Hell's Razer

by S. F. Edwards

  “Careful big guy. It’ll shred your diet. Where was I?” she asked before taking another bite herself and winking at Arion. “You knew Three. She and I were the most alike. Though she tended to be more sedate.”

  “Only in public,” Arion let slip.

  Alieha returned a quizzical but intrigued look. “We may have to test that. Anyway, she took the path I almost considered. But after what had happened, I left the Space Forces before joining the academy. They allowed my prior service to count as hers.” Alieha stared out the viewport for a moment and Arion followed her gaze. “I don’t even know where she was when she was… destroyed.”

  Arion looked over at Matt. The team sniper peered out the large porthole and highlighted a star in their micomms. Arion nodded, pulled in close to Alieha and pointed. “Right there. That star above the - is that the Koltid Triangle? She saved us all, and more.”

  Wiping away a tear, Alieha turned back to him. Her lips so close to his cheek that they caught a stray whisker. “Thank you. I think, of all my little sisters, I miss her most. We used to play such pranks on the lab staff.” She sat back up, a happy smile back on her sultry lips. “Then there was Four,” she continued casting aside the memory, though her eyes still glistened.

  “They tinkered with the neural prints of each model to try and bring out certain aspects of my personality, to make them dominant. Where they found scientific curiosity, I have no clue. But she’s a big part of my uncle’s team, married one of his lab assistants. Me. I think he did it to just to keep one of me, them, close.”

  Alieha took a drink; looked wistful again. “Then there was Five. They were trying to increase her ability to understand other languages, make her the ultimate linguist. It didn’t take and she had to be shut down after five cycles.”

  “Why?” Arion asked.

  “She was an uncontrollable sex maniac, jumping everyone she got close to.”

  Rudjick fell out of his seat coughing and gagging on his drink. Arion sat in silence, understanding, but still upset with his elfin comrade. The Alieha they knew had been sexually-driven enough, but a sexual maniac. He wasn’t sure even his self-healing ability would allow him to keep up.

  Alieha just laughed at the stupor on everyone’s faces and waited for Rudjick to retake his seat before she continued. “There was a glitch in her organi-mech brain that they just couldn’t get under control. She aggressively screwed everyone she came across, male, female, whatever. She even convinced one of her sisters before they shut her down.”

  Rudjick fell out of his chair again, stammering as Matt, Zithe, and even Gokhead just crossed their legs. Bichard chuckled, his antennae rubbing together.

  Alieha laughed, before shaking her head as if in embarrassment before dropping her shoulders. “Then there’s Six. At first everything went fine with her. She chose to leave the lab with me and was my co-pilot for over an annura. She was a great partner, but we had a falling out and she joined another crew. I’ve run into her a few times, and every time she’s complained that people mix us up.” Alieha rubbed her eyes in frustration then grabbed a length of her dark, wavy locks. “Tell me, tell me this isn’t great hair. I have hair that models and actresses would kill for, don’t I?”

  Everyone nodded in response. Arion just wanted to touch that hair, to run his fingers through it. “It’s the most beautiful hair I’ve ever seen.”

  Alieha didn’t seem to notice and continued. “It’s one of the first things people notice about me. And she dyed it. She dyed my hair silver, SILVER!” she continued, then hoisted up her silver mug and rested her other hand on Arion’s thigh. He almost jumped at her touch.

  “Well wouldn’t it technically be her hair?” Gokhead asked.

  Alieha fit the Drashig with a stare that would force even the harshest drill sergeant back. “It may be on her head, but it’s my hair,” she said, each word more icy than the last. “Then she goes and gets herself tattooed, everywhere; with those crazy live tats that change all the time. Including this obnoxious ladder pattern down the left side of her face,” she explained. She traced two lines from her hairline, down either side of her left eye, then all the way down her throat to her collar. “And of course, to top it all, she had to go pirate. I’ve been stopped at a number of ports she’s raided and questioned to make sure I’m not her. If I ever get my hands on her, I’ll chop her up into spare parts for her sisters.”

