by J. Naomi Ay
"Some gall darn thing just broke," Tex spat. "What are you looking for, boy? Get down to the engine room and get us going again."
"I need my socks, Tex." Rent was half under the couch, patting his hand around in the dark when suddenly, he touched something large and furry.
"Rowr!" The thing shrieked and bolted away.
"Ah!" Rent shrieked, too, especially when it ran off toward the galley. In the darkened room, Rent couldn't actually see much except for a swath of white fur and a skinny long tail.
"Ah, hush, Tonto. You just frightened Elvis. Now, it'll take him another month to come out from behind the fridge." Elvis, it turned out, was some sort of feline-type creature, although Rent could have sworn he was a large rat. "Now get along, little doggie, or we're going to be sitting here in space for a lot longer than I would like."
"I'll get on it," Rent replied, although his hands were still shaking from meeting Elvis.
Under the couch, Rent found both of his socks, one of his shoes, his shirt and his multi-tool combo knife.
The engine was hopeless. Although Rent's earlier patch was still in place, a head gasket had blown and damaged the cylinders.
"How old is this thing anyway?" Rent asked, sitting back on his haunches and surveying the dripping coils. He could take the thing apart and replace the gasket, but he would need a decent set of tools and a new gasket which he didn't have.
"Really old." Tex extracted a cigarette from a pack of Marlboros in his breast pocket. "I inherited Silver from my granddaddy when I was just a wee lad."
"Silver?"
"Every ship's got to have a name, don't it?"
"Ok." Rent pulled himself to his feet. "Maybe we ought to call for a tow, Tex, if it's not too expensive?"
"Well, sheeeet, Tonto. That's not why I brought you aboard." Tex tossed the half smoked cig down on the floor. He ground it in with the heel of his snakeskin boot, then taking out both of his Six Shooters, he blew some air into the chambers. "You do what you need to do, son. I ain't wasting all our loot on some overpriced engine repair." Then, Tex pointed the guns at the engine. "You had better start working, darling, or somebody is going to get shot."
"Ok, Tex." Rent's hands began to shake again.
Tex chuckled and holstered his weapons. Lighting another Marlboro, he strode bow-legged from the engine room, leaving Rent to consider his options. The best course of action would be to wait for a tow to a spaceport with a repair bay.
Alternatively, they could limp along slowly, periodically shutting down the engine to cool. The third option would be to climb in the escape pod and get as far away from this ship as he could.
Unfortunately, the escape pod only had limited propulsion with a very small range. Rent might find himself floating out in space, his oxygen supply, food and water diminishing with no rescue in sight. The fourth option would be to kill Tex in his sleep, and call for help. Rent wasn't a violent guy, so he immediately ruled that out.
Locating the tool closet, Rent discovered a bottle of Quicky Fix Sealant sitting on a shelf. It was covered in a thick layer of dust, perhaps having been there since Tex's granddaddy's time.
Rent debated whether or not to pour it into the cracked manifold. If the sealant worked, they might be able to limp to a spaceport. If it didn't, the old engine would probably explode. Rent didn't see that he had any other choice, so into the engine it went along with a few prayers.
Rent wasn't entirely sure whom he was praying to. His thoughts never extended to Who controlled the Universe. He was comforted by the fact that Emperor ran the galaxy, and that was usually good enough for him. In this particular circumstance, he was pretty sure there wasn't anything the Emperor could do to help him out. So, after Rent emptied the bottle into the radiator compartment, he looked upward at the oddly shaped crack that ran across the old ship's ceiling and said something along the lines of, 'If You wouldn't mind, could You please make sure this works.'
Perhaps, Someone heard that, or maybe, Rent was just an extraordinarily lucky guy. After waiting the twenty minutes requested on the Quicky Fix Sealant bottle, the old engine started right up. As luck would have it again, the nearest spaceport was only three point three clicks away, which meant, a short time later, Old Silver was safely docked and in for service.
Chapter 13
Berkan was in a foul mood. Not only had Taner arrived and kicked him out of Senya's office, but he had been called by the Imperial Taxing Authority regarding an impending audit.
