Cosmic Cabaret

by SFR Shooting Stars

  Dayor put up a display of the most recent information he’d received from Quantum’s Security Division that included holos of the Ventegs and of Annato Louvos. He then continued with his overview of the plan he’d developed, making it clear to the group that he was looking for their input as well.

  “After we settle in and secure our quarters, the first thing we’ll do is head for Security Division headquarters. As you can see from their information, they have the Ventegs’ bodies and all of their belongings in their morgue. We’ll be able to examine both.”

  Valon leaned back in his chair and then asked, “What about Louvos? Do they have any idea where he is?”

  “They didn’t provide that information to us yet. We’ll be able to ask that question, once we sit down with them at their headquarters. “If they think he is still there, then you and I both, Valon, will need to be very low key so we’re not seen by him.”

  Kendra spoke up. “In that case, Sabrina and I will need to take the lead.”

  Each member of the group had been responsible for checking and maintaining their own weapons. They’d also each overseen their own personal belongings for the trip, including wardrobes that were appropriate for a space resort. Anything they overlooked would be able to be purchased there, if necessary. The key was for them to blend in as much as possible so the average Quantum passenger or employee would see them as just another group of wealthy visitors from another planet.

  It was just before midnight and, as scheduled, they were ready to go.

  The Galileo VII was a sleek traditional sized Alliance jump ship with standard seating for up to four human adults. With its mini-galley and tiny sanitation area, it was a step up from the basic model. It had been piloted by Del and Kendra when they’d first travelled to Malli. Because they’d officially continued to be on assignment there, it had remained at their disposal.

  This trip, it was being flown to by Sabrina, with Kendra as co-pilot. They were approaching the jump station where they’d work with a jump crew to open and then move through a portal to the area of the multiverse where LS Quantum could currently be found.

  Between the two of them, Sabrina and Kendra had portal jumped hundreds of times throughout their combined years of service with the Inter-Galactic Alliance’s Security Division. By contrast, Dayor and Valon had only experienced jumps a handful of times.

  The energy levels rose as Sabrina and Kendra worked the crisscrossing alpha and beta line strands, meshing them together to form the platform that would carry the ship through the portal. They were each manning one of the stations of the dual helm. As passengers, Valon and Dayor were seated behind them watching their progress on the wall screens.

  Sabrina glanced to her right and saw signs of effort etched onto Kendra’s face. It was obvious Kendra was fighting through one of the massive headaches that almost always plagued her during a portal phase-jump. Sabrina thanked the stars that her only side effect was a slight feeling of pressure at the back of her head. That and a craving for chocolate.

  “Almost there, Kendra. I brought chocolate chip cookies. We can have them after we get through the portal. We’ll both be starving by then.”

  “Too late. I’m already starving. Let’s just get this done.”

  They worked their respective line strands while they monitored their comp screens and coordinated with the jump station control crew. She heard Kendra sigh in relief, the minute they were through the portal. Her headache was probably already starting to ease.

  Sabrina set the controls to autopilot mode and then looked over at Kendra, who gave her the thumbs-up sign. She nodded in understanding, unhooked her pilot harness and stood. She stretched for a moment and turned around to check on Dayor and Valon. They both looked much more comfortable then they had while she and Kendra had been piloting them through the portal. She smiled as she remembered that they’d both looked a little stressed at one point.

  “Hey tough-guys, it’s cookie time. I’ll get them from my bag and see if there’s anything other than that nasty lemon stuff in the galley for us to drink.”

  Dayor stood up. “I’ll go with you. I’m not used to sitting around in a confined space like this. I need to move around.”

  Sabrina crossed the cabin to the mini galley along the wall. She opened and then reached into the chiller and rummaged around. After a few seconds, she triumphantly pulled out two old fashioned colas.

  “Yay! My favorites. I’m sure this was Dev’s doing. I’ll have to remember to thank him. He knows how much I hate the standard lemony flavored punch that’s usually stocked aboard ships.”

  She handed them to Dayor. “Here. Take these. I’ll grab two more and the bag of cookies.”

  When Sabrina returned to her seat she saw that Dayor had handed one of the colas to Kendra and the other to Valon. Kendra had spun her seat around so it was facing Valon and Dayor, so Sabrina did the same. She handed one of her colas to Dayor and then passed out the cookies.

  She watched Kendra take a bite of one and then close her eyes in obvious pleasure. “I always knew you were my favorite Hawthorne, Sabrina.” She smiled and looked each one of them in the eye, “and don’t any of you tell Dev I said that.”

  They all sat in companionable silence eating cookies and drinking colas for a few minutes until, still slowly chewing, Sabrina nodded in Valon’s direction. “I have to say that your mother is magnificent. I couldn’t believe how she handled us.”

  Kendra nodded and Dayor and Valon both chuckled. Valon looked at Dayor. “How many times have you had to do some version of that royal announcement?”

  Dayor took the last bite of his cookie and paused, a thoughtful expression on his face. “I’ve lost count. I probably do it once every two or three weeks. It’s often the same children, so I’m beginning to think they’re starting arguments now just so they can see how flowery and formal it will get.”

