《The Galactic Salt Road: Albert’s Kitchen》


 Steaks and Bones

    ¡°Good to see you Jack! I¡¯ll have your steak ready in a moment. Medium well done right?¡± I asked. The group that entered was a regular and the big man I just addressed gave me a wave while they took their customary seat. I generally reserve their preferred table during mid day since they come in almost every day. It makes them feel special and I get regular customers. Win-win situation right there.


    ¡°Yeah. Give me some extra gravy too. You never give me enough you bastard!¡± Jack jokingly shouted back while shaking his fist. His group was looking a bit peaked so I had one of the servidrones bring them some iced tea.


    ¡°You¡¯re getting fat. I¡¯m just looking out for you. Look, you could barely bend over. Any more and you¡¯ll have to get MicroSmart shoes. Last time you tried tying your shoelaces you almost fell off your chair¡± I replied while seasoning a new slab of steak for the barbecue.


    ¡°I¡¯m not fat! I¡¯m just a little husky, is all.¡± He replied lamely while his friends around the table were laughing uproariously. One of them almost snorted out the tea he was drinking from laughing.


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re husky then I¡¯m totally jacked then.¡± I flexed my non-existent biceps at them while jiggling my eyebrows. Another round of hilarity ensued with two more people doing the tea-snorting exercise. The conversation around the table devolved into a loud discussion on the benefits of making Jack lose weight while the object of the discussion defended his position of just being ¡®husky¡¯


    Business was moving along briskly this afternoon and my hands were constantly moving. Even with my limited menu, people had taken a liking to the taste of my food. I¡¯ve always been very thankful for my mother in introducing me to cooking early in my life. I don¡¯t even know what I would have done if not being a cook somewhere. I can¡¯t even imagine owning the hole-in-a-wall eatery I have now ten years ago.


    I¡¯ve been in business for a little bit more than four years and I¡¯ve built good relations with the security groups around the area. Some people tend to get intimidated when visiting my eatery for the first time. I had to ask the men and women of my regular clientele to at least keep their various implements of their profession concealed while dining.


    A delicious aroma started wafting around the dining room to the appreciation of the guests. The steaks I was currently working on are spiced with some of the best basil and rosemary that I could get from Hellion IV. It¡¯s quite expensive even at small amounts but the taste it could produced when applied correctly makes it worth the money.


    I might not generate as much money as the other eateries around the district but I still make a good living. I¡¯ve enough to pay my bills and have something tucked away for savings and a night out once in a while.


    As the afternoon progressed, small groups of people were coming in and out of my place and I did my best remembering people and greeted them with enthusiasm. Guests always appreciate it when they get good service and pleasant workers. Even if I get a surly customer I still try to be patient and understanding. People would say that I¡¯m a people person and I try to live up to that reputation. Having a good reputation always helps out your business.


    Finally it was quitting time and I flicked and ¡®closed¡¯ sign and served my few remaining customers. I normally serve something light for dinner time like soup and some low-calorie meals. I try not to get vat or infused meats for dinner time. Nobody really likes having a heavy stomach before sleeping. Well¡­ most people.


    It was ten thirty when I finally wore my jacket and locked the eatery with a packaged faulty servidrone for repairs tomorrow at hand. I live about four kilometers away so I normally get there in a couple of minutes. Gallant Street, the street where my eatery is located, is winding down too. It¡¯s primarily a restaurant area so most people move to Hibiscus Street which is where most of the beers and tits establishments can be found.


    I look a lungful of the night breeze and just stood there for the moment. I am tired but content. I had a good day and if the SecNet broadcast was any indicator, I¡¯m going to have a better week coming up. Ceres will be hosting The Galactic Fighting Robots League finals this year and it will be held at the Agrippa Coliseum. My eatery is nowhere near the entertainment district but with the number of people projected to be attending the fight as well as the boost to tourism, a lot of people would be walking around Ceres for a couple of weeks. I bought streaming rights for an arm and a leg so that I could have an exclusive showing at my eatery. I just installed a huge vid screen at the main dining area and the event came at the right time. The tickets at my place were sold out after making a couple of calls to my favorite people. I gave first dibs to Allied Security and Gauntlet Protection Services. Jack and his group were good people and I felt him and his friends would appreciate being able to see the match without having to shell out for the streaming rights themselves. Of course, I¡¯m expecting that they¡¯ll be ordering food so they¡¯ll still be spending some money but not as much if they have to get it themselves. I also gave a few tickets to some of other restaurateurs I¡¯m friendly with. Never hurts to building relations with your peers.