  The idea of spare parts caught Arion off guard. Could they have used parts from Five, or Six to fix my Alieha?

  Que Dee commented.

  Arion looked over. Gokhead nodded.

  The voice that replied over the micomm did not belong to Gokhead or Que Dee, but was a strange mash-up of both.

 

 

  Arion turned away to find Alieha staring at him like a mother scolding a child in public. “You know it’s rude to have micomm conversations in public.”

  Arion shrugged; shrunk back like he’d been caught stealing cookies. “I’m sorry. Force of habit.”

  Alieha’s macomm beeped and she pulled the cylinder out, opening it just enough to spot the location of her temporary quarters. “Well then, you can make it up to me. I could use a massage from someone with big strong hands who knows my body.”

  Arion shifted in his seat. “I might need a little direction. It’s been a couple annura.”

  “Not a problem,” she said with a wink. “I just need to get a few things from The Reluctant Favor. Come on,” she replied, then finished the half of her mug she had left in one go. “Next time, I’ll have the bartender introduce you to the good stuff I have him keep behind the bar. It was nice meeting you all.”

  Arion helped Alieha from her seat and led her from the bar, leaving the rest of the team behind. As she cleared the door, he looked back to find Rudjick holding up a graphic and obscene drawing of Arion and Alieha with a good luck message. He just shook his head; unsure what the rest of the cycle would hold for him. Whatever it might be, he looked forward to every moment of it. He chuckled. It was the first time he could remember looking forward to anything since his Alieha had died. He shook his head. No, not his Alieha - Three. That would take some getting used to.

  UCSB Date: 1005.122

  Recreation Deck, UCSBS-Wolfsbane, Vashko System

  With everything they’d had on their agenda this cycle, Blazer knew that he’d have to get in a run early if he wanted to get a proper exercise session. Waking up early, he and Marda had brought young Chrisvian up to the recreation deck. It appeared that most of the squadron had had the same idea. Clusters of them occupied the various exercise areas.

  Blazer hefted Chrisvian into his running pack and set out onto the track. The toddler’s squeals of delight flowed into Blazer and even he hooted. Gotta love having a telepathic little one.

  Blazer took stock of the team around the track as Chrisvian continued to laugh away. Chris and Bichard raced on stationary bikes, surrounded by a holographic mountain trail. The fantasy would be a nice escape, but Blazer preferred the reality of the occupants and walls of the deck around them. Rounding the first bend they came upon rows of variable-resistance exercise machines. Gavit, Matt, and Rudjick cycled through the various stations, with Matt coaching Gavit along, the speed heal cast now off his leg. Another turn led to the calisthenics area. There Priest and Hallet were engaging in Telackin, a slow motion Lodran martial art that also served as a physical and mental meditation technique. Just a dozen metra away, Gokhead was running through his routine with another Drashig science officer, bantering with them about vario
us topics.

  As they approached the pool, Blazer peered in. While others were swimming laps on the surface, Zithe sat at the bottom in a meditation pose. Blazer could never understand how Zithe managed the feat for as long as he could. The team had timed him before - his record stood at twenty pulses.

  The end of the lap forced Blazer to recognize Arion’s absence. His best friend’s second home was the gym wherever it was they found themselves stationed. To see everyone else here without him turned his universe inside out. “Any idea where Arion is?”

  Marda nodded. “According to Gokhead, he met the real Alieha last duwn. He hasn’t seen either of them since they left the bar.”

  Blazer didn’t like the sound of that, and began to regret that he and Marda had set their micomms to private. If they hadn’t then they would have known and could have been there. “Any idea how he’s handling it?”

  “Gokhead’s said that he was taking it well, ‘seemed like the old Arion.’”

  “I hope so,” Blazer replied as they passed the resistance stations again.

  * * *

  “Gavit you look like Sheol. Are you sure you’re okay to exercise?” Rudjick asked as Gavit pressed on the footpad again.

