TheTraveler - book 1

by Robin Marienus Miller

  I said, "fire stick, I've seen these before, they are short range lasers."

  Owsee, "yes, short range, I use it on delicate work."

  He filled the pipe with the dry plant and lit it. After taking a deep drag, on the pipe, he handed it to me.

  While exhaling he said, "I used to do a lot of this when I first came here, to mellow out after work. This is the good stuff. You always get the best from the med lab."

  I took a drag and started to cough. "It's strong stuff," he said. I relit it with the fire stick and was able to hold it in as I passed the pipe back to him.

  Then exhaling, I said, "do you think that laser can cut a hole in my glove right about here?" And I pointed to the spot where my ring was underneath.

  Owsee, "no, not this one. You could have it done at med lab, but I think you want to keep it a secret. The man you got the device from should be able to help you. He is your best bet I think."

  We drank more rum and smoked the pipe as he asked me to recite another poem or story. I told him about a metal disc called a quarter, which my race once used as credits. And how it once has the picture of a bird, named an eagle, on one side and a picture of a man on the other. Then they changed the pictures, I wrote a poem about it, and it went like this.

  "Three Eagles flue to do my wash, upon a summer's day,

  and three more flew to dry it, though for loss I may dismay.

  Upon my Eagles back rides the head of a man,

  to service all of the machines, across as token land.

  And though his deeds were many, and his face may be well known,

  it is the Eagles I will miss when from my hand have flown."

  Owsee, "very good, a story about change spoken in a poetic way. Your stories are not just facts, they explain how you feel about things. That is what makes them special to me. We must record them all."

  I said, "if you want to record all my stories, it may take years."

  Owsee, "and with each story you will become richer. I do not lie, that is one thing I would never do, you can ask anyone. I am from a race that lives on words. The old laws say that a liar shall have his tongue cut out. But it does not apply to outsiders. That is why we do not trust off-worlders too much."

  I said, "having your tongue cut out is quite an incentive to always tell the truth."

  Owsee, "yes it is. That is why I make such good deals. I cannot lie to anyone, it's just not in my nature."

  I said, "it is still hard for me to believe my stories are worth so much. Maybe it is because I come from a planet of storytellers."

  Owsee, "things are different out here. You're one of the first to come so far. If there were many more of you out here, the price would go down. However, for now it’s just you."

  Taking another toke on the pipe, I asked, "what are those fungus looking thing?"

  "Mushrooms," he replied, "they are better fresh but they drive them out like this for storage, so they will last longer. They have a nutty taste to them and are a hallucinogenic. The instructions say to eat at least one but they gave me 10. Once I start this, I will not even be able to find the door."

  I said, "tell me what happens if someone breaks a leg, or otherwise can't walk to the med lab?"

  Owsee, "they sent a stretcher for them."

  I said, "so, knowing the condition you will be in, could we have them send one for you?"

  Owsee, "that's a good idea, I'll call and ask them."

  He used the com-link, which was on his shoulder, and called them. The reply was yes; they would send one when they were ready.

  Owsee said, "well that's a relief, now it don't matter how messed up I get, let's party!"

  And with that, we both ate a mushroom. They were very good, not like the ones I had on earth. These have a nutty flavor to them and were sweet. I wanted to eat more than just one, but I didn't want to get so messed up that I could not help him or miss my date with the storekeeper.

  Then Owsee said, "I need to use the waste disposal room. Turn the security screen back on after I leave the table."

  And with that he turned the force field off and got up, took a moment to get his balance, and then walked off to the waste room. I put the screen back up as soon as he left. While he was gone I did two more lines and filled the pipe again. As I was sitting there, toking on the pipe, when a green light started to flash on the edge of the table. Thinking it may be a transmission, I was debating whether or not to tap it when Owsee came back. I let him in, then put the screen back up. As he sat down he noticed the light, and said, "a communication. Maybe my arms are ready."

  He taped the light and a 3-D picture came on the security screen. It was a download from the med lab, about the woman at the store. It included information, with visual aids, about human and Catalack matting.

  Owsee, "now I'm sure she likes you. Your species are not so different I see. I think you could make it work. It was nice of her to send you instructions."

  "Yes it was," I said, "I have never had a woman send me porn before."

  Owsee, "look here, it says her skin turns pink when she is sexually aroused. That is how you can tell if she is flirting, or if she truly wants you."

  I said, "that's a good thing to know."

  Owsee, "here, I'll put it on a dated chip for you. Maybe you can review the information with her later, It may lead to something."