    Deciding that I would best spend my time ruminating at home, I called for a car on my ArmCom. I¡¯m a couple of generations behind the newest model but the one currently strapped on my left forearm is still very much suited for my needs. New ArmComs are expensive so I tend to buy them when the prices are more modest. An older ArmCom would still last me acouple of years before it becomes too outdated.


    My ArmCom beeped and informed me that the streets were busy due to a special event happening at a popular bar in the entertainment district so the nearest available car will arrive in ten minutes. I clicked on the ¡®willing to wait¡¯ option and just leaned on my eatery¡¯s wall and relaxed.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Gallant Street is a nice place. All of the establishments in the area are all non-members of the Restaurateurs Guild. All of us are either too poor to pay for membership or just don¡¯t want the hassle of being in a big group. In the interest of catering to a burgeoning interest in non-guild affiliated restaurants, Ceres reserved a couple of areas around the capital, Illustratum, for new and upcoming restaurant ventures. The guild has no problem with this because if these new places want to expand or franchise out, they would have to work with the guild. In fact, they promote us small guys because the sooner we become successful, the sooner we join the guild if we want to keep working in the food industry.


    The eateries around the street are all small with about ten to fifteen tables in their dining rooms. We have our own association and decided to project a certain theme and feel to the place. Storefronts were all faced with faux brick walling and iron wrought workings grace the doorways and entrances. We eschewed the standard lighting fixture and paid for some Victorian-styled metal lamp posts. Of course they¡¯re electric-powered lights but we chose a soft yellow hue and dimmed it a bit to give it that lamplighter feeling. The street is cobbled with imitation stones and trees in perpetual autumn colors line the middle thoroughfare. All the maintenance comes to a pretty penny but pooling our resources together, our small association can afford it. It also means that if your food doesn¡¯t sell, you have to get out quick. Debt would be close behind. That¡¯s why I¡¯m so friendly to my customers and willing to buy better spices.


    It was still a couple of minutes before my ride arrives so I decided to take a quick stroll around the block to stretch my legs a bit. I like walking and the night is so nice it would be a shame to waste it. I just passed a couple of eateries when I heard a soft cry coming out a corner.


    Now, I¡¯ve lived enough years to know that entering a dark alley, even in a nice place like this, in the middle of the night is stupid. This is not a setup for a great thriller novel or vid. This is real life. I have no plans in getting myself involved with anything going in there so I decided to walk by briskly planning to avoid looking in the alley. I¡¯m a good person, I think, but no knight in shining armor so the best I could do is to re-strap my ArmCom on my right forearm and run the recording function. I¡¯ll just steady my arm and hope I get a vid of nothing dastardly.


    I was moving along almost passing themouth of the dark alley when I heard another whimper. A whimper that sounded like it came from a child. A small girl.


    Again, I¡¯m not stupid but dammit, you just don¡¯t walk away from a child in need, even if you¡¯re not sure a child IS in need. I know I was going to regret my decision but I was committed.


    I stopped on my tracks and got a good look in the alley. Though it was dark, I could still make out the form of what I suspect is a small child cowering down beside the wall while being surrounded by two adults. I could see another form on the ground and can guess that it¡¯s also an adult. Probably dead or unconscious.


    One of the adults who I think is a man had his back on me started reaching out for the trembling child. The little girl has the look of such horror on her face that it made me so angry somebody is causing her so much fear.


    ¡°Hey! What¡¯re you guys doing?¡± I shouted. I was standing in the opening of the alley being illuminated by the street lights.


    The man and the other shadow which turned out to be a tall, muscular woman quickly turned to face me. The little girl also looked at me and with a soft voice said,


    ¡°Please help me¡­¡±


    The man gave the girl a kick making her tumble with a cry of pain. The large woman started running towards me. I could see that she was pulling something out of the jacket she was wearing. It doesn¡¯t take a genius to know that it¡¯s a weapon of some sort.


    My earlier anger quickly dissolved and was replaced with dread. The last time was in a fight was when I was eight years old and that were just two kids slapping each other until they cried. The woman running towards me is not going to slap me. I was momentarily frozen as mybody was wrestling with my fight or flight response. I know I am going to run as fast as my legs can carry me. I¡¯ve always been a quick kid and I think I still retained some of my speed in my adulthood and could give these two a good chase before losing them. I hope.