  The pain was more than Gavit had expected, the resistance increasing the further he pressed. After ten reps he couldn’t reach full extension anymore, the pain in his leg spiking. He relaxed. The pain subsided and he sighed in contentment. “Like you should talk. Anyway, I slept like shreg,” he began, pulling his feet away. “Had this really odd dream.”

  That perked Rudjick up as he slid into the seat and adjusted it for his height. “Missing Tris so much that you’re dreaming about her?” he asked with a wicked smile.

  Gavit shook his head. He wished it had been such a dream. “Not that kind of dream. It was weird. I was in my room and Chris came in.”

  Rudjick jerked. The footplate threatened to collapse back onto him as Matt twisted about with a righteous smile. Gavit hated Matt’s ‘I knew I was right smile.’ “Are you sure? Sounds like one of those kinds of dreams.”

  Gavit resisted the urge to hit Matt. “All we did was talk. Not that I can really remember what about. But we talked, and then she left.”

  Rudjick looked hurt by the chastity of the dream. “Your dreams are getting lame in your old age.”

  “Whatever,” Gavit replied and began to slowly cycle up the resistance. “It was weird. She spoke to me like she was actually concerned. And I swear I heard her mother too.”

  The footplate slammed back, threatening to crush Rudjick, but he didn’t seem to care as he just stared. “Chris and Torishen, damn. It would be like doing it with a pair of Aliehas.”

  * * *

  The crashing of the leg press footplate pulled Chris right out of the simulation. She looked over, through the holographic mask, at the trio. Beside her Bichard kept pace, his attention still appearing to focus on the racetrack ahead. Chris knew better, with his multifaceted eyes, he didn’t need to turn to look. His antennae twisting about betrayed his focus. “Those three are insane,” he commented in his natural hum-click voice.

  Chris shook it off and checked her heart rate. “True My Bichard, but you gotta love ‘em. We couldn’t do what we do without them.”

  Bichard slowed for no apparent reason, twitched his antennae towards her.

  “What?” she snapped.

  Bichard remained silent a long moment. His snout hummed as he searched for the right words. “Well, you’ve never used the word love in reference to Gavit before. And when we got in last cycle, you were in his room.”

  Chris almost forgot how acute Bichard’s senses were. It was like he could watch a scene that occurred in a room even hects earlier. “You tell no one about this, got it?”

  Bichard nodded his antennae.

  “I couldn’t sleep, so I called my mother. We spoke for a few pulses then I went and talked to My… to Gavit. I doubt he even remembers. He was so tired and the painkillers couldn’t have been helping.”

  “What did you talk about?”

  “Nothing, everything, our past, a future…”

  “Sounds like a lot more than nothing.”

  “I did most of the talking. He just kind of lay there and groaned. I think he was unconscious half the time. My Bichard, I feel like I don’t hate him anymore, like I haven’t for a while. But it feels like I have to keep up the pretense that I do. Not just that, I’m respecting him, and… I lied to you before. I wasn’t hurt on the mission. I cried because I was worried about him, more than that…”

  “I know. I’ve known for a while,” Bichard replied.

  Chris froze and Bichard’s holographic avatar sped ahead of her. “What?”

  “I’ve noticed how often you go visit him on the flight deck on the dropship. I smelt the concern on you when you dragged Gavit back. The hardness in your eyes around him has softened, and the rhythm of your hearts; yours and his, change when you’re near each other. I’m just surprised no one else has noticed.”

  The revelation that Bichard knew what she’d kept forcing herself not to see should have floored her. Instead, she started pedalling again, slower than before, as this was no longer a race. “Damn your compound eyes,” she said with a smirk. “But he’s still hung up on that attention-sucking actress skank.”

  “That won’t last. Trust me.”

  Chris looked back at over at the trio. Gavit had stepped away towards the water fountain. She watched him for a moment, then, as if he had some sense of it, he turned towards her. He mimicked taking a drink from a cup and she pulled out her own water bottle to take a swig. She didn’t even bother to see how he reacted as Blazer and Marda ran past again. She replaced her water bottle, rubbed her eyes and started pedalling harder, Bichard’s antennae rising. “I’ll talk to him later My Bichard. Don’t you worry.”

