The Cosmotix 2198

by Billy Purnell

  “Good man, Ari, my man,” said Corey, and he gave him a hand-slap and a hug. “Please, don’t give up on us.”

  “I hope your mom is ok,” said Ari, and after a hand-slap and a hug from Pel, the boys turned to walk away.

  “Brothers...” said Ari. Corey and Pel turned around. Ari was looking down.

  “I’m sorry that I...” he stumbled.

  “Ari, no worries, no regrets, we’re still tight,” said Corey, and he smiled at his friend. “We’re sorry, too.”

  That was it. Corey and Pel walked back to the green room, out the back door, and in their hearts and minds they said goodbye to the Rochaus of Zubrin, Shangri-La County, Titan.

  16

  EARTHBOUND

  The cab was packed and ready with Reena and her bodyguard Pol inside. They took a quick stop at the hotel to get the boys’ stuff, and with the speed of a military unit, they loaded up and made their way to the skybus. As large as the cab was, it was a tight fit with all the luggage, and Reena ended up sitting on Corey’s lap, which was no problem for either of them. The ride to the skybus was mostly silent, while the quiet hum of the cab engine caressed their tired ears. Corey’s hand touched Reena’s back lightly, and Pel was checking messages as the cab turned the last corner. A double-size, shiny silver low-orbiter transport came into view, parked in the Big Ass Food parking lot.

  “Holy kruk, what’s this?” said Pel.

  “Not big enough for you, Pel?” said Reena with a smile.

  “No, I mean that!” he pointed, “you guys have a store called Big Ass Food?”

  “Corey looked out, ”I wonder if they have a chain of underwear stores, too.”

  “Oh, and the big-ass skybus is just fine, Reena,” said Pel.

  “Do we need to get some big-ass food for the big-ass trip?” asked Corey.

  “No, the big-ass charter comes with that,” said Reena.

  “I mean, imagine working there,” said Pel as he brought his wrist to his mouth, “Big-Ass Food, may I help you?” His voice got higher, “Um, yes, do you have big-ass thighs?” His voice lowered, “Why yes, but I just joined the gym, ma’am.” High voice again, “No, I mean in the poultry section. I really like barbecued thighs if they’re big-ass.” Pel was cracking himself up, but nobody else was laughing.

  “Actually, these guys are franchised all over Titan,” said Reena. “I love this place. Pol will get your luggage.”

  “Here, Pol, here’s my big-ass bass. Be careful!”

  The skybus, piloted by a man named Raul, lifted off vertically from the parking lot and ascended to two hundred feet as required by law, then whooshed forward, nose tilted into the air, to rendezvous with the New Denver.

  Corey watched the lights of the city shrink as the ship approached the climate shield, at which time a beeping sound filled the cabin, reminding the passengers that there would be a sudden jolt forward through the Shield Transport Corridor. They braced accordingly. As usual, it went without incident.

  The boys craned their necks to see the beautifully lit station floating above them in the blackness of space. They hadn’t seen it from that angle and didn’t realize how incredibly long it was from top to bottom. Twenty-eight docking arms stuck out from the center column, each one anchoring dozens of transport ships. They had gotten lucky, as it was in perfect position along its half-orbit for their arrival. This was going to save precious time. Maybe that would get them to Earth ahead of schedule.

  Pel looked out the window to see an orbiting construction job nearby. It looked like a new hotel or apartment complex was being printed. Workers in air suits were everywhere, floating about the spherical frame with light torches, nano pumps and hard belts, stuff he knew nothing about. How the crack would you even start a project like this? Good thing I can play bass. He could hear Corey and Reena sucking face while he looked out the window, and could not let it go by without saying “get a room,” which got a laugh out of Corey, and a muffled giggle from Reena.

  He could see the Liberty Arch rising above the dark horizon of Saturn; that was something they had wanted to visit while they were here. Maybe next time.

  There was a series of hums and beeps as they slowed, and the New Denver gate telescoped outward to receive them. The doors dissolved and they were greeted by station porters, who immediately began grabbing luggage and placing it on an anti-grav cart that would whisk their belongings to the charter ship. Reena said goodbye to her bodyguard Pol.