  Sabrina pointed the remaining bite of her cookie in Dayor’s direction. “What children?”

  “I mentioned the palace’s orphanage to you. There are currently about forty children of varying ages there. Phylarina Zola considers them all to be her wards and checks on each one of them almost every single day. I try to go with her once or twice a week to help.”

  Sabrina nodded. She thought about what he’d revealed about his childhood. He’d been one of those wards at one time, himself. She was liking this guy more and more. She couldn’t help it.

  She swiveled her seat back around to check their status. They were still on schedule. They’d reach LS Quantum in another four hours.

  “I’m going to catch a couple of hours of sleep, then we’ll need to start prepping to dock at Quantum’s space port.”

  Valon spoke up. “Good idea. We should all get some rest. We’re not sure what we’ll find, once we’re there.

  Four

  LS Quantum was beyond anything any of them had ever seen. The promotional videos and intelligence data had only scratched the surface of the place. There was no comparison with seeing it in person. It was usually described as a small city that slowly moved through space, but it was much more. Its size was staggering and everywhere you looked there were bright lights, amazing colors and incredible things to see.

  There were hundreds of levels or decks, as they were called, and on each one there were many types of restaurants, stores and gift shops. On some there were entertainment quadrants offering a huge assortment of fun things to do and see, including casinos, circuses, holo-vid centers, theaters with live performances ranging from old fashioned burlesque to Shakespeare to contemporary musicals and dramas. Each one also offered passenger quarters ranging from miniscule economy interior rooms for cost-conscious travelers to multiple-bedroom family units to palatial suites with views of the cosmos.

  After docking their ship, the group was taken by shuttle to Quantum’s Intake area. Retinal scans were performed on each of them that were then confirmed by Caliva Security back on Malli to verify their identities. The scans would be use
d to encode identification wrist bands that they, like all LS Quantum passengers and employees, would be required to wear.

  They checked into their suite via remote com, so the correct transport line would be dispatched to pick them up. The vehicle that arrived was reminiscent of an old-fashioned limousine of the late twenty-first century, but with the newest improved hover glide technology and a built-in robo-driver. The interior contained plush seats in a rich wine color that were made of a fabric that was as soft and smooth as it was beautiful. It included an automated refreshment panel that offered a variety of snacks and drinks. It took them to a large alcove at the private entrance to one of the elite suites on the Platinum Level Deck of their quadrant.

  An auto-butler dressed in a tuxedo style uniform appeared from a hidden panel. He was tall and slender and moved with an almost graceful elegance. He greeted them warmly in a deep computer-generated voice that spoke with a slight British accent. “Good morning passengers and welcome to your beautiful LS Quantum suite. My name is Jeeves and I’ll be at your service throughout your stay.”

  Sabrina and Kendra looked at each other and laughed, while Dayor and Valon regarded them with quizzical expressions on their faces. Being from Malli, the two men hadn’t recognized the Jeeves butler reference that had carried forward through several centuries on Earth.

  Without missing a beat, Jeeves went on to say, “If you’ll allow me, I will now provide each of you with your identification bands. The specifications that were obtained at Quantum’s Intake area were sent to me so I could key the bands to your specific retinal patterns. Once I secure them to your wrists, they’ll remain there until you are processed through LS Quantum checkout upon your departure.”

  As Jeeves secured the trim platinum circlets on their left arms, he cheerfully explained that, except for areas designated for employees only, the bands would allow them to access any of the central lifts as well as enter any zone or facility that was at a class designation equal to or lower than theirs on any part of Quantum. Since their class designation was the highest level there was, it meant they would be able to go just about anywhere within the resort and entertainment complex.

  Jeeves opened the entrance to their suite and gracefully motioned for them to enter ahead of him. Following behind with their bags in tow, he listed all the features their suite had to offer, including its fully stocked refreshment programmer for both food and beverages, entertainment holo units and foolproof security systems.

  The space was impressive. The foyer was huge and had a floor that looked like marble. It led to a large dining area on the left. Directly ahead was a central great room. The large room was flanked by two bedrooms on each side. Each bedroom offered a small sitting area and a private bathroom. All the rooms were done in a soothing dove grey color, with contrasting touches of navy blue. The furnishings were clean-lined and elegant, but incredibly comfortable. Vast floor to ceiling and wall to wall view screens provided a stunning view of the stars.

  They shut Jeeves down for a couple of hours so they could focus on their first task, which was to secure their quarters. They split up the duties of checking the rooms for anything suspicious, such as monitoring equipment and potentially threatening devices. Per standard procedure, they did a physical inspection and then confirmed the suite was clear by utilizing search scanners.

  As part of their search, they found some pieces of equipment that appeared to be Quantum Security in origin, which was not a surprise to them. They had been discretely placed in the alcove where they’d arrived as well as at the entrances to all the rooms. Their obvious purpose was for guest safety and, after checking them for malware and discovering none, they left them in place. They then set up their own monitoring equipment in various locations throughout their suite, leaving some units in plain sight, while completely masking others. They needed to ensure the secure status of their space would be maintained.