  “But worrying for you is my job,” he replied with his terrifying smile.

  * * *

  That Gavit wasn’t limping appeared to be a good sign to Blazer. It meant that he’d be fit for duty again as soon as their mandatory post-mission grounding had ended. Looking past Gavit, he spotted Arion exit the lift tube. There was a spring to his step that Blazer hadn’t seen in far too long. To Blazer’s surprise, he didn’t head straight for the resistance stations or the old-style free weights. He jogged straight up to him and Marda. Even Chrisvian took notice, ignoring his toys to relay the happiness that Arion exuded. It was a strange, yet uplifting, feeling.

  Blazer tried to gauge how best to approach the situation as Arion ran up alongside. He couldn’t be sure whether to be happy or sad for his oldest friend. His indecision was such that before he could stop himself, his official tone broke in. “You’re late.”

  Arion just smiled. “Overslept. And you didn’t order us here either.”

  Marda looked over at and gave him a knowing smile. Arion was not in his PT uniform but combat undersuit. The strength-enhancing leggings looked painted on along with his sleeveless undershirt. “And why was that?”

  Arion’s smile grew so broad that Blazer feared his face would break. “The others must have told you about Alieha. The real Alieha. She’s here.”

  Blazer nodded. “And how are you doing with that?” Though Arion appeared happy for the first time in longer than Blazer cared to remember, he couldn’t be sure that this wouldn’t fall apart at any moment.

  “I’m good, real good. We stayed up all duwn talking and I slept through my alarm,” he replied with a laugh.

  Marda smiled over at him as Chrisvian reached for her. “Are you sure that’s all you did?”

  Arion chuckled a bit sheepishly. “Yeah.” In that moment Blazer knew that Arion had been the perfect gentleman.

  Hunger pangs overcame Blazer before Marda ground to a halt. He and Arion stopped as well. Blazer understood why. His hunger pangs were all in his head. He wasn’t hungry, Chrisvian was. As if to drive the point home, Chrisvian sent him the image of Marda’s bare bosom, the taste of her breas
t milk on his tongue.

  Arion turned away, rubbing his lip. Even he’d received the image.

  Marda reached up and plucked Chrisvian from his carrier. “I need to wean this kid. I’ll feed him then go check on Gavit’s leg.”

  Blazer gave Chrisvian a quick kiss and motioned towards the calisthenic mats. He and Arion headed over. Once Marda was out of earshot Arion leaned in close. “Is that really what her milk tastes like?”

  Blazer nodded. “And no, you can’t try any.” They both laughed. “Chrisvian gets jealous,” he said with another laugh.

  They reached the mats and Arion dropped into a front leaning rest position. Blazer joined him and they began their push-ups. They continued in silence for a long while, Blazer rehearsing several ways to address the issue hanging over them in his head. His arms began to burn, but Arion showed no sign of slowing. Nothing to it, but to do it, he thought. “So, Alieha.”

  “Yeah, it’s surreal,” Arion replied without missing a beat. “But at the same time, it feels good. Talking to her is like talking to Three, but none of the memories are there.”

  “Three?”

  “The Alieha we knew was Number Three of Six. She and Alieha are so alike it’s scary. But then she was based on the real Alieha.”

  To hear Arion describing the Alieha they had known as little more than a number and this new woman as ‘real’ surprised and almost offended him. Arion had been so in love with the Alieha they’d known before, and her death, a mercy killing at Arion’s own hands, had devastated the big man. “She’s a merchant, right? How long will she be aboard?”

  “Not too long, a decle or two at most while they repair her ship. But she runs cargo to the ‘Bane whenever it’s in uncontested Confed space. So she’ll be in and out often.”

  “And how do you feel about that?”

  Arion stopped his push-ups to look at Blazer. “I’m fine. We’re not diving into a relationship like Three and I did. We’re going to take it slow. This’ll give me a proper chance to do something I’ve always wanted to do - apologize to Three’s family. A message passed through the Admiral just doesn’t hack it.”