was doing. I’m not certain.” Vordol went to the computer to review the diagnostic reports Zak had run.

  “Do we need to ask for a new room?” Ruby asked.

  “No. That won’t be necessary. I will let security know what happened and ask for a higher level of monitoring on our sector though.” He glanced up at her. “Just learned an old friend of mine is head of security. He’s been out on leave until today.”

  “That will be helpful,” Ruby said brightly.

  Vordol nodded. He left the report running on his computer and walked over to where Ruby sat on the lounger. “Are you all right? You’ve had a troubling day today.”

  She patted his arm. “I’m fine. I have to admit my nerves were a bit rattled at first, but I stand firm in my resolve to not gi
ve into these…well, terrorists.”

  “Ruby, if I need to call for more men, I will. I want to make sure you feel safe. More importantly, I want to be able to keep you safe.”

  She waved his concern away. “We discussed the details long before coming here. I don’t feel unsafe with you.” She looked to Zak, “With any of you.” She tugged on Vordol’s arm to encourage him to sit. “But I will defer to your judgment. If you feel you need more men, then by all means call them. I’m willing to pay the extra credits.”

  He sighed. “It would take a day before anyone could get here. And quite frankly, without more information we can’t be certain the man in the hall was a viable threat or in any way affiliated with the Terridine.”

  “Who else might it be?” Ruby asked.

  “I talked with Tangier about the thefts your friends told you about earlier. He confirmed the rumor to be true. And he said the thief had been growing bolder this past week.” Vordol shrugged. “It’s possible the stranger was simply a thief.”

  Ruby chuckled. “It’s sad to be relieved that someone only wanted to steal something.”

  “Agreed,” Vordol said.

  “Well, I’ll let you work through that puzzle.” She got to her feet. “I, however, am going back to bed.”

  “I’m sorry you were disturbed, Ruby,” Vordol told her.

  “Not to worry, dear boy. I’ll fall back to sleep quick enough.”

  “Oh, and Ruby? In the morning, don’t try to open any of the outside doors or windows without telling me. I’m going to activate one of Solir’s devices tonight as a backup security measure.”

  “Another toy?” she asked.

  “You know it.”

  “You boys sure do like your toys,” she said as she closed her bedroom door.

  Vordol and Zak both chuckled. They finished reviewing diagnostics then setup Solir’s device. While Zak tested the unit to ensure it was working properly, Vordol placed a call to Quantum Security to request a copy of any video footage they had from outside Ruby’s suite around the time the stranger had tried to break in. Security agreed to forward it to his comm unit.

  After Zak left, Vordol activated the suite’s built in monitoring system as well Solir’s device. Assured he had done everything he could to protect Ruby, he retired for the night.