    Imagine my surprise when I stepped with my left leg in preparation for my pivot and run but I did something completely different. Cocking back with my right arm, I quickly threw the servidrone at the woman as hard as I can throw. It was a good throw. The spherical drone flew straight towards the surprised woman who tried to bring up her arms but was too slow. The drone smashed dead on her nose. I could see the spray of blood as her nose was crushed. Her head snapped back dropping her into a heap on the grimy pavement.


    I was still staring at the downed woman when I heard the curse of her partner. I almost died because of my inattention. The man was about to stab me when I turned to look at him. My involuntary step back from the violence coming approaching me saved my life. The swing missed my throat but the man was not done. He stepped forward and with his free left arm, grabbed the front of my jacket and pulled and threw me deeper in the alley. I ate pavement as I slammed on the ground face down. My body took most of the damage so my mental faculties were still functioning. I scrambled forward while making a quick glance back. The man was walking towards me, knife quite visible even with the limited light.


    I tried to get up as quickly as I can but a snap kick to the face knocked me down. The entire left side of my face felt like it was on fire. I tried concentrating on getting up again and focusing on my attacker. My left eye was a bit blurry but I can still see him well.


    ¡°You stupid fucker. Didn¡¯t your momma teach never to poke into the business of others?¡± He said. The man has a rough, gravely voice. I expected him to be angry but he sounded like he was talking about a vid he just watched.


    I was sitting on the ground and tried to explain but the man¡¯s right fist rocked me flat. He hit me again at the already swelling left side of my face and now blood is streaming down from a cut. My left eye was quickly closing and I¡¯m in pain, dizzy, and nauseous.


    ¡°Acting like a hero but couldn¡¯t do shit. Not so cool now are you?¡± The sinister voice said. I flipped over and tried crawling away since standing up is out of the question. I could barely concentrate on moving forward.


    ¡°The asshole is enjoying this.¡± I thought. He was taking his time breaking me apart piece by piece. A painful jolt and a snapping sound broke my concentration. Pain like none I¡¯ve ever felt before exploded from my right leg. I screamed like the devil itself until something smashed on my face again. This time I could feel and hear my jaw breaking as I was momentarily stunned. I could hear or see nothing for a while. What I know if that pain has overcome my thoughts and I tried getting away from it. My body continued to crawl while I could hear something faintly droning on the background. At the back of my mind, it came to me that the man was still talking but I wasn¡¯t hearing anything. I was in so much pain that nothing else registered. I kept crawling even when something slammed on my right ribs. I don¡¯t know if I broke anything or if I screamed or not but continued to crawl until I came upon a soft, warm something. It felt good. I crawled until I embraced the soft, warm thing. Everything is hurting so much and I was slowly losing my consciousness.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to die. This is it. I¡¯ve always hoped to die in my sleep when the time came. This is so painful. Please let this pain end¡­¡± I thought. I was drifting away and in a moment of clarity was able to recognize that I was embracing the terrified girl who also has a shiner on her right eye. She was staring at me with a pleading face, tears streaking down on her cheeks. She grabbed my hands and was shaking in terror.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry girl. I¡¯m no fighter. I cook for a living. I hope you make it out of this.¡± I tried to project that thought and forced my face to at least give her a small smile. I have enough courage for that at least. I could hear fleshy thuds and guessed that the vicious man was still attacking my body. Good thing I couldn¡¯t feel anything anymore.


    The last thing I saw before I died was the man¡¯s mouth still moving with his left hand holding my bloody head up by the hair. He was about to slit my throat when mercifully, I finally died.

 Tenderized Meat

    I opened my eyes and found myself staring at a soft blue ceiling.


    ¡°I¡¯m not dead or hell needs a better decorator¡± was my first thought. I didn¡¯t move and contemplated the situation. I know that the guy was about to slit my throat before I died. I thought about moving but staring at a blue ceiling seems to be working fine for me at the moment. It would also give me some time to gather my thoughts.


    "Greetings Mr. Mayon. It''s nice to see you awake."


    I must have been day dreaming because the smooth voice startled me. I moved my head and the rest of the room came into focus. I was definitely in a hospital. The room was a very sparse accommodation with a couple of comfortable looking chairs, a small coffee table, and the MediBed I was currently lying on. I could hear some very soft music playing but could not pinpoint where its coming from. It was very soothing and made me smile a little bit. Standing just beside my bed is an Inugorian patiently waiting for me to respond.