  “He’s not coming?” asked Corey.

  “No, he’s a renter, can’t leave Titan. He’s stationed on this base, so he’s home. We’re on our own!”

  “Well, not exactly,” came a familiar voice. “You’ve still got me to deal with.” It was Jim. His luggage was on board, and he was ready to go.

  “Don’t you work at a bar I’ve been to?” asked Pel.

  “I doubt it, I only work classy joints,” Jim cracked, and with hand-slaps and a sense of adventure, the four made their way through the terminal to the gate of their charter ship, the Tallahassee.

  It was an impressive metallic blue craft, about the size of an Old-Earth blimp, and shaped like a rocket from the same period. Corey and Pel stared out the observation window, watching it float effortlessly in space with the jetway extended and locked on to the door. It was a thing of beauty, sleek, clean and shiny, with just a trace of discoloring behind each of the two Higgs-field engines mounted on the sides. After a few wrist swipes and questions from the New Denver Authority and the Titan Security Administration, they were on board and strapped in. They would meet the pilots once they were underway.

  “Tallahassee long-range, New Denver departure, over...”

  “Tallahassee long-range awaiting.”

  By law, all cockpit transmissions were audible in the main cabin.

  “Package four four, Zubrin.”

  “Four four Zubrin, flight plan eighteen megastar.”

  “Tallahassee, set departure pattern delta delta five, scramble moorings.”

  “Delta delta five, scramble moorings check.”

  “Pel, you need that window yet?” asked Corey, grinning.

  “Ha, I’ll let you know, tude. I gotta tell you though, I love hearing the pilot chatter. I could be happy doing that job.”

  “Really?” said Reena. “I wouldn’t have thought that about you.”

  “Wait til you feel the rush,” said Jim, “better than any skycar.”

  This was the first long-range high-speed flight for the brothers, and it was evident by the looks on their faces. Corey attempted to cover his nervousness with a fake smile, but it made him look constipated.

  “Reena, I think your boy’s gonna need a diaper,” Pel said. “Me, I’ll just be on auto-puke.”

  “I got this, brother. You just puke away, and try not to hit anything.”

  “Tallahassee vector set.”

  “Roger New Denver, vector bravo, one two four, one two seven, zero declination.”

  “These pilots used to shuttle Kika Jakker, and this ship belonged to Peder Hammon at one point,” said Reena.

  “How do you know that?” asked Pel.

  “Tallahassee long-range, begin hovering.”

  “Me and my mom know everything,” she said.

  “What do you mean, everything?”

  “Everything! Everything in the universe, there is nothing we don’t know. Just ask me. Ask me any question.”

  “Roger New Denver, hovering commenced.”

  “Ok,” said Pel, “what is the equatorial circumference of Mars?”

  “Oh, that’s one my mom knows,” Reena answered, victoriously.

  “Brother,” said Corey, “that is the oldest joke-”

  “Whoooa!” they all said in unison. Their stomachs had been adjusted.

  “Tallahassee approach lighthouse, seventeen hundred KPH.”

  “Seventeen hundred KPH, roger.”

  “Passengers, this is your Captain, Nuke Maywhether; welcome aboard the Tallahassee...it will be a pleas
ure to meet you shortly, but for now sit back and enjoy the launch. You may feel a little pressure on your abdomen and face as we ramp. Please note that you have a pullout disposer in front of you. We are without an onboard steward, but we’ll keep you comfortable.”

  “I’m not made of money, you know,” said Reena. She had forgotten to hire a steward, but she wasn’t going to let them know that.

  “No onboard attendant, how quaint,” Pel said with a British accent, pushing the tip of his nose into the air.

  “Now Pel, don’t flog me,” Reena came back. “Or you might be downgraded to the engine compartment.”

  “Oooooh, flamed!” Corey chided. “Brother, you have no face!”

  Pel made the stupid face.

  “Feel free to hit your comlink at any time to talk to either Andre, the in-flight auto-steward, or myself, a human being. Your co-pilot today is Tranquil Pacaru. She is a human being as well... at least, most of the time.”

  “Moons, a funny pilot!” said Corey.

  “A very competent human being,” came a female voice from the cockpit. “Here we go!”

  Immediately all the clever conversation turned to silence. Movement stopped. There was a very low rumble in the floor with a warped edgy sound…mwaw mwaw mwaw mwaw, getting a little louder, a little louder...

  A slow pressure was building inside each of their bodies, first in the stomach, then the face, then the limbs as they were being melted into their seats. It got more intense as the seconds passed. On the vidscreen in front of them, the image of Saturn was shrinking rapidly, and Pel pulled the lever in front of him and heaved the contents of his stomach into the disposer. It was disintegrated right away. Finally, the sound faded into a low-pitched rumble that would accompany them throughout the trip, but would be unnoticeable within a few hours. Next stop, Earth.

  After meeting the pilot and co-pilot, everyone was ready to sleep. It had been a long day. Jim took his time with co-pilot Pacaru; it seemed they had a few things in common. He wasn’t going to let Pel go to bed without a game of ping pong, however. That was determined the moment they saw the table on the main floor.

  The Tallahassee had three decks. The lower was the passenger strap-in seating, as well as the cockpit, kitchen, and a small journey room. The journey room had a multi-purpose table suitable for ping pong, billiards, jacalac, cards, and several hologames available at the touch of a button or verbal command. Pel noticed it had a one-player holo version of Martian skyball, which he was definitely going to have fun with.

  The second level was all bedrooms, eight of them, four on the port side and four on the starboard. In each one the entire outside wall became a window to space with the flick of a switch. Each featured an expandable air-bed, an Apple, a small refrigerator and a bathroom, with optional laser-cream or water shower.

  The top level featured a conference room with a Telcom hub, foldout beds in the walls, and an observation room at the front end of the ship. The observation room had a one hundred and eighty-degree panoramic window to the stars, revealing a breathtaking view.

  Jim and Pel were immersed in an already explosive rivalry at the ping pong table as Reena was showering and preparing for sleep. Corey, as tired as he was, wanted nothing more than to explore the universe in front of him, and he found himself in total darkness, staring out the window of the observation deck into outer space. The sofa was soft and comfortable, the gentle hum of the ship was relaxing, and the view of the stars was nothing short of incredible.

  Corey was looking for familiar constellations amongst the myriad of celestial beauties that can’t be seen from under any climate shield. Truly this is God’s country.

  He knew they wouldn’t fly anywhere near Jupiter on this trip, but they would be passing close to Mars, and he eagerly looked forward to that. Corey had an ongoing fascination with the red planet. He had friends there, and for a brief period that was his home. And it’s where he met Brilla. It seemed like so long ago.

  He noticed a small object out of the right front side of the ship, being overtaken by the Tallahassee’s speed. Sleep was drawing him in, but he grabbed the binoscope next to the couch and began examining it. It was a potato-shaped asteroid, a free flyer in space, in a hurry to get wherever it was going but falling behind the window’s view. Corey let it blur with exhausted eyes, finally setting the binoscope down on the couch. Leaning over to put his head on the armrest, he felt the weight of his eyelids replacing the darkness of space, and he embraced the drift. He saw the Rochaus with Saturn glowing overhead…he heard music and rushing wind.

  A sudden wave of bitter cold gripped his skin. His eyes were closed, but he could see his breath in a thick cloud in front of him. He reached for the blanket to his right. A cold, clammy hand latched onto his arm. He froze. He felt his body being crushed into the couch. The grip tightened, cutting off his blood. He heard a voice deep within his right ear…demonic, menacing, threatening.

  “Idiot. She’s dead. Your brother is dead. You’re all DEAD.”

  Corey felt a stabbing pain in his stomach, like a hot knife. He grabbed at it, but there was nothing there. It’s a nightmare. Wake up. You have to wake up, try to wake up! Corey squeezed his eyes shut as hard as he could, then ripped them open.

  Pel’s bloody, murdered face was pressed right up against his.

  Something touched his shoulder. He jumped like a Mediterranean water bat, and he heard Reena’s voice.

  “Hey, hey, I’m sorry Corey!” she screamed, backing up.

  Corey was on his feet, “No! Noooooo!”

  “Corey!”

  Reaching his hands out in a defensive posture, he saw the blurry face of Reena, only Reena. No Pel. Nothing wrong. It was warm and quiet, and they were alone. His vision cleared as he looked around. The moments passed.

  “A little jumpy, huh?” said Reena.

  “Maker Me! Reena, don’t do…that.” He sat back down on the sofa, head in hands.

  “Bad dream?”

  He rubbed his temples and ran his fingers through his hair, then looked up at her and completely forgot about the dream.

  “My Maker in heaven...” he said out loud. How can she get more beautiful every time I see her? She was wearing a white acrosilk short robe with alternating textures, and little slip booties. Her hair was wet, straight and long, and her sky-blue eyes were naked, no make-up. Her lips were full, and as she smiled, her teeth were dazzling, and Corey took her face in his hands and pressed his mouth to hers, gently guiding her down to the sofa. They kissed long and deep, and Corey was dizzy with the sweet, delicate minty taste of her mouth. He opened his eyes and stared into hers; her robe parted slightly and his hands touched her skin, caressing her shoulder and then lower to her breast, and the stars watched as love unfolded in a little space ship on its way to planet Earth.

  The kiss lingered until Reena’s lips finally let go, and Corey brought his head back to examine her entire face, her hair, her eyes, the little beauty mark next to her mouth. She had a movie-tat behind her right ear that he hadn’t noticed before; it was a heart with an arrow that shot from her hairline, and as the arrow pierced the heart, a drop of blood spilled down her neck.

  “I am your arrow,” Corey whispered into her ear.

  She smiled, “You like it? I downloaded it today.”

  “I love it.” He kissed her neck.

  Corey decided not to talk about the dream. Seated on the couch in total silence, he and Reena listened to the ship’s hum and watched the splendor of the cosmos in front of them. Occasionally an object would go whizzing by, reminding them how incredibly fast they were going. That was sometimes preceded by a slight turn of the Tallahassee to avoid such objects. It seemed as though that ship was the fastest thing in the universe, yet the immense distance of the stars kept the view intact as one masterful work of art at their fingertips. Corey thought of putting music on the system, but he realized the best sound right now was nature’s own… silence. Truly he was king of the cosmos, with his queen by his side.r />
  “Corey, I was contacted by United Earth today.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah.” Reena sat up, adjusting her robe, “I actually spoke with the president of Mexico, Yolanda Murillo. She and President Cardigan want me to help with the Foon situation.”

  “Wait, back up a minute…you talked to the president of Mexico? Today?” The moment was gone, but Corey was crazy curious. “How did they find out?”

  “About my plan? No, it wasn’t that. They don’t know what we’re doing. They have an idea of their own,” Reena said.

  Corey paused, then looked deeply into her eyes. “I wasn’t going to tell you, but I talked to the janitor at the Rochaus.”

  Reena smiled. “Now that is sexy,” she said, grabbing his face and planting one on his lips.

  “Ok, so they don’t know you’re doing this? Well, how’d they find you?” That was stupid. Corey laughed at himself, “Oh yeah, you’re smack famous!”

  “I guess they’re getting celebrities on board to talk everyone into this Defense First plan because there’s going to be a World Vote.”

  “Whoa, really? A World Vote?”

  “Yeah. I’m going to a meeting, but I don’t know anything about it or who’s going to be there. So yes, they don’t know we’re going to Ceres2, but now that might get a little tricky.”

  “I keep hearing that phrase, Defense First, what is that?”

  “They want to send a heavily armed fleet to intercept the Foon, preceded by a diplomatic party to find out exactly what their intentions are. I guess the idea is that if we don’t like what they say, we kill the bastards.”

  Corey laughed out loud, “Kill the bastards? Is that a Reena Coolie thing to say?”

  She laughed too. “That’s my interpretation of what they’re thinking.”

  “What makes them think we can kill the bastards in space? Wouldn’t it be easier on Earth, where we have more military power?” said Corey.

  “Yeah, but they don’t want to fight on Earth if they don’t have to. You know, all the collateral damage. So far, the vote is between the Defense First idea and the Olive Branchers. The Olive Branchers say we shouldn’t send the military because there’s no better way to start a war.”