  Dayor confirmed their meeting with LS Quantum’s Security Division, which was scheduled to begin in two hours. There, they’d meet with security personnel who would provide them with an update on the murder investigation of the Ventegs and who would arrange for a private inspection of the Venteg’s bodies. At that time, they’d also be provided with the most current information available on the whereabouts of Annato Louvos and his associates.

  Last, they reactivated Jeeves, who greeted them enthusiastically. Then they unpacked, freshened-up and grabbed a quick bite to eat from the refreshment programmer. They were ready for their first day on LS Quantum.

  The meeting took place at the Security Division’s Central Offices. All four of them attended. They were introduced to Quantum’s Secretary of Security. He turned them over to his Deputy, who was originally from Earth and who understood the workings of the Intergalactic Alliance. Her name was Elizabeth Moore and she was to be their main contact. She included two of her security operatives in the meeting. They were gracious and efficient, which was not a surprise, considering their cooperation had been formally requested by the Couros royal family, whose name was well known throughout the multi-verse.

  Per Deputy Secretary Moore, the bad news was that they believed Annato Louvos had left LS Quantum. After doing a full search of the resort, they had checked all outgoing ships and had view records of him, or someone who looked remarkably like him, boarding a freighter the day before. The ship he had boarded was bound for Earth. The problem was that the retinal scans of this person didn’t match those they had on file for Louvos, so they couldn’t be sure.

  The good news was that they believed the men who’d been seen with Louvos and the Ventegs were still somewhere on LS Quantum. Of the four, two had already been identified. They were still working on identifying the other two and on determining how they had been moving so freely throughout the facility without being traced through their identification bands. Their investigation ongoing and they would keep the Couros group apprised.

  Deputy Secretary Moore then arranged for them to inspect the Venteg’s bodies and to have the autopsy report data provided to them. Quantum’s morgue was in the same quadrant as the Security Division’s Central Offices, so it was only a few minutes away.

  The minute they arrived, Sabrina had one thought. All morgues, no matter what universe they were in, were alike. They all had the same sterile look and disinfectant smell.

  They decided to split up into two groups. Dayor and Valon would perform the first-hand inspection of the bodies of Arton Venteg, and his Calivanian wife. Sabrina and Kendra would do a psi-read of their belongings on the small chance that they could pick up some sort of clue that might have been missed by more traditional investigative means. Then they’d switch.

  Both Dayor and Valon found they were having trouble maintaining the objectivity they needed for their inspections. To finally look at the body of the man they’d been after for almost a year; someone who they’d been fooled into thinking had been one of their loyal countrymen and employees, was far more difficult than they’d expected. It had been a huge betrayal and it was infuriating. Seeing the body of Venteg’s wife, who they had thought of as sweet and kind, was just sad.

  While Dayor and Valon struggled through their inspections, Kendra and Sabrina examined the Venteg’s belongings. With Sabrina acting as her amplifier, Kendra performed a psi-read on each piece of clothing and all the accessories that had been with Arton Venteg and his wife while they’d been on the space resort. They found no useful information from the reads.

  After several frustrating hours, Kendra turned to Sabrina. “Two things. First, I’d just like to alert you of something that, knowing you, you might not be aware of.”

  “You know I hate it when you start a discussion with that kind of statement, Kendra, but I’ll bite. What is it I don’t know?”

  “I believe Dayor has feelings for you. Serious feelings. And I think he’s had those serious feelings for you for a while.”

  Sabrina clapped her hands over her ears and closed her eyes, “No. I’m not going to
go there. We’re not going to have this discussion, maybe not ever, but definitely not when we’re standing in a morgue.”

  Kendra just smiled. “Okay, but only for now. The second thing is that I’d like to try something new here that Dev and I have been working on together for the last couple of months.”

  Sabrina raised her eyebrows, “What kind of thing?”

  “Dev and I have talked a lot about our abilities, you know, just to compare notes. One day, not too long ago, we both realized that there seems to be a similarity among at least some talents and maybe even with all talents. When I’m doing a read on an object, I can sense the vibration level of that object. Dev says that’s kind of the same for him as an amplifier, and the stronger the talent he’s working with, the more he can sense it. Have you noticed that kind of thing?”

  “Yes. Definitely. I notice it particularly when I work with someone who is either a touch reader, like you, or with those who have telekinetic abilities.”

  “Oh, that’s interesting. Okay, well, what’s recently been happening is that I seem to be developing a new kind of connection with crystele. It started with the Star, the artifact that brought Dev and me to Malli in the first place. I’d psi-connected with crystele a couple of times before that, but only the more common clear crystele. The star is made of peridot crystele, which is very rare.”

  “Yes, I know the background. It had dropped in temperature to about minus 200 degrees Celsius, for some reason, while it was being held on Earth.”

  “Yes, and we still don’t know why that happened, but that meant it couldn’t be touched without protective gloves, so it couldn’t be psi-read. We were finally able to get a read on it, once neuro-mesh gloves were developed. Once I did the read and connected with that vibration level, it was like it was imprinted in my mind. If I really focus on looking for that specific pitch, I can sense when someone else has recently been around any kind of crystele. It leaves some sort of a vibration residue.”