Up a Nebula Without a Solar Rudder

“What the jikogu is it?” I wondered aloud as we both moved to the nearest viewport and looked out on the wispy maroon, green, yellow and orange object moving towards the Lykopis.

My Co-Commander tilted her head and narrowed her eyes like it would let her see it better. I didn’t even make a smart remark; she was thinking and I had the big, busting belief that we needed all her strategic cells firing full roar at the moment.

“Let’s believe it’s Veema coming after you to slap you on the hand for insulting her mommy,” She pondered, “and trying to cut her throat as an aside. You wouldn’t have done it, would you?”

“Tecs aren’t all waves and energy fields,” I shrugged noncommittally.

“We know Veema can manipulate elements,” Rider continued, “Can she influence whole nebulas – or does she just want us to think that?”

I looked out the viewport again. “Looks like a nebula; acts like a nebula; must be a nebula.”

“Meaning it has lots of hydrogen and helium in it which control the ion field. My big question is what can it do to the Lykopis and us? Obviously Veema doesn’t care any longer if she takes you in alive so I don’t think whatever that thing is will be set on incapacitation mode.”

“Set fire to it,” I said.

“I think you hit your head too hard during the romping,” Comet Rider scoffed, “Remember, space is a vacuum; nothing burns out there. I’m sure they taught that in tec classes somewhere between ‘Holing a Path to Wealth’ and ‘How to Win at Anything via the Magic of Tec Manipulation’.”

“Comets burn,” I grinned, “that is when they get close enough to something or someone that knows the right buttons to push and, really, Rider, how different is one body from another in that respect?"

Veiled Threat

Comet Rider walked a slow circle around Girk, nodding with appreciation that Girk at first took for challenge. Until Rider spoke, that is.

"What's the status, Commander Girk?"

Girk smirked while she searched for a smart remark, but she wasn't altogether sure she still had a bead on exactly what they were discussing. "Status of what?"

Comet Rider was clearly more at ease than Girk had ever seen her. "Of your 'tec that'll take out the Monocracy,' of course. I'm assuming you were referring to our dear old Eskimo Shogunate? How far are you from viable penetration and appropriation?"

Girk let out a burst of full, genuine laughter. "Coup d'etat is old school, Commander. Surely you've learned that." For the first time, she had Comet Rider's rapt attention, and she knew it. "No, our Scribing has taken us well outside the realm of struggle, beyond the bounds of conflict. What our work has led us to is much more subtle than any of that."

Comet Rider took the two steps forward that brought her toe to toe with Space Girk. Placing her hand on Girk's shoulder, she began, "Then having your forces and mine thrown together in that catastrophe back at the Eskimo is more than fortunate, my friend. In fact, I must tell you-"

The blast of a maximum priority alarm cut Commander Rider's words short.

Girk adroitly activated her stream chip. "This is Girk. What's happening."

Com Chief Jayla King's voice came across smooth as planetary precession. "We're being overtaken by an object that looks amazingly like the Veil Nebula, only it's totally not where the Veil should be, and it's maneuvering, if you can believe that, Commander."

In a single voice, the Co-Commanders whispered, "Veema."

Girk 101

Comet Rider assayed the situation on the deck around us. "Get medcare for those who need it and tweak the lifesensors up so not even a muon can pass through without us knowing," She ordered the nearest officer, "Co-Commander Girk and I need to have a bit of a session."

"What are you going to do, kick me?" I quipped.

Comet Rider dropped her hand from my collar and spun around on her booted heel. "Follow me, Girk," She ordered, "Don't make me get Keene involved."

"If Keene was involved, I'd figure you'd want to be alone," I returned as I stalked after her, "Personally, I'm not into voyeurism."

I followed her into the Center, which she secured after I'd passed through the portal. Rider leaned against the wall and regarded me intensely, "What crimes are you needing to 'answer' for, Girk? Veema called you 'Scriber'. I assume that doesn't mean you write romantic fiction in your spare time. Be cube with me or I swear I'll put you and your gang off on the next stimulation post and you can work there as a slogger with the bullyboys for the rest of your life."

"I can see why you're called Comet Rider," I replied and did some wall-leaning myself, "Tone down those eyes and we'll talk."

She shifted, both physically and mentally.

"I'm a Scriber. I've worked for 10 years developing tec that'll take out the Monocracy. If you want to maroon me for that, it's your call, Commander."

One Last Lucky Lurch

The briefest note of surprise played across Space Girk’s features. Tucking it away, she cracked that crooked smile of hers and taunted Veema with, “Well now, won’t mommy be proud of her Dwin?”

“Leave Mother out of this, Girk, or I vow by the power of Balu you’ll never make it back to Veeho 2 to answer for your crimes.”

Comet Rider moved forward and pivoted just enough to place herself between Veema and Space Girk. She said, “We don’t really recognize the power of Balu on the Lykopis.” She stepped closer, allowing the proximity to emphasize their considerable height difference. “Any more than we—”

The rest of Comet Rider’s remarks were cut short by a great rolling ripple that swiped the feet from under every woman in the passageway. By the time standing up became an option, Space Girk had Veema in a neck lock and was pressing the knife against her windpipe.

Space Girk laughed aloud. “I take back what I said. Love traveling on a ship that has hiccups.”

Veema sneered, said something incomprehensible, and closed her eyes. Then she joined in the laughter as diffracted light streamed from her mouth and glassy orbs filled up the passageway, shattering to shards and cutting every woman they bounced into. Comet Rider snagged Space Girk by her collar and barely pulled her aside as a big one crashed into Veema, who leaned toward the jagged sphere and dissolved into its fractalized pattern. In a moment the fragments were gone, and there was no Veema in sight.

Comet Rider, still clasping the scruff of Space Girk’s collar, politely said, “Let’s convene in the Center and try this again. I’ll be asking you directly this time, Co-Commander.”

Split Me a Photon

When Comet Rider turned and spoke of revenge, black holes and Veema, somehow it seemed to seamlessly go together. I looked around to see who she was talking to; had to suppress a grin. Well, I didn't have to, but the sharp, shiny, pointy weapon in Veema's hand kinda argued for caution.

You know those grix from twenty, thirty years ago? The ones that were so popular because they featured the tall, muscled women with big hair and bigger swords in their hands who were always dealing out revenge for wrongs done? Well, Veema didn't look like one of them at all. She was a Dwin. You know - short in the extreme.

Veema looked up at me with the keen eyes of a predator, "I am Veema Lotu of the Veeho 2nd Command. You're under arrest, Scriber."

I kicked the Dwin in the sternum, or where I kinda thought it should be. The Dwin took the blow like the support beam she resembled. Then smiled.

Small Universe

Comet Rider looked at Space Girk and said, "'Drill for tec on you.' Why is it that I don't understand half the things you say?"

Girk was about to open her mouth and let out a smart remark when the Inertia Cell's stabilization field cut off and the doors de-pressurized. Whatever Girk had been about to say was set adrift in the vacuum, as Comet Rider made it to the hallway in two long, sure strides.

To her right, she could both see and hear the women streaming out of the main Inertia Cell. From the volume of the laughter, they'd enjoyed the Lykopis' feeding time quite a bit more than she had.

The sudden expressions on some of the faces coming toward her made Comet Rider turn to look behind. She did a superb job of covering her own reaction, and casually remarked, "The lengths some species will go to in the name of revenge. What Black Hole did you crawl out of, Veema?"

Tight Quarters

The Lykopis was weaving and looping like a gibbersnarl chasing prey. Comet Rider was just in front of me, heading for the Main Inertia Cell when the ship yawed sudden. Rider slammed into the bulkhead. I managed to execute a neat tuck-and-roll maneuver to avoid doing the same then reached down and tugged her to her feet.

“If this keeps up, we’ll only be fit to serve for galley fodder before she’s done feeding,” She said, “Can’t fault the girl though, she’s probably starving. Come on, there’s an emergency Cell a few yards away.”

I dashed after her and we dived into the small Inertia Cell just as the ship heaved again. “Hope she’s not eating too fast,” I remarked as I looked down at the Commander, “Hate traveling on a ship that has the hiccups.”

She regarded me with a half-smile, “You can go ahead and get off of me. We won’t feel the romping now.”

I grinned, “Sometimes it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

“Sometimes life is nothing but bullshit remarks,” My Co-Commander returned, “At least move your left elbow a bit to one side. You’re a bit boney.”

“You shouldn’t have taken the chance of letting Lykopis run so low without food.”

She pushed me off, “Don’t tell me how to care for my ship. You’re the one that could’ve blown her up.”

“Better than her starving in the middle of nowhere,” I smirked as I made myself comfortable on the Cell’s only berth, “Let’s get to the grist here, Rider, since we’ve got time. You’re trying to drill for tec on me.”

Romp of the She-Wolf

Space Girk’s glib, “Feel free to break in here at anytime and correct me if I'm wrong...please," was about to get a Tokugawan Black Ice-induced reply from Comet Rider when the ship lurched abruptly enough to silence both of them.

