Tanis Richards: Shore Leave - A Hard, Military, Science Fiction Adventure (Aeon 14: Origins of Destiny)

Tanis Richards: Shore Leave - A Hard, Military, Science Fiction Adventure (Aeon 14: Origins of Destiny) Page 18

by M. D. Cooper

  Opening the case, the first thing that Tanis saw—because she couldn’t help it—was a neon green dress with black and yellow panels.

  “It’s like a bumblebee got the plague,” Tanis said as she set the dress aside.

  Darla chuckled.

  “Stars, Darla, if you weren’t an AI, I’d think you were hot for me,” Tanis said with a laugh as she pulled another lightwand out of the case.

 

  “Hey!” Tanis exclaimed, flipping the lightwand over—and pointedly ignoring Darla’s comment. “This is my lightwand!”

 

  “At least ‘til he wakes up,” Tanis qualified with a laugh.

  The case also contained another rifle, a flechette pistol, another set of the light armor, a few Infil Kits, and a small box labeled ‘X19-FCK’.

  Darla said as Tanis checked over the weapons, sorting their charge packs and magazines.

  “Oh yeah?” Tanis asked, not sure she wanted to hear why.

 

  “Gah…I hate the idea of crashing that,” Tanis grimaced.

 

  “No…I also hate the thought of the whole crew being caught up in this mess. I wonder what they must think of me.”

  Darla assured her.

  Not in a day, at least, I hope… Tanis thought as she lifted the dress once more.

 

  “Then we have to go shopping for a matching purse,” Tanis said. “Because I’m taking this suit with me…just in case.”

  Darla asked.

  Tanis sighed and picked up the box with ‘X19-FCK’ stamped on it. “Not looking forward to this part.”

  She opened up the box and saw only an injector.

  “Huh. Well, this is odd.”

 

  “Subdermal? As in this is going to alter my bone structure?”

 

  With a protracted sigh, Tanis picked up the injector, which had the words ‘Apply to Cheek’ stenciled on the side. “Here goes nothing.”

  She pushed the button, and felt a large volume of nano flow into her face, making her skin and cheekbone begin to ache immediately. The ache spread across her entire face, and Tanis groaned.

  she said over the Link rather than attempting to open her mouth—not that she thought it would even be possible at the moment.

  The pain dropped Tanis to her knees, and she squeezed her eyes shut, tears leaking from the corners. The agony only intensified, and she sucked in a shuddering breath before toppling over and passing out.

  * * * * *

  A strident voice came into her mind.

  Tanis cracked an eyelid—which felt like she was dragging sandpaper over her eye—and realized she was face-down on the floor.

  “Oh, stars…did you get the ident of the ship that hit me?” she moaned, pushing herself up to a sitting position.

  Darla said.

  Tanis saw that she’d been out cold for just over twenty minutes. “I feel like I’ve fallen unconscious far too much of late,” she muttered while rising to her feet.

  Once standing, she Linked to the room’s holoemitters, and activated a 3D mirror. An image of herself appeared in the center of the apartment, and Tanis stepped toward it, examining the face the person wore.

  “Stars, I really look totally different.”

  Tanis snapped her mouth shut, surprised by the high-pitched voice that had replaced her own.

 

  “Say hello to Florence Lanny,” Tanis whispered. “Damn, I sound like such a squeaky doofus.”

 

  “Fantastic,” Tanis squeaked. “Stars, there’s no way this woman really sounds like this.”

 

  Tanis wondered if Harm ever gender-swapped to become Florence Lanny himself, or if it was just a general cover that MICI agents had available. Or if he’d crafted it just to mess with her.

 

  “Shit,” Tanis muttered as she quickly pulled the dress on, pleased to find that it had a hidden thigh holster.

  She debated taking the flechette weapon, but the pulse pistol was made to pass through security scans, while the flechettes would most certainly be picked up.

  The pistol also meant she’d be less likely to ‘accidentally’ kill Tora-Unger.

  She slipped it into the thigh holster, and gave Florence a last once-over in the mirror.

  “Stars, I do look like a bumblebee with the plague,” Tanis muttered. “This is why I don’t like a lot of fashion. It’s dumb.”

 

  “Wait!” Tanis cried, looking around. “No shoes.”

 

  Tanis accessed the printer, and had it print out a pair of black shoes and a black purse. When they came out, both were neon green.

  “Seriously, Darla?”

