Repercussions

by Dominique Mondesir

  How many families had he himself condemned? How many fathers' hugs and kisses had he snatched away because he left men behind?

  The universe was a cruel place, where he would do anything to save the people he cared about. As long as he knew where that line was, and he didn't cross it, he would be able to sleep at night. He hoped.

  Phoenix opened his eyes and saw something fluttering down from the ceiling. He plucked it from the air and stared down at a picture of a smiling family. A wife and two kids grinned from ear to ear as they surrounded Dre and hugged him close.

  The image vanished as the picture smouldered in Phoenix's palm.

  Although the picture had disappeared, the image would remain with him forever.

  Phoenix's footsteps echoed off the walls of the PH1's cargo bay. His body felt heavy and awkward. Aches and pains he didn't remember getting riddled his body.

  When was the last time I slept?

  He concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, but really he was catching himself as he balanced so delicately between standing and falling.

  "Phoenix!" L called as she leapt upon him, to dangle from his neck. "I was so worried, what with one thing after the next happening, then there were all those space bots that appeared out of the starship, then Sindee's fleet started taking a pounding, then--"

  "L, L, L," Phoenix said, as he placed the tiny engineer on her feet. "I'm tired, we're alive, the day has more or less been saved. Now, I would like nothing more than a hot shower and then bed."

  "Well... The thing is--promise not to get mad? But the ship has taken more than its fair share of damage. So the engine is overheating, the shields are nonexistent, the flyover spoolreel is toast, the damping rods need replacing--"

  Phoenix held up his hand, cutting L off midflow. "You're saying a lot of words I don't understand. But in all those words, I didn't hear shower or broken."

  "Oh no, all the toilet facilities will take days to fix."

  Phoenix allowed his head to drop to his chest as a small sigh escaped his lips. All I want is hot water.

  "You should do like I do and shower once a month," Plowstow said as he entered the cargo bay along with Saoirse and Freyan. "That way your system builds up against disease and such. Y'all never notice that I'm hardly sick."

  "That's because nobody gets in close enough proximity to you, you oaf. The smell radiating from you alone would kill off most known viruses," said Freyan, who was holding a chart.

  "Phoenix! He's doing it again. Proximity, that's a negative term against my person, isn't it?"

  "If you think you're staying on my ship the way you are after I repair and clean it, then you have another thing coming."

  "Come on, girl," Plowstow said, sniffing his armpits, "the smell...ain't that...bad."

  "Then why are you coughing?"

  "Got something caught in my throat, is all."

  "You know, Plowstow," L said with a smile, as she picked up a blue canister that looked like a fire extinguisher. "We don't have to wait for the showers to get fixed. I could just give you one now."

  "Hey! Hey, put that canister down. That's dangerous, that can kill a--"

  L crept forward, her smile turning into the grin of a wolf. "This ain't dangerous, Plowstow my old buddy. It's just a bit of condensed water, used for fire emergencies."

  "I heard about them, the toxins from that water have been known to--"

  "Get things clean!" L yelled as she sprayed the canister Plowstow's way. Blue foam erupted from the nozzle, coating Plowstow from head to toe. He emitted a high-pitched scream as he held his hands up to protect himself, but it was of no use. He turned tail and ran as L chased him down, laughing at the top of her lungs.

  Phoenix looked at Freyan and gave him a small nod. "I'm glad that you decided to stay, Doc. It wouldn't be the same without you around."

  "Oh, please. You mean that there would be nobody to fix your bumps and bruises after you finish trying to pull off whatever harebrained scheme you came up with next."

  "Well, seeing as you put it like that," Phoenix said with a laugh. "I may need you to check me over. Whatever damage I sustained, the nanobots aren't dealing with it."

  "They don't work miracles, you know. At some point, normal things like sleep, rest and proper nutrition play their part."

  Phoenix gave Freyan an open-handed shrug.

  "Meet me in the recovery ward in five minutes," Freyan said, shaking his head as he walked away.

