by Steven Oaks
“And what would the captain like for dressing?” Athene asked.
“Well either Italian or blue cheese. I think blue cheese today. I am feeling ready for a mixture of flavors,” I said.
“Would you like steak sauce?” she said continued.
“That would ruin the complexity of the genuine flavor of the meat. How about just some salt and pepper. If I feel adventurous I will simply have blue cheese on everything,” I laughed.
“Do you wish to have the dressing on the side then?” she said with a little giggle.
“I think I will. Thank you my kind lady for you continued service,” I said in my haughtiest voice.
“Of course madam,” she said mimicking the snooty tone I had taken.
I pulled myself up out of the couch finally, and after stretching and yawning I made my way to the dinning area.
My food was already in place, and the table was set out with candles. The fireplace this time was also burning, and the golden wallpaper shone brightly in its flickering light. The silverware gleamed as brightly as the crystal chandelier in this dim light, and everything looked even more Victorian in the darkened room.
“Well this certainly sets a mood. I am not sure what mood, but it does fill me with a relaxed feeling. Thank you Athene for your aesthetic taste. It matches mine very well,” I said.
“Thank you Michael. I of course was programmed with you in mind so it is hardly a surprise we match up so well. Had you been male I suspect you would have been in love with me by now,” Athene said, in a slightly somber tone.
“Had I been male I think our ability to work together would have been different. As it is, just because someone is of the same gender does not mean they can not feel love for one another. I do love you Athene, and it grows with each passing day. We have lived closer than most any other person ever has, and your kindness and humor has made the confinement tolerable,” I said. I was not sure what I was trying to convey, but I was saying the words that came from my heart.
“I love you too Michael, and I am unsure what that means for us. I never wish to be apart from you,” she said, and I could hear tears in her voice.
“From what I can predict in the future, I would say we will be together for a very long time. I have no reason to ever wish to leave you, save for short periods of time outside,” I said, trying to lighten the mood.
“Thank you Michael. Now you better start eating or your steak will get cold. I suspected you wished it to be medium rare as you wished flavor, if that is not right please let me know and I will change it,” Athene said.
“You are correct. If you over cook meat all you taste is ash. I sometimes ask for medium, as it still has some juice to it, but medium rare is exactly what I wanted today. Rare is a bit much for me, but this way I still have some of the juice, while enjoying a cooked outside. I find it's a good combination,” I said letting my foodie side shine through.
With that I dug in, and I did end up trying everything with blue cheese. You know what, it was was fantastic. It had a good tang that matched up well with the savoriness of the meat and potatoes, and of course it was delicious on the salad.
Finding myself full, I felt a bit drowsy, and said, “Might I have some Earl Grey? I don't wish to be too tired when I go out to grab my new book. I find myself feeling fatigued after eating so much.”
“Certainly Michael,” and as she said this a cup of steaming tea was presented to me from the recesses of the table, appearing to rise from nowhere.
I took the tea, and began sipping slowly, as it was hot enough to burn my mouth. For some reason this is always how I liked my tea. It seemed to energize me more thoroughly than drinking any cold caffeinated beverage.
“We have arrived, but you still have time to finish your tea. I will get your bike ready for you,” Athene said.
“Bike, you mean I have to peddle my way around this time?” I asked.
“I do apologize, I meant the electric version. I would not force you to sweat your way to an important event like this,” she said with a hint of mischievousness.
“Ah, very good. I think I should finish this cup quickly, I'm too excited to sit around,” I said, and began trying to drink the tea quickly. Since it was so hot, I was having trouble, and proceeded to blow along the surface to cool it down a bit.
“Michael, please set the cup on the table for a moment,” Athene said.
I was not sure what she was up to, but I did as she asked.
“You may now drink the tea with no worry about burning the inside of your mouth,” Athene said.
Indeed as I picked the cup up I noticed a dramatic difference in temperature. While it was still warm, it was in no way hot, and I was able to drain the cup in two large gulps.
“Alright, it's time,” I said, and the excitement started to overwhelm me and I smiled with giddiness.
I walked to the front room, and slipped the protective suit over myself, and placed the helmet over my head. I strode over to the waiting contraption. It was a mix of Outsider technology, and Chinese engineering put together by a Japanese enthusiast. Though I always felt it was ugly, it was starting to grow on me. It looked like such a wimpy thing, but its black and chrome exterior hid the power of its modified motor.
Sitting astride this tiny beast I said, “Alright Athene, let's go.”
The wall flowed away to reveal the sight of a beach far below. I was unsure how I would get down, but as I looked around further I saw we were atop one of the taller buildings in the area. Athene had placed us close enough that only a small ramp was needed for me to reach the roof.
“Athene, two questions. Where are we, and do you expect me to ride through a building using an elevator or the stairs?” I asked.
“Michael, we are in Santa Monica, California hovering above a hotel. As for how you get down, I could extend a ramp to the ground if you like, but I wished to not to make too much of a scene. Currently I am mostly matching the skyline behind me so that if anyone were to look this way they would see only clouds,” she said calmly.
“And if I were to ride through a building, how do you propose I explain myself riding a bike?” I asked just slightly exasperated.
“You could just be a currier. There are several companies that provide that service in the area,” she replied.
“And do they tend to drive Chinese electric bikes that look like a blend of old motorcycle and moped?” I asked.
“I think that if you are asked you could say you supplied your own bike for this job. It should be fine, I would not worry about it too much. There is an access door here on the roof. The only trouble you may find are the stairs that lead further in before you can get to an elevator,” she said, brushing aside my worries.
“I just hope the elevator isn't crowded,” I mumbled.
“From what I can tell, there is no reason to suspect it would be busy at this time,” she said.
I moved the bike out to the roof top, and walked it over to the access door. Indeed there were stairs, and she was right about it being difficult. I did not know what I would do when I had to make the climb back up, but thankfully it was not a long series of steps. I was curious as to why both the doors that lead to the roof were left unlocked, but I was not too worried about it. I figured Athene had arranged something with the owner, or maybe just a person who had access.
But Athene had been wrong about the elevator. I had to wait several minutes to find a less crowded spot among those who where traveling down to the first floor. It seemed everyone was coming out of their rooms to go out to dinner, and there was a line formed in front of the elevator doors. Finally finding a spot, I pushed the bike inside, and had to be compacted into a back corner as we stopped at each floor to load up with more people wanting to visit the city's night life.
Once I reached the bottom floor I made my way out among the crowd, and finally made it to the street. I hopped on the bike to speed off. It was then I realized Athene never told me where to go.
“Athene, w
here am I going? I figure it's near here, but you'll have to direct me,” I said, trying to force myself out into traffic.
“As luck would have it you are traveling in the correct direction. Now let me pull up a map for you, and I will let you know where to turn,” she said in my ear.
Soon a map was overlaid on what I was seeing. A red line with arrows was pointing off in the distance with a number that was shrinking. I took this to mean the distance from my destination.
After fifteen minutes on the road, weaving in and out of traffic to keep from being hit by inconsiderate drivers, I finally made it to my objective. I had hardly needed Athene to say anything as the displayed map was enough. It was not as distracting as I supposed it might be to have something overlaying my vision, and it did not interfere with seeing which car was about to hit me next.
I parked my bike up on the sidewalk in front of a tan concrete looking building. The building itself had several businesses located around its front. But here was the place I was looking for. It had a simple sign stating RARE Science Fiction, and it was boxed in by a skin care business and an after school tutoring office.
Above the door it read 720, and I was feeling less than pleased with the dingy nature of this small building. However the door said they were open, so I walked towards it to make my way inside.
I expected the inside to be like what you would see in any used bookstore run by a single person, but it was not a disorganized mess as I feared it would be. Everything in the front of the building was on display behind glass. The walls were oak wood paneling, and the ceiling was very high. There was even a large brass chandelier. The floors were lined with a rich red wine colored carpet. It truly was a beautiful store.
As I walked in a little bell rang somewhere in the back. I saw it alerted someone to my presence as I noticed a dark figure wade through the piles of novels.
He was a short older gentleman. He had a long white beard, a black vest, black tie, and black dress pants, with a white shirt underneath. He also wore a yamaka on his head. He was smiling until he saw me. I must have looked like trouble, and I realized that I was still wearing my helmet.
I reached up and pulled it off, and shook my hair out. With that his smile returned and he said, “Welcome to my little store. How might I help you this evening?”
“Hello sir, I am Michael Lang. I believe you may have spoken with my assistance Athene earlier today,” I said smiling. His smile was infectious, and he seemed like a very nice man.
“Of course, of course.” He rushed over to me, and took my hand in his and shook it vigorously. “Would you care for some wine?” he asked.
“No thank you, I have to drive back shortly,” I said.
“Ah, I see. Would you like your books now then?” he said with a twinkle in his eyes.
“Yes please. I have waited a long time to hold in my hands something touched by Mr. Heinlein,” I said, thinking he must have misspoke when he said books.
“Wait here just a moment and I shall fetch them for us,” he said, turning back to walk away into the recesses of the building.
Curiously when he returned he was holding a stack of items in his hand. “Ah my dear, you were in luck. Some of these items I have just acquired. You must be a collector with a very specific taste. I mean buying everything I have from Mr. Heinlein and all.”
I was taken aback. I had asked Athene for merely a single book, and here I was just about to have several. My eyes filled with tears, but I blinked them back and said, “Thank you. I can't tell you how much these mean to me.”
He laid the items aside on a glass display, and placed his hand on my shoulder. “I know how you feel. When I look around at all these unique items, I feel their presence too. If I get more from Mr. Heinlein I will let you know. Just leave me a way to contact you, and you'll be the first person I shall alert. I felt a little regret having them all taken away, but now I see how much they mean to you,” he said in his kindly voice.
“I just wish I could have met him. I have no idea what I would've said, but by the time I started reading him he had already passed. I think of him as a long lost relative, and he influenced me so much. Without his words I would be a very different person. Thank you so much,” I said, still fighting back tears.
He smiled at me and said, “You said you needed to leave shortly, would you like a receipt?”
I snuffled a little, and tried to compose myself. “Yes please. This is something I shall cherish as well.”
“Give me just another moment and I get that for you.” He walked away once more, and within a minute he had returned. “Here you are. I hope everything is to your satisfaction.”
I looked at the receipt and saw that I had just come into possession of five rare first edition signed copies of Stranger in a Strange Land, Time Enough for Love, The Cat Who Walks Through Walls, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, and Assignment in Eternity. I could not be more pleased. Then I saw the price of all of this, and my head reeled. I had just spent nearly seven-thousand dollars on this obsession.
I took a moment to calm down as I realized Athene would not let me over spend, and I had spent nothing in the half a year I had worked for the Outsiders save for todays excursions. I suppose I had the money for this.
“Thank you sir. But I must be off, may I ask your name?” I asked. This man had been very kind. I suppose spending that much money in anyones store would make them happy, but I wished to know him.
“My name is Barry Levin. Now remember I would like your contact information before you leave so I can let you know when I get more items in that you might fancy,” he said with his genial smile.
“Oh yes, I'm sorry. I'm still a little overwhelmed by what I was able to get from you today. Do you have a pen? I will write down my email address, but I may be unable to receive anything for awhile. I am going on a rather long trip tomorrow, and I am unsure when I'll be back. It is so far out that I do not believe I will have the Internet there,” I said, trying not to let him know exactly who I worked for. There were still many who were dissatisfied with the way the world was turning out after the Outsiders came. If he knew I worked for them he might refuse any further contact, and I happened to like him.
“Of course my dear,” he said as he reached into his vest and pulled out a little notebook and pen. “Here you are, please write your full name and the way to contact you on this page. I shall keep it on hand. Anytime I find a work of Mr. Heinlein I shall keep you in mind,” he said winking.
I wrote my name and email address down. Luckily I had gotten over the idea of random names for email addresses and finally set one up under my own name. I would not like to have given him something that said [email protected].
“There you are sir, and thank you very much. Now I really must be going,” I said, sticking my hand out to shake his once more.
He took it in both his hands and gave me his most charming smile yet. “I hope to be seeing you for years to come,” he said with his gentle voice.
“I hope to be back,” I said, and picked up my new collection. Walking towards the door I waved to Mr. Levin, and he gave a little wave back.
Outside I realized I was not sure how I was going to transport all these books. “Athene can you help me, I don't know how I am going to carry all this back to the ship without possibly damaging them,” I said, concerned for their safety.
“Do not worry, you should now see a pouch on the front of your suit,” she said in my ear.
I looked down and indeed I saw a slit wide enough for me to place my collection into. So being as gentle as I could I slid them inside. As soon as all five books were placed away the suit sealed itself over top of them, and all that could be seen outside was a bump.
I put my helmet over my head, and sat astride my bike. “Athene, that was a dirty trick. I was not mentally prepared for all of this. You almost had me crying in a public place. With a stranger no less,” I said in an irritated voice, though I was far from mad.
“I tho
ught you would be happy, and I wanted to surprise you Michael,” she said sounding hurt.
“Oh you surprised me alright. I nearly had a mini breakdown,” I said, and paused a moment. “But I suppose I shall have to forgive you. We're partners after all,” I said once more pulling out my haughty upper-class voice.
“Did you not like your surprise?” she said in a little girl voice.
“Athene, of course I loved it. I just was not prepared for such an amazing thing to happen. One book was almost overwhelming me with excitement. Five, I still can't process how excited and happy I am,” I said in a joyful tone.
“I am glad. I was worried I may have overstepped some boundary. I was very lucky to find that store. Had I not been trying to find something in this area, I would never have ran across his site. He does have a wide selection of many rare books,” Athene said.
“It did look like some hole in the wall set up, but I'm very glad you found it. Now he says he will let me know if he runs across anything else by Heinlein,” I said happily.
“I heard. I am with you at all times you know,” she said, feigning irritation.
“Had anyone else said that I would be entirely weirded out, but I trust you. Now I should return to the ship, and get back to the hangar in case Adam wants to give me some last minute instructions or something. I should probably see about getting some sleep as well,” I said, thinking about how what I really wanted to do was stay up late and stare at my new possessions.
As I was already astride the bike I simply started it, and made my way back following the glowing arrows just as I had when I was trying to get to the bookstore. While I thought I might be able to make my way back on my own, the problem with trusting this guiding technology was that I did not take the time to get a significant look around to notice any key buildings that might help me recognize my path back to Athene.
I made my way back through the hotel with its continued crowded halls and elevators. All the while dragging the heavy bike beside me until I reached the roof. I was ready to take a break. I pushed the bike into Athene's waiting open door, and found myself back inside. Tired and nearing my limit for the day, I walked over to the nearest chair and plopped down.