 

  DANCE WITH FATE

  STELLAR DATE: 01.22.4084 (Adjusted Years)

  LOCATION: Persephone Ballroom, Grand Éire Resort

  REGION: Vesta, Terran Hegemony, InnerSol

  Tanis strode into the Persephone Ballroom in the Grand Éire Resort like she owned the place, glad that her bee-barf dress blended in with the other horrid fashion on display.

  she said absently to Darla as she surveyed the vast ballroom, searching for Tora-Unger amidst the garishly dressed dancers, who all glowed under the black lights and strobes.

  Darla replied, apparently also surprised at the format of the dance.

  Tanis worked her way around the perimeter of the ballroom toward the bar at the back.

  Darla chuckled, but didn’t reply as Tanis threaded the crowds. Tanis finally arrived at the bar, where she ordered a Grey Venusian, and turned to watch the writhing mass of humanity while the servitor prepared her drink.

  As fate would have it, Tanis had only taken one sip of her beverage before she saw Tora-Unger in the crowd. He was standing near one of the other SWSF officers, First Colonel Urdon.

  The men were talking, though Tanis could see that Tora was eyeing some of the women dancing nearby, while U
rdon had glanced at a group of men.

  Tanis said to Darla.

  Darla chuckled.

  Tanis rolled her eyes.

 

  Tanis let Darla’s barbs ride as she sidled up to Tora-Unger, trying not to gag at the pink, green, and grey disaster he was wearing.

  “Having a good time?” she asked.

  Tora turned and looked Tanis up and down, only leering slightly.

  Tanis held her ground.

  Darla replied.

  “Always having a good time,” Tora said as he grinned at Tanis. “We ship out tomorrow, so we’re enjoying one last night at the TSF’s expense.”

  “You’re Terran Space Force?” she asked in Florence Lanny’s squeaky voice.

  “No,” Tora shook his head, then extended his hand. “Captain Tora of the Scattered Worlds Space Force.”

  “Oh!” Tanis feigned excitement. “A Disker! How far out are you from?”

  “Originally?” he asked. “I grew up on Nibiru. That’s where I’m officially stationed, but I spend a lot of time on Makemake these days.”

  “Wow! Nibiru! You’re practically beyond the Sol System out there.”

  Tora snorted, a condescending smile on his lips. “Not quite, but a lot further than most folks around here will ever get. I didn’t catch your name, by the way.”

  “Florence Lanny,” Tanis said, giving a vapid smile. “I work in marketing for a supplier. I pass through Vesta from time to time. I like to come to the Éire’s events whenever I’m here. It’s a bright spot of civilization on this ridiculously utilitarian rock. You’d think the TSF could have added some style to Vesta over the centuries they’ve had it.”

  Tora chuckled and nodded conspiratorially. “Don’t say that too loud around here, but I agree. They could do with a bit more architectural inspiration—outside of the Grand Éire, that is. You’re right about this place being the one bright spot on Vesta.”

  Tanis engaged Tora in trivialities for a few more minutes, confirming that he was leaving the next day—something she found more than a little interesting—and priming him for the question that would get their main event underway.

  “Do you want to come to my suite?” she asked him. “We could get out of here and have our own little party.”

  Tora’s eyes widened, and he glanced at Urdon, who was speaking to a group of men nearby.

  Tanis said to Darla as she stepped closer to Tora, pressing herself against his side. “C’mon, I’ve got some great stuff down there. It’ll blow your mind, but you’ll be clearheaded tomorrow when you need to ship out.”

  Tora grinned and placed an arm around her waist. “Well, when you put it that way…”

  Tanis forced down the feeling of revulsion that surged up in her throat, and plastered what she hoped was a winning smile on her face.

  “C’mon, you’re going to love my suite, just a few floors above the lake.”

  Tora glanced in Urdon’s direction, and Tanis surmised that he’d messaged his superior, though Urdon didn’t give any physical signal that he’d heard.

  “You must do a great job of marketing, to have a suite that far down the spire,” Tora commented once they’d left the ballroom. They were walking down a quieter corridor that led to the central lifts.

  Darla said privately.

  “I manage well enough,” Tanis said with a nonchalant shrug. “The boss likes my work, so I get the perks.”

  “Sounds about right,” Tora replied. “That’s how it goes everywhere, right?”

  Tanis snorted. “I guess so. And here I thought I was being all original.”

  As they waited for a lift car to arrive, she asked Darla,

 

  Tanis replied as the doors opened, and they stepped into the car.

  Tora walked to the far side of the car and stared out into the open shaft that ran down the Éire’s spire. “Hard to believe Vesta has a hotel this nice. Place isn’t much to speak of otherwise.”

  Darla asked.

  Tanis suppressed a laugh and tilted her head as she stepped up beside Tora. “Lotta credit flying around on Vesta. That’s what looks pretty damn nice to me.”

  Tora snorted. “Folks like you just see money when it comes to the military, don’t you?”

  “Well, money and a lot of guys who look really good in a uniform,” Tanis added, glancing at Tora’s outfit. “Or their evening attire.” She smiled coyly at her target.

 

  “Who did you say you worked for?” Tora asked, glancing over his shoulder at Tanis.

  “Justice Incorporated,” she replied, citing the first general supplies contractor that came to mind. “Only started with them a few weeks ago. Pretty wild to come here as my first trip.”

  Tora turned and leant a shoulder against the window, placing a hand on Tanis’s waist. “Well, I’m all about wild, so I’m glad that aligns with your trip thus far.”

  Tanis asked Darla.

 

 

 

  Tanis managed to survive some further nonsensical conversation with Tora, while gracefully avoiding the man’s attempts to steal kisses during the remainder of the lift ride.

  When the car finally stopped at floor 1301, Tora whistled with appreciation. “OK, when you said ‘near the lake’, you weren’t kidding.”

  “I don’t kid,” Tanis said with a wink as she led him off the lift and to her suite’s door.

  It slid aside as she approached, and Tora followed her in, his eyes alighting on the weapons sitting on the table.

  “What—”

  Tanis spun and clamped her right hand around his throat as she squeaked in Florence’s voice, “Captain Unger, I presume?”

  The man made a strangled sound that Tanis couldn’t interpret, but the widening of his eyes was answer enough for her.

  “I’m going to enjoy hearing about how you survived…then I’ll hold a healthy debate with myself about killing you again.”

 

 

 

  Tanis grinned, both for Tora-Unger’s benefit, and for Darla’s.

  Loosening her grip, Tanis asked, “You are Captain Unger of the Norse Wind, aren’t you?”

  “Commander Richards?” the man rasped, his eyes narrowing now that he knew who he was facing. “That’s a good disguise. Not that it’s going to help you.”

  Tanis clenched her teeth, grimacing as she altered her facial structure to resume its original appearance. She knew it wouldn’t hurt as much to go back once the nano had partially plasticized her facial structure.

  “Seemed to work on you,” she replied. “So it already helped me.”

  “When Colonel Urdon realizes I’m missing—”

  “He’ll do what?” Tanis asked, arching an eyebrow. “Deering and your people have been try
ing to take me out for a week now. How’s that going for you?”

  Tora didn’t move or respond, but his breathing evened out, and Tanis waited for the strike that was sure to come.

  He lashed out a second before she thought he would, his knee slamming into her groin—the blow startling her more than it hurt. Then he pivoted, pushing his boot against the inside of her right knee.

  Tanis was ready by then, and she shifted her weight, letting her foot slide to the side, the give of her knee sending him off-balance. She still held onto his neck, and her prosthetic hand squeezed harder before she twisted and drove her own knee into Tora’s groin.

  She felt a pop in his pelvic bone, and the man screamed in pain.

  With a disdainful shove, Tanis let him fall to the ground, and took a step back, pulling her pistol from its thigh holster.

  “So, Unger, care to tell me what’s really going on?”

  The man was rocking side to side, moaning pitifully, but he managed to shoot her a dirty look.

  Tanis took it as a ‘no’.

  “Well, then, let me see how I’m doing,” she said, stepping back and covering him with her pulse pistol.

  Darla interjected.

 

  Darla chuckled.

  “So, let’s see,” she said aloud, addressing Tora-Unger. “The Scattered Worlds Space Force has found some of their behemoth dreadnoughts from the sentience wars, and they’re working on refitting them. However, a lot gets lost in a thousand years, and I bet the engine control system specs are one of those things. Which means OEM parts are quite valuable to you. Parts like the ones the Norse Wind was hauling out to the Disk.”

  She watched Tora-Unger’s lips purse, and took that as confirmation that she was on the right track.

  “So, then. By some means, you have Admiral Deering in your pocket—which really pisses me off, to be honest—and she sent the Arizona in to take you off my hands. I thought you were dead, but I guess you weren’t dead enough, since their medics brought you back. Then they brought your ship here; not entirely clear on why they did that, yet.

 

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