  "Well, I would say we didn't do a bad job. All things considered," Phoenix said to Saoirse.

  "Your battle commands could be clearer, and your fighting form needs to be improved greatly. You keep leaving an opening on your left side. Your weapons accuracy isn't bad, but, again, it could be better. You take unnecessary risks when a more measured approach can be used. These are some of the things I would like to discuss with you at a later time," she said.

  "You only have such a small list, are you sure there aren't more faults that you would like to highlight?"

  "I have made a list. Like I said, we can discuss those matters later. But for now, we have a holocom conference with Florin and Sindee."

  I just want hot water.

  "Oh, the joys."

  59

  Phoenix made his way into the meetings and shit room to see the table already occupied by the rest of the crew. As he walked behind Kai, he gave him a pat on the back. The ship's navigator gave him a nod back through red-rimmed eyes.

  "You okay?"

  "Brother, after the events that I have been through, I needed something to chill and relax me. I thought I would be seeing the Soul mother a lot sooner than I planned."

  "You did a good job. That goes for all of you," Phoenix said, looking round the table. "I wouldn't have anyone else watching my back. I'm honoured to be part of this crew."

  L blew a raspberry at Phoenix as she stuck her tongue out at him. Smiles broke out around the table as Phoenix took his seat.

  Saoirse pressed a silver oval button on the table that projected a small blue ball above the table. It rotated in the air slowly till it formed a picture of Sindee. She stood on the bridge of her ship as her crew ran back and forth behind her. Some carried tools and equipment, while others tried to fix different sections of the bridge.

  "Looks like your ship took a pounding," Phoenix said.

  Sindee looked over her shoulder for a moment before she returned her gaze their way. "This is the most damage we have ever sustained. Many people in my position would acquire a new ship, but I believe we can repair the old girl yet. She has treated us well, and I intend to do the same for her. I see you were successful."

  "It was luck, mostly."

  "Any injuries?"

  Phoenix scratched his head and looked around the haggard faces of the crew. Some had black eyes and bruises, but apart from that... "We have nothing to complain about. Our injuries are nothing compared to the men you lost today. I will not forget the men you lost so my team could get their job done."

  Sindee cocked her head to one side and allowed a faint smile to cross her lips. "You are full of surprises, Phoenix Jones."

  "Whatever do you mean?"

  "Do you ever regret the actions or decisions that you make? I've made deals, taken action, done things that..."

  "I--"

  Phoenix Jones, Phoenix Jones! The man who left so much behind to escape to the stars. Phoenix Jones, Phoenix Jones! The man who will lose all he's tried so hard to protect.

  Phoenix lowered his head as Dre's words rang through his head. What did it mean? Were his actions the cause of all this death and destruction? It did seem that wherever he set foot, chaos generally followed.

  Hadn't Freyan said that he affected everything around him in a catastrophic way?

  Phoenix lifted his head and locked eyes with Sindee. She bit her bottom lip and her cheeks flushed red. His eyes bore into her, looking for some answer that he thought would be right.

  "Ahem!" Saoirse said, sending darting loo
ks Phoenix's way.

  "Err... I think that conversation is best had another time," Phoenix said, breaking eye contact.

  "I look forward to it. Now, on to the matter of the starship. My staff will collect it shortly and see if we can find where it was built and by whom," Sindee said.

  "You really think that whoever built that ship was stupid enough to leave any clues behind?"

  "Maybe not, but--"

  "Dre didn't get out of Dredar by himself, nor did he gain knowledge of that starship without help." Lord Portendorfer says hello. "I have a pretty good idea who was behind all this, but I'll speak to Florin with regard to that issue."

  "You don't believe I am trustworthy with the information?" Sindee said with a raised eyebrow.

  "My current working agreement is with your cousin, and seeing as he is head of the family, I'll discuss my ideas with him," Phoenix said. "No offence to you, of course."