Before either commander had a chance to speak, the buzzer rang. Girk rolled her eyes and said, “Really, Rider, a buzzer?”

On Comet Rider’s permission, Ship Specialist Carna Bloom entered the quarters. She briskly saluted Space Girk and reported to Comet Rider, “We’ve reached the Alcohol Cloud, Commander.” A huge smile broke across Carna’s face as the ship took another, more languid, roll. “The Lykopis is lapping the stuff up.”

Comet Rider quickly issued an order for the entire crew to report to the Inertia Cell.

When they were alone again, Comet Rider graced Space Girk with an honest to Mab Draka smile. “I’m not wild over your methods, Girk, but right now I doubt the Lykopis cares much about any of that.” She gingerly removed Girk’s glass from her hand. “Shall we get to the safety of the Inertia Cell, so this baby can romp?” Right on cue, the Lykopis tumbled roughly.

Laughing hard, Girk joined Rider in heading for the portal. “Guess we better, before she really cuts loose.”

After the Touch...A Taste

As the portal slid open, I caught sight of Comet Rider just stepping out of the lapper, running her hand through her hair to give it some lift. She looked at me with a barely concealed smirk. “So…what do you think of Bannick?”

I walked over to the settee and settled myself into its soft cushions then reached over to the low table and poured a long libation from a convoluted bottle of liqueur that just seemed to be begging to be tasted. I raised the cool liquid towards my lips and then just tweaked its silver surface with the tip of my tongue.

“Tokugawan Black Ice.” I commented with an appreciative nod at Comet Rider, who was staring at me either with a great deal of control or none at all. “Where’d you get Bannick? She has all the culture and aplomb of an Oortian Cavecruncher.”

Commander Rider tossed her towel into the incinerator – a perfect shot, then walked over and plucked the drink from my hand and tossed it down like it was mother’s milk. I admit I was impressed. Tokugawan Black Ice can take the ‘g’ out of ‘gamma’ quicker than antimatter blowing off an electron. “Bannick is quite an asset, Girk." She chided me. "You should learn to play nice. It will get you a lot further than…”

“Flaunting my techno-antics?” I finished.

She smiled. Aeonic Fusion, I saw the woman smile. True, it was a triumphant 'gotcha' kind of smile, but it was a start.

"So," I asked as Comet Rider sank into the cushion next to mine. "Why didn't you just come and ask me your questions - or maybe you prefer to come up with answers through a psysexual? Wait, that's right, you didn't come, did you? That means you have to totally trust Bannick to tell you the truth. Most interesting. You don't seem like the type of woman who would let a little pleasure get in the way of gaining knowledge, Rider, and you certainly don't seem the type that would totally trust anyone. Feel free to break in here at anytime and correct me if I'm wrong...please."

Next post: Monday 6.2.08

Pressing The Issue

As Space Girk was about to overtake Comet Rider just five strides from her cabin portal, a firm arm encircled Girk's waist.

With what felt like the strength of a nuclear force, Vice-Warrior Bannick's grip tightened until Space Girk erupted in anger. "Playing coup d'etat so early in the voyage, Bannick? I'd have given Rider more credit than this."

“No coup, Commander. Let’s just call this a ‘conference,’ shall we?”

Space Girk grinned evilly as she waltzed Bannick up against the nearest wall and pointed out, “Conferencing with an alluring psysexual has always been one of my fantasies. Right up there with rectifying those nasty issues at the Singularity Core.”

Keene Bannick smiled down sweetly at Girk and, guiding her by the shoulders, stepped her back just enough so that they were no longer pelvis to pelvis. She turned her palm upward. “Your cumchit please, Commander.”

Space Girk laughed, genuinely. “Vice-Warrior Bannick, Keene, why don’t we just work together here? Hate to see a volatile creature such as yourself cruising in Comet Rider’s wake. Seems you and I should be able to strike a deal. Savvy?”

Bannick took her sweet time measuring Mab Draka only knows what in the depths of Girk’s indolent gaze. “Don’t waste your time looking for deals, Commander. Every lesbian Commander Rider brought on board is perfectly loyal to her.” Bannick shook her head. “If you’re smart, you’ll start cooperating with the true commander of this ship and quit flaunting your techno-antics as if they could compete with genuine character.” She looped around Girk, turned her back to her, and walked away, adding, “Best of luck with the Singularity Core.”

Under her breath, Space Girk muttered something about conflabberated fingerfluster and, marching resolutely over to Comet Rider’s portal, she pressed the doorbell, thinking, A buzzer! How frickin’ primitive can you get?

Next post: Friday 5.30.08