    The Inugorians are a tall humanoid race from the Brenning Sector. They live in a heavily-forested tropical world rife with oversized fauna. The Inugorians themselves average two meters for the females and a little bit more the males. Their bodies are covered with short, brownish fur with some interesting genetic markings such as colored spots that are unique to every individual. Their facial structure has the same general shape of a specific primate endemic to historical Earth giving them the nickname ''Lemurs.'' Their tails doesn''t help with the labeling since its exactly the same as the bestowed nickname implies. Unlike their Earthling comparison, the Inugorians are considered as one of the most advanced people among the space faring races. Their particular preference in the advancement of medicine made them the premier doctors everywhere. If there is a chance that you can survive, an Inugorian will save you.


    This particular Inugorian is getting on with the years. The beginnings of a silver mane became visible when he turned his head to check some readings on my MediBed.


    I might have taken too much time because the doctor was starting to look concerned and called out my name again.


    "Mr. Mayon? Are you able to hear me? I''ve just checked your status and your senses should be functioning properly." The doctor said. He was moving towards the bed''s control screen so I hurriedly answered.


    "I''m awake doctor. Where am I?" is what I thought I said but what came out was the fat sound of a croaking frog.


    Understanding my plight, the doctor moved a small drinking hose to my mouth. I started sucking on it with a vengeance.


    "Not too fast Mr. Mayon. Too much too fast will make you nauseous." The doctor advised. It was a struggle to stop drinking so fast but I was able to control myself. I wouldn''t have been able to drink too quickly anyway, with the good doctor regulating the water flow.


    When I felt that my throat was sufficiently lubricated and my thirst satiated for the moment, I asked again now in a comprehensible manner.


    "You are currently recuperating in a private room in Asclepius General Hospital. I am Doctor Sahvi. I am your main doctor and the one responsible for your continued good health. You have been here for two days. I apologize that it took so long before we decided to wake you but your injuries were extensive." The doctor said. He was still reading something from the MediBed screen but he made sure to look at me at the end of his statement to emphasize the point.


    "I kinda remember thinking that my leg was broken and I felt my jaw get smashed but I didn''t know it was that bad." I replied. The distinct memory was I was busy being in pain to know how bad it was.


    The doctor gave me a pitiying look and slow shake of his head. He exhaled slowly and explained to me my condition when I arrived at the front doors of the hospital.


    "If that were the only cases Mr. Mayon. You had two broken ribs on your right side with one fractured, A broken tibia on your right leg. A shattered ramus, same result with your maxilla, bruising in your lungs, and the most immediate danger to your person, a punctured liver. There were varying degrees of laceration on your face and the upper torso, some general bruising concentrated on your back and thighs and finally, a concussion that caused you to fall unconscious. Quite frankly, if you have arrived a few minutes later, It would have been beyond our ability to save you to full functionality. Your punctured liver guaranteed your expiration in a few minutes if not treated. As it was, we had to use a lot of your body fat and muscle tissue as a base for instant cellular regrowth for your damaged internal organs. We had to quickly submerge you in a regeneration gel bed while simultaneously having the nanites work on the damage to your body. You are lucky Mr. Mayon. Only Asclepius General has a regeneration gel bed available for public use." Dotor Sahvi numerated.


    I knew I was pretty banged up but I didn''t think that I was almost turned into paste by the dude. Just thinking about it made me shudder.


    "Well, thanks doctor. I didn''t know it was that bad. I thought I was checking out when I started drifting off."


    "Hardly. Your brain shut down as a failsafe when you passed your pain threshold. In most cases, unconsciousness is a good thing when dealing with non-brain injuries. It would keep you from aggravating your injuries while also from dealing with the trauma of pain both physical and emotional. The emotional scarring of intense pain could leave a psychic mark on you." The doctor said while he again started messing around with the bed''s control screen. I felt a cooling wave go through my veins. I''m not sure what that was but it felt great. A thought flitted through my brain while I digested what he just said.


    "Who brought me in doc? It was closing time and the area I was is in is generally deserted during late evening." I asked as I tried flexing my arms. It felt a little sore but there was no real pain.


    "A couple of humans named Mr. Solomon and Ms. Akseldatter. They sent a sentient-in-need signal on general broadcast and was able to rush you here promptly. In fact, they are outside waiting for you to regain consciousness. They work for Ceres Policing Ministry. They have a few questions to ask. Other than checking for your general well being, I''m actually also here to make sure that you can communicate without any difficulties. May I allow them in?"