  I said, "somehow I have the feeling that she will be doing the teaching, not the computer."

  Owsee, "I think you're right, let's drink to it."

  And we had some more of the rum with ale to wash it down with.

  Then he said, "do you have any poems about love or women?"

  I said, "there is one that comes to mind, now that you mention it. It's called, "it's cheaper to pay for it," and it goes like this.

  "It's cheaper to pay for it, that it is to pray for it.

  For the coast of a girlfriend, never seems to an end.

  There’s the dinner and dance, it's the coast of romance.

  And fixing her car may bring points to go far.

  But as cards find their max, as have paychecks done their dance.

  It's her time don't you know, and you've nothing to show.

  Then there's -- I may be late, just to give pain and grate.

  Can you forget the cost? Is there love without loss?"

  Owsee, “that's a very good poem, because it is true I think. It is hard to find a good woman, or a good man for that fact."

  I said, "Yes, well the search goes on, for most of us. But for right now I need to use the waste room myself," and got up -- then half sat down and stood up again.

  He turned off the security screen and said, "I'll watch your back from here."

  As I walked toward the room, I could hear the screen go back up. There was no one in there as I locked the door behind me and proceeded to take care of business. I was feeling the effects of the mushrooms and there were many pretty colors. But things were moving from far away to close -- then back again, this made it difficult to stand or walk. I soon return to the table. And as I reached out to get my balance I was zapped by the force field, just a little.

  The screen then went down and Owsee said, "I'm sorry. My reflexes are a bit slower than normal, I didn't mean to let you get zapped."

  I said, "it's all right. I could see the field was still on, but I just lost my balance, no harm done."

  Owsee, "I ate all the jumbo sticks while you were gone."

  I said, "maybe we should have something more to eat."

  Owsee, "they make a good meat sandwich here, at least sometimes it's meat. Sometimes it's a plant that taste like meat."

  I said, "do you want me to ask the bartender to make us some?"

  He said, "I'll do it." Then he taped a symbol on one side of the table and the barkeepers said, over an intercom, "yes sir, what may I get you?"

  "Two meat sandwiches and some jumbo sticks," said Owsee.

  "Yes sir, right away," said the barkeeper.

  Owsee, "y
ou see, that's another advantage to being at this table."

  I said, "yeah, and that's the nice thing about a small place like this, it’s easy to get waited on. Say, I got an old riddle for you. How many ladders would it take to get to the sun?"

  Owsee, "I don't know, how many?"

  I said, "just one, but it would have to be a very long one."

  Owsee, "ha ha Ha, that's a good one, a long one. I need to tell that one to the barkeep."

  The barkeeper brought us our sandwiches and Owsee told him the joke. He then went back and told it to the rest of the bar. It got a good laugh. I guess that's one thing you can say about being so far from Earth, even the oldest jokes still get a laugh out here.

  Owsee, "I feel like some music, the controls are on your side."

  I said, "you mean the triangle?"

  "Yes," he said, "you have seen this before?"

  I pushed it down and it popped up. Then I turned it until I found something that I liked.

  As we ate our food I said, "this is about the best meat sandwich I have ever had."

  Owsee, "yes, they do a good job of it here."

  We then just sat back, smoking his pipe and listening to the music.

  He said he would be straight again before me, because he was going to the med lab and they would fix him up right.

  After a few moments, to gather his thoughts, he said to me, "do you know how I made my big money? Water, I have the sole claim to the glacier on the back side of the Moon. Mountains of water just waiting to be melted. I bought them before anyone knew they were there. I'll take you to my mine when we are both straighter, It does not take long to get there."

  And just as he was saying that a message came in, telling him that his arms were ready, and they were sending a stretcher for him.

  "Here," he said, "you take all of this stuff and put it in the bag. When you get a chance, use your cloak to slip past the guards and take it to the ship."

  We told the barkeeper to store the rest of the keg of rum in the back for us, and went to the front of the bar to wait for the men from med lab. I turned my cloak right side out, and put my hood up so no one could see me. Then waited in the corner until they got Owsee, and took him out, I slipped past the guards and down the hall.

  “One hole then another”

  I went to the ship and drop off the bag, then back to the shop where I got the telekinetic enhancer. I asked the storekeeper if I could operate it with the glove on, and he said yes because the energy was directed at a distant object. I asked if he could put a hole in the glove so I could turn it on, or off, without taking the glove off.

  He said, "no problem, just show me where you want the hole."

  I showed him how I wanted it, so the gem would show through the finger of the glove. He went in the back for a moment then brought it back with a hole in just the right place.

  I asked him how much I owed and he said, “this one is on the house, is there was anything else you would like to look at?

  I said, "no, not right now, I have someone else I need to see."

  The storekeeper said, "ah -- yes, the catalack."

  "How did you know about her?" I asked.

  Storekeeper, "I am a collector of information, you must remember, you can't order a meat sandwich on this station without me knowing about it."

  I said, "and do you also sell this information?"

  He said, "from time to time, to the right person for the right price."

  "I understand," I said, "thank you for the hole."

  Then I left his shop to go to the clothing store. As I went into her shop I could see her dealing with someone. She waved to me, I waved back and try to look interested in some clothing I was standing near. I listened to the way she dealt with this other customer. She was not flirting the way she was with me. They agreed on something, then the other men left.

  She walked over to me and said, "so, did you come back for your credits or me?"

  I said, "we have a saying where I come from, business before pleasure."

  She scanned my chip to add 100 credits. Them said to me, as she put her hands on my shoulders, "that takes care of the business, now how about some pleasure."

  Then she kiss me on the lips, gently to see how receptive I was. She pulled her head back a few inches and smiled as she slowly ran her hands down my arms, to my gloved hands. Putting them behind her, she slapped both of my hands on her butt, saying, "see how well they stick, now I cannot get away from you."

  She was turned pink all over, and said, "you just push on the fingertips to let go."

  She pushed my hands up her bottom and the grip let loose from her. Then she kept pushing my hands up her side until they were under her breast, and said, "see, no friction when you slide them slowly."

  She reached behind me, and pulled me close as she gave me a passionate kiss. My hands slipped around her back and I held her tightly.

  Then I said, "can we go in the back room? I like privacy."

  I'll leave some of the details to the imagination of the reader, but needless to say we gave each other pleasure.

  She told me there was no translation for her name so we settled on Kitty. As I was leaving, her skin turned yellow, then back to normal white with a bit of a tan, and a hint of a light green. I would have to look that one up.

  “New arms for Owsee”

  I then went to med lab to see how Owsee was doing. I still felt a bit naked without any undergarments on. Oh well, another reason to see Kitty again.

  As I walked into the med lab the doctor said, "hello again, are you well?"

  I said, "just a little tired thank you."

  The doctor said, "yes, those katalackeons can tire a man out."

  I said, "does everyone know my business?"

  Doc, "I sent you the med download at her request. I hope the information was helpful."

  I said, "what does it mean when they turn yellow?"

  Doc, "you mean yellow, then white?"

  I said, "yes."

  Doc, "this means they are pregnant."

  I said "are you sure doc? Could it be anything else?"

  Doc, "no doubt about it, she should give birth in four to six weeks."

  I said, "I don't feel so good."

  Doc, "have you eating or drank anything that may cause this?"

  I said, "I ate and drank at the Drink Drunk, but that's only part of it doc."

  Doc, "I see," he said, then gave me what looked like a small bottle of water, and said, "this will take the toxins out of your body. Drink it slowly. By the time you are done you will feel better."

  I said, "thank you, how is Owsee doing?"

  Doc, "he should be out in a few minutes, then he should rest."

  I drank the water, that seemed just a little bit salty, and thought about what the doc had said. Maybe the translator got it wrong. And if she is pregnant what will the children look like? Four to six weeks, that's fast. How many do they have at one time, and does she want me to be their father? There should have been a warning on that med download.

  I was sipping my whatever it was, and thinking about all of this, when Owsee came walking out with his new arms.

  Owsee, "how do they look? I need to buy new shirts for only two arms now, but I have my hands and fingers back, just like new."

  I said, "you look taller."

  Owsee, "yes, they straighten my spine; all those years dragging four arms around. Now I can stand up straight. And you my friend, how are you feeling?"

  I said, "the doc gave me something to drink. Detox water I think."

  Owsee, "yes, that detox water works very well. They should serve it in the bar, but it costs too much."

  I said, "the doc didn't say anything about cost."

  Owsee, "and he won't. He knows you are my friend, and if it were not for me he would be rotting in a jail cell. Overprescribing is against the law in some places on the fourth planet. That's why he works here, I got him the contract. Let's go back to the ship. I need to rest, or at le
ast that's what they tell me."

  I said, "I'm feeling much better myself, this detox water is doing the job."

  Owsee, "yes it's good stuff. Do you mind stopping with me at the clothing store so I can get some new shirts? Or is it too soon for you to see her again?"