  Sindee sucked her teeth as she breathed heavily through her nose. Her eyes narrowed as she tapped her fingers on her folded arms. "No... No offence taken. Now, as to the matter of the starship, I shall order my men to board it, and take it to a safe place so it doesn't fall into the wrong hands."

  "I couldn't agree more," Phoenix said, pushing a small remote control in his hand.

  Sindee's head snapped to her left and she looked at something out of view of the holocom. "What... What..."

  The sound of feet scrambling along the bridge of Sindee's ship, mixed with shouts of confusion, came through the holocom; the back of Sindee's head was the only thing now visible.

  "Report," Sindee yelled.

  "The starship has been destroyed. I repeat, the starship has been destroyed."

  The mask of anger on Sindee's face when she turned her head was something terrible to behold. "What did you fucking do?"

  "Made sure that it wouldn't fall into the wrong hands," Phoenix said, cutting off the link to the holocom.

  60

  Cheers resounded around the bar and bottles and drinks were slammed against wooden tabletops. Arms were thrown around brothers and mothers alike. A roaring fire kept the night chill at bay, as an animal slowly turned on a spit, flames licking its body.

  "Here's to our saviours!" said a man whose rock-hard round stomach was used as a placemat for his drinks. "May the gods smile upon the Phoenix crew! Wherever they may be, we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for their efforts."

  "Hear, hear."

  "So bring your drinks together and let's celebrate them for the heroes that they are!"

  A roar went up that shook the dust from the rafters, as music began to filter through the air and dancers took centre stage.

  Phoenix watched the women move in a strange mix of salsa and Irish folk dancing. They moved in a hypnotic way that drew his attention to the curves of their hips. His fingers moved to the beat as their hips sped up and slowed down to the music's rhythm.

  "More drinks?"

  "No," Phoenix said as he pulled his hood down lower and waved the waitress away. He returned to his table, where the rest of the crew sat.

  "Why we gotta hide like this?" Plowstow said, throwing his hands in the air.

  "Because it would raise questions that we don't want to answer right now. The descriptions they have of us are sketchy, at best. But that doesn't mean we don't have to be cautious," Phoenix said.

  Plowstow let out a deep sigh as he crossed his arms. "It's a shame that my fans on this planet will never experience my company."

  L made gagging noises under her hood. "Sorry about that. I think I was a little sick in my mouth."

  "Listen, girl, there are tales and songs written across the stars from females who have experienced my brief company--"

  "Tales of horror," L sneered.

  "The shame of the act alone would kill off any survivors of the horrid deed," said Freyan.

  "I... I--I don't believe what I'm hearing. My deliverer taught me everything that I needed to know about the female form."

  Silence swept across the table as all hooded heads turned Plowstow's way.

  "What?" Phoenix asked.

  "Well, you know, among our tribe it's the parents' job to teach the younglings the way of things... I don't know what y'all are staring at, it's not weird."

  "Bro, that's kinda fucked up," Kai said.

  "I think I'm gonna be sick again."

  "Nothing is wrong with the way..."

  Phoenix's holocom vibrated on his wrist, and Florin's name scrolled across it. Getting up from the table, Phoenix made his way past swaying bodies and pivoted away as more than one drunk tried to embrace him in a hug. Exiting into the open air, he took a deep lungful that tingled the hairs of his nose.

  The breath that left his body fogged in front of his face before it was carried away on the wind.

  On the holocom Florin said, "You shouldn't have done it."

  Phoenix smiled as he looked up at the night sky. "You know, when I was back at Earth, I was never happy in one location for too long. Wherever I was, no matter how beautiful the location, no matter how beautiful the women, I always wanted to see what was on the other side of the horizon. I always wanted to... I always thought I was missing out.

  "Even after having one adventure after the next, I still feel like that. It seems I'm always chasing some sort of peace that is just over the next horizon."

  Two lovers danced in each other's arms, as they passed Phoenix by.

  "We have a word on my home planet. Reseber. It means...one who is searching for their soul," Florin said.

  "We call it wanderlust."

  The wind blew on the back of Phoenix's hood like a lover blowing on his ear on a hot summer's day.

  "You know I did the right thing," Phoenix said.

  "Be that as it may, the Council will not accept such a simple explanation. You have tripled the amount of paperwork I need to deal with," Florin said in his ear.

  "Get someone you don't like to do it for you. You're the boss now. That's what bosses do, they delegate."

  "That's not what I do... But saying that, I do think this task would benefit one of my juniors. It will show them the value of paperwork and attention to detail."

  "Of course it will." Phoenix laughed. "It sounds like a plan."

  Fireworks exploded in the night sky and children screamed in delight some distance away.

  "I have no idea who is--"

  "Stop fucking about," Phoenix said burying his hands deep into his pockets. "We both know who's behind this. He's just a lot smarter than his son."

  Florin sighed. "If that is true, then we are in trouble."

  "What if one never finds it?"

  "Finds what?"

  "Their soul?" Phoenix asked, as he watched a pair hug each other in a tight embrace.

  Silence on the other end made Phoenix think that Florin hadn't heard his question.

  "Then they are forever cursed to wander the lands until the end of time," Florin said eventually.

  Phoenix tried to smile but his heart wasn't in it. He kicked a stone, closed his eyes and shook his head to the music that played to his soul.

  "Well...as long as there are plenty of women and fights along the way, I shouldn't really complain."

  "I have a meeting with the Council in a few days' time. I'll keep you posted if anything of importance comes up."

  "Florin, thank you for releasing the news about what really happened here. You could have left it as Dre being the hero, the martyr, but you didn't. Thank you," Phoenix said.

  "It's the least I can do... By the way, I may have another job that I'll need you to take care of."

  Phoenix shook his head as a partygoer offered him a swig from the bottle that he was holding. "As long as it's on the way to Earth, I don't mind."

  "Homesick?"

  "No... Just...I need to check up on something."

  "Okay. Well, I'll be in touch--"

  "Florin, do you know who's behind the poisoning?" Phoenix asked suddenly.

  "No."

>   "You only have one life, man. Protect it with everything you can."

  61

  As the call ended, Phoenix turned and began to make his way back towards the bar. Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. He dropped his hand to his pistol, as a body detached itself from the shadows. It made its way towards him, hooded head looking left to right furtively.

  Phoenix looked over his shoulder and saw two more figures standing at each corner of the road that he was on. Up ahead, doing their best to hide in shops doorways, crouched two more bodies.

  Looks like I'm surrounded.

  Phoenix allowed his eyes to travel to the doorway of the bar, but the distance was too vast to get there quickly or cleanly. Plus, once he was inside, he and the crew would be trapped.

  No, if shit was about to go down, he would do his best to make as much noise as he could and hope that his crew heard him over the fireworks and drunkards.

  Light footsteps continued to walk towards him, as his fingers drummed along the handle of his gun.

  Phoenix cracked his head from side to side as his eyes narrowed towards the target that came his way. Light laughter, like the sound of breaking crystal, made its way from under the hood, as the figure got closer.

  "I understand now why so many people fear you. With eyes like those, you would scare demons back to whence they came." The light footsteps stopped and the hooded head lifted to reveal a set of large doe eyes that searched Phoenix's face.

  "Why, Princess, you do know these streets are unsafe, don't you?" Phoenix smiled. "There are all sorts of dangerous, handsome tricksters about, that would steal a kiss from you with one hand and rob your heart with the other."

  "Well, you'd better protect me, then, from said tricksters," said the princess.

  She took two steps closer until Phoenix could feel the warmth radiating from her body. She bit the corner of her bottom lip, as her eyes continued to search his face. Her eyes shifted upwards as fireworks exploded above them.

  "You know, since I have been alive, I can't remember a time when my people celebrated. Just celebrated for the joy of being alive. For being happy... Things since my father's ruin have been..." She shook her head and lowered it.