    It was not really a question. When the CPM ''asks'' you to do something, you do it. I was surprised that my incident has garnered their attention. They have bigger issues to deal with other than a street beat down. Maybe it''s because it involves a child? Nobody wants to see a child hurt. Especially the Ceres government. Now I¡¯m starting to get anxious. I¡¯ve not heard of anything to do with CPM that had a positive outcome. Well, that¡¯s according to all the vids that I have watched.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Sure doctor. They probably have a lot of things to straighten out.¡±


    ¡°As you wish. I will be monitoring your vitals. You are essentially healed but until I sign for your release, we will be closely observing your health. I¡¯ll be back soon Mr. Mayon. If you have any concerns, just call out and the hospital A.I. will inform us.¡± Doctor Sahvi concluded with a smile.


    The Inugorian moved to the door and talked to the people outside. With a nod to me, he left as the two CPM officers entered.


    The two officers leisurely approached my bed side by side. The man, an augmented man, is an average sized human wearing a clean black smart suit. He has a rounded, weathered face with his right eye replaced with a biocompatible tracker unit. A few lines visible under his dark brown skin indicates some sort of wiring flowing towards the other parts of his face. He has a well toned physique that moves with grace. His left hand is covered by a sleek looking glove. I suspect that his entire left arm is augmented too. The man gives an aura of command without getting the feeling of being overbearing. It¡¯s the confident look you see in his face that kind of reminds you of a respected boss or supervisor.


    The woman, on the other hand, is quite the specimen. She¡¯s completely human but she was so much more. Standing about two meters, the tall, blonde, blue-eyed beauty with the body of a body builder draws the eye. Her soft looking face combined with the appealing smirk she was directing at me at the moment can make your heart stop. If that doesn¡¯t, her heavily scarred fists probably can literally make your heart stop if you make her angry. Rather than a suit, the impressive woman was wearing a light blue low neck blouse. Just enough to tease you with her ample breasts. She was also wearing a pair of black pants that wouldn¡¯t look out of place in a meeting room or in a city sidewalk. Her shoes are the practical type, flats with a rubberized biogel soles for maximum comfort when walking and running.


    Both officers stood at the foot of my MediBed. Curious that. You would''ve thought they would get in your face. Might just be me though. The male officer made the introductions.


    ¡°Good afternoon Mr. Mayon. I am Ronald Solomon and this is my partner Ms. Nabila Akseldatter. We are happy to see you recovered. Would you consent to answering a few questions?¡± The augment asked. Direct to the point, I see. His clear, monotone voice doesn¡¯t inspire confidence but they haven¡¯t charged me with anything¡­ yet.


    ¡°Uhm, sure. I don¡¯t know how much I would be able to help you, though. I was getting my ass kicked most of the time.¡± I answered with a nervous smile. I was able to elicit another smile from Nabila but Ronald remained unaffected. I¡¯m getting the impression that smiling is a foreign practice for him.


    ¡°Not to worry Mr. Mayon. We are more interested in your activities before the incident in the alley. Could you relate to us the sequence of events from the closing of your shop to the beginning of the incident?¡±


    I gave a narration of what I did that night with as much accuracy as I can. Ronald asked a number of questions while using some street surveillance vids showing me during the time in question to corroborate with my story. He asked some questions that were essentially the same to I felt I told the same story over and over again. It all culminated to the reality of me just waiting for a car, taking a stroll, then getting jumped by the alley when I stopped to shout at the two thugs.


    ¡°Alright Mr. Mayon. You said that you activated the recorder of your ArmCom. We currently have it in evidence. Would you accede to allowing us access to it? It would give us a better idea of the whole situation.¡± Again, Mr. no smile face asked but didn¡¯t really.


    ¡°No problem. Let me give- wait a minute, ¡®a better idea of the whole situation?¡¯ I thought the doctor said that you guys were the one to save me from being curb stomped into oblivion. What happen to the guy that was about to cut me up? There was also that woman who I clocked with a servidrone. I know she dropped unconscious. By the way, would I get my servidrone back? Those things are expensive.¡± I quickly asked. Now that I''m thinking about it, an avalanche of questions started forming in my head. What was the girl doing there? Was the guy beside here really dead? How come they got there so fast? all of these questions were running through my brain.


    Ronald raised his hand to stop me from asking a barrage of questions. He then looked at Nabila to continue. She answered a few of my questions.