"This is absurd." Berkan had fumed from his own office as he glanced down the long list of documents he was supposed to produce; receipts from this and that, pay stubs and copies of bills, proof that the new swimming pool installed at the estate was a business expense. "Of course, it was," he snapped, taking pleasure in the knowledge that Shika had been kicked out of the Imperial Office, too. He was also undergoing an audit which Berkan hoped was as invasive as an anal exam. On the other hand, perhaps, the two ought to join forces and kick out Taner? Who had invited him here anyway? Berkan wondered. And, how to get rid of him now that he was here?
"Grandpa?" Angelica poked her head in through the door. "Are you busy? Can I talk to you for a moment?"
"Of course, dear." Berkan couldn't help himself, but smile.
Angelica came into the office dressed demurely in a traditional Mishnese gown that showed off her youthful figure and graceful charm.
"Do you remember last week? You told me that I should tell you when…um…when it would be…um…you know, the right time?" She blushed furiously, turning deep pink all the way to her dark hair roots.
"Yes, dear," Berkan replied calmly, thinking Angelica as angelic as her name, naive and virginal, a sweet young fifteen. "Is it now?"
"Uh huh." She nodded her head. "Do you think I should go to his room? What exactly should I tell him when I get there?"
"Can you think of something romantic to say? Such as, your heart beats only for him. Or, perhaps, you've been secretly in love ever since you were born?"
Angelica blushed again. It made the large pimple on the side of her nose stand out. In fact, now that Berkan looked closer, she had quite a few red blemishes.
"Best wait until this evening," Berkan hastily decided. The darkness would be to Angelica's benefit. "Let me make certain he's feeling well, and then, I'll summon you to his chamber. You haven't spoken a word of this to your grandmother, I hope?"
"No." Angelica shook her head emphatically. "I've kept my mouth shut just as you and Daddy said I should. Do you think I'll be able to tell her once it's over? If I'm pregnant with the Imperial Grandbaby, isn't she going to need to know?"
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Berkan replied. "You just do your Royal Duty and get yourself knocked up. It's for Cyganus, you know, as well as the entire empire. The fate of billions will rest upon the child in your womb."
"Don't worry, Grandpa. I'm sure, I'll be successful." Angelica blew Berkan a kiss. Then, she gracefully swept from the room, shutting the door.
Berkan never doubted the girl's sincerity. Although, he had no clue how she could be so certain she would succeed. On the other hand, she was a woman, so she ought to know how these things were done. Berkan went back to searching for his missing receipts.
Later that evening, Berkan conferred with Marik regarding the proposition he was about to make.
"Are you serious?" Marik roared. "I've spent the last fucking week turning everyone against that idiot Prince, and now you're telling me you want to form an alliance with Shika?"
"He'll be your grandson's father. We ought to try to get along." As soon as the words came out of his mouth, Berkan realized how ridiculous they sounded. "If we don't ally together, then Taner will have the upper hand. I've heard through the grapevine that he's already got Kinar in his corner."
"Kinar?" Marik glared as his mind raced with the possibilities. Taner and Kinar against Berkan and Shika would be a formidable match. Furthermore, if they stopped fighting, it might make it easier
to get Angelica into Shika's bed. "Alright," Marik grumbled. "Do what you need to do. Just make certain that we're the ones calling the shots. I'll continue to work this end. If Kinar is against us, then I suspect Kiman is conspiring, as well. I'll have to devise a difficult mission for him to go on. Maybe his scout ship will break so he can't return."
"Do whatever you think you need to do," Berkan replied. "Are you making any progress with Hannah? Is she interested in becoming Queen of Karupatani?"
Marik tapped his fingers and considered what to say. "She's been preoccupied with the Karut girl that we rescued. Every time, I've tried to speak with her, she tells me she's got an emergency and has to run. I think the only way she'll do it is if she's coerced."
Marik thought, but didn't mention to his father, he knew exactly how to bend Hannah to his will. While he was at it, he'd make her scream, and then beg for more. In no time, Hannah would be wrapped around his proverbial finger, as well as around his proverbial something else.
"We may have to," Berkan announced. "The little Karut girl, could she be an issue? She is a de Kudisha, although from a very minor insignificant prince."
"She could be married to a major one in a few years. Don't they all interbreed with one another? The Karuts might prefer her over anyone else. Perhaps," Marik continued. "We should eliminate her before she becomes a problem. We'll just say she died in the plane crash with her parents. No one will ever know the truth, as long as I eliminate Kiman and Sam at the same time."
"Fair enough." Berkan nodded and rang off as his door opened to admit his wife.
"Are you coming home for dinner?" Luci asked. "Angelica has gone to bed early with a bit of tummy ache."
"Poor lamb." Berkan sighed. "Unfortunately, I've got this tax audit to deal with tonight."
"Alright," Luci sniffed. "I suppose I'll go up to the hospital and check on the Empress. Perhaps, I can urge her out for a few minutes to get a bite to eat."
"You do that, dear. I think I may pop out and have a drink with young Shika."
"Really?" Luci eyed her husband. "I thought the two of you were at odds with one another?"
"It's time to mend the fences." Berkan rose and escorted his wife to the door. "In these troubling times, we must all make an extra effort to get along."
"You're so sweet, Berkie. I'm sure the Emperor, when he wakes up, will appreciate all your efforts. You shall all be rewarded, certainly. Isn't it a relief that Taner has come to help? It's just like old times when we were all one big happy family."
"Indeed." Berkan shoved his wife out the door. "Busy, busy, dear. Go give my love to the Empress. Hopefully, soon, Senya will wake up and rejoin us all."
A short time later, Berkan found Shika in the Seven Nags pub, a favorite hangout of Imperial Guardsmen since before his father's time. It was located in a far corner of the Palace complex on the ground floor of the lowest servants' building. No one recalled why it was named Seven Nags or whether the Nags referred to horses or wives.
Shika was at the bar, already well soused, a plate with half a pickled egg, a tiny pickled onion, a hunk of bread and a slice of cheese lay before him.
"Your Imperial Highness," Berkan said gruffly, setting himself down on the stool next to the younger man.
"Duke," Shika replied and tipped his glass in Berk's direction.
Berkan considered how he had known Shika for his entire life, and what a loser the Imperial Prince had always been. Yet, he was surprised by this odd bit of fondness for the lad, Senya's son, and his own blood cousin.
"Do you recall that time I came and rescued you from your prep school?" Berkan nodded to the bartender, while pointing at his favorite whiskey. A draught was poured and left it in front of him.
"You mean that time when I overdosed and nearly died? Right before I was sent to Karupatani to endure Horseback Hell with my native cousins?"
"Yes."
"It was Taner who brought me back here."
"No." Berkan knocked back nearly the entire glass. "It was me. Taner arranged for you to return to Karupatani. He always enjoyed visiting the Karuts."
"Fuck knows why."
"Who knows? Maybe he got laid each time he went there."
"Yeah, those girls were always hot, although the one I married turned ice cold. Maybe, I ought to go visit my cousins, and survey Papa's estates. I wouldn't mind some young Karut girls entertaining me."
Berkan mumbled something appropriate and ordered another round of drinks. He had no idea how many Shika had already swallowed by now, but figured the more the merrier in this case. "I saw a rather lovely young thing around here, today," he remarked casually. "Are you going to finish that egg or that piece of cheese?"
Shika pushed the entire plate in front of the Duke. "Eat away. I can't stand pickled food."
Berk ate the egg, the onion, and the cheese with the bread, while having Shika's glass refilled yet again. "Yes, she was quite lovely, and young," he mused. "But, you don't like virginal girls, I suppose."
Shika chuckled a little in the back of his throat.
"I like them any which way, and every direction."
"Well," Berkan said and got up from his stool. "I'll have her sent to your apartments right away."
He bowed low in the manner befitting a king or an emperor, not a prince who would never be either one of these. It worked its desired purpose which was to assuage Shika's vanity, and the Prince was drunk enough not to notice Berkan's smirk.
Shika finished the drop at the bottom of his glass, and then stumbled back to his apartment to tryst with the unknown virgin girl.
Angelica waited patiently in Shika's bed while Berkan hid in the closet. She felt silly with her grandfather listening and even sillier in the pink negligee which hugged her already swollen breasts.
Eventually, the Prince arrived. His stench preceded him in the room and nearly made Angelica gag.
"Well, who's this?" Shika slobbered, peering at Angelica through the dim light. "You are quite young and very ripe for picking." He stumbled to the bed and then promptly, passed out on top.
"Grandpa?" Angelica yelled. "What do we do now?" Berkan emerged from the closet.
"Stay there," he decided, "Until he wakes up."
"But, he stinks!"
"You'll get used to it," Berkan replied. "Now, help me get him undressed and into bed."
After Shika was safely tucked between the sheets with Angelica nestled at his side, Berkan decided to go home to his own bed.
"Have fun." He wished the girl. "I'll see you in the morning after the deed is done."
Angelica crossed her arms in front of her very bare chest and tried to sleep, although it was awfully hard. She thought about all the things she would buy with her new Imperial Allowance. When the Imperial Prince married her, she'd have more money than anyone in the entire galaxy. She would be able to afford all the clothes and shoes she wanted, plus a personal trainer. As Angelica dreamed of getting fresh colored highlights in her hair every day, Shika awoke and started pawing her.
"Good morning," he said huskily, running his hands across her swollen breasts. "What is your name? You look absolutely delicious".
"Angelica," Angelica said as no one had coached her to say anything else.
"Angelica?" Shika repeated and sat up straight. "Angelica Korelesk? Oh god!" He grasped his head. "Don't tell me we already…oh…last night?"
"Uh huh." Angelica realized this was the perfect resolution to the problem she faced. "Thank you." She smiled politely. "It was very nice and loads of fun."
"Go away," Shika grumbled and turned his back to her. "Get the fuck out of my bed and my life."
"I think I'm pregnant," Angelica said as she made to leave.
"You can't know that!" Shika snapped and lay back down.
"Yes, I can," Angelica continued as she walked to the bedroom door. "I am a woman. I know exactly what's going on in my body. You'll have to marry me now because I'll bear the Imperial Heir. Do you think my dad will enjoy being your father in
-law?"
All Shika could do was moan and hope that this was just a terrible dream. That pickled egg must have been rotten and made him ill. He prayed he'd wake up in a day or two and discover these last ten years were just a horrific hallucination. If he was lucky, he'd still be living on the Queen of Rozari and married to Hannah, but Shika had never been lucky in his entire life.
Chapter 14
Marik was watching him. Throughout the midday staff meeting, someone would speak, and Marik would turn his attention briefly to that individual. Then, the Captain's eyes would swing back to Kiman as if waiting for him to make a move. Kiman didn't say a word, except to give his formal report. He cleared his throat and read from his tablet, emotion, as always, absent from his voice.
"Thank you, Commander." Marik smiled with his teeth, but not his eyes.
Kiman was reminded of a lion ready to eat. What Marik didn't realize was that he was no gazelle. Kiman was a black tiger with claws that could slit his throat. He was quick, covert and deadly. If he was ordered to take Marik out, he could do it tonight. Marik would never realize what had hit him. One moment he'd be brushing those humongous smiling teeth, and the next, his blood would be draining down the sink.
In between SpaceNavy contracts for the last twenty years, while Marik and the rest of the crew assumed he went home to his wife and kids, Kiman went to Mishnah for training. He was a member of an elite and covert branch of the Imperial Guard. In fact, the wife and kids were all part of the ruse. His life was dedicated to preserving the Empire, and to protecting the de Kudisha family.
When the Imperial Prince was grounded, Kiman chose to stay in space. At first, his mission was to protect Hannah, but later that changed.
"His Imperial Majesty is concerned." Kiman's commanding officer had said, "About Marik Korelesk. You must watch him and make certain he doesn't step out of line."
"Should I kill him?" Kiman had asked.