    "The two criminals you fought with are members of a known slave gang that normally operates in a different system. The little girl you saved earlier was kidnapped and was about to be taken off world to be ransomed later to her father. Her minders were quick to notice she was gone when she did not exit her school with the other children. They searched the grounds but wasn''t able to find her. They triggered her locator and simultaneously made a call to the police. The man on the ground you saw was a police officer closest to the location signal. He was tracking the girl when he was caught in an ambush by the two criminals. They were able to find her locator and destroyed it. They were about to leave when you intervened. We might have lost the signal from the girl''s locator but the officer''s ArmCom was still pulsing away." She paused and snorted. Her voice is a bit deeper than expected but still very feminine.


    "Those two were not very smart. They didn''t consider that officers have locators too. Anyway, when my partner and I reached the scene, he was about to finish you off. Now, I know you know that CPM officials are well trained in reacting quickly to any kind of situations. My partner here used to be military police. Suffice to say he was able to shoot the armed criminal before he could do the deed." She glanced at Ronald and gave him a wink. Great impression of a statue from Ronald.


    "What we didn''t expect is that the criminal was heavily augmented. Ronald''s shot burned some hair off but did not hurt the criminal. He has some very expensive upgrades under his skin. We suspect that his torso is protected by a layer of thin duraplates. He probably has a dissipater also active to weaken the beam before it hit him. He then quickly let go of you then proceeded to charge us. His augments came into play again. He fired a blinder at us and was able to escape carrying his comrade." I could hear the frustration in her voice. She was also gripping the bed rail quite hard if the whitening of here knuckles was any indication.


    "The officers responding gave chase but was unable to apprehend the augmented criminal. We are still searching the area but we suspect that they are long gone. Their gang have been doing this for a long time. They know how to disappear cleanly." Ronald added.


    The whole situation seems insane to me. This is like what you see in the vids! The last thing that happened to me to even approach the seriousness of the situation was when I was just fresh out of college looking for a job. My ArmCom got cloned and was used in a robbery of nanochip shipment. The police brought me in for questioning but eventually released me later in the same day. They already knew I was not involved. They just needed to cover all the bases.


    I wanted this to all be a figment of my imagination. A flight of fancy. Heck, I''ll even take hallucination at this point. I''m in a damned thriller novel.


    I didn''t get the chance to think more about my troubles when a very important thought crossed my mind. I suddenly sat straight and looked at both of them.


    "Hey, we''ve been talking about me and those two gangsters a lot but what happened to the little girl? Is she okay?" I anxiously ask. I didn''t know her for squat but we shared such a traumatizing moment, I innately felt closer to her.


    "She''s fine. She''s with her family now. She had a few bruises but nothing to compare to yours. They can''t risk hurting her too much if they plan to ransom her off. By the way, her father would like to personally thank you and asked us to tell you that he will be dropping by your eatery soon to talk to her daughter''s savior. You should be honored, you just saved the daughter of Shyam Chander. The Admiral was ready to tear illustratum apart to find his little rajkumari. We had to threaten his carrier with a battleship to convince him that dropping a company of heavy infantry in the city is a bad idea. I''m not sure we would have been able to keep him from it if it took any longer that it had." Nabila look troubled at that last part but she just shook her head as if to clear her thoughts and gave me a huge smile. Man, she''s really pretty.


    "Well, damn! I didn''t even know that ''the tiger'' himself is here. I thought he doesn''t like ''soft'' places? What the heck, his daughter gets kidnapped at the last place she should be." I said. Considering the places the man had dragged his family to, this was probably one of the few planets in the sector where he didn''t have to worry about entering a war zone. This is going to hurt the Ceres government.


    "Like everybody else, he''s here for the GFRL finals. His wife is a huge fan. Anyway, we are done for today Mr. Mayon. We thank you for your cooperation. If you could just give us your ArmCom data code, we will be on our way." Ronald said. I gave him the codes and he promised me they''ll drop it off at the eatery the next day or so. They made their goodbyes with Nabila giving another of her wonderful smiles and quietly left.


    I eased myself back down on my bed and rested. I started thinking about how incredulous the situation was. It''s great I was able to save, however unintentional it was, the girl. It''s also fantastic did we didn''t just start a firefight with one of the galaxy''s premier mercenary groups and the Ceres government. I guess being used as a human punching bag is worth that. With that pleasant conclusion in mind, I drift back to sleep to the soothing music of bossa nova.

 Snacks and Friends

    A tantalizing smell woke me from my sleep. I slowly opened my eyes and blinked a couple of times. I feel great. In fact, I feel wonderful. I sit up, scratched my head and yawned like an evil spirit is flying out of my mouth. I was still yawning when I turned around and found a nurse standing beside my bed holding a bed tray table full of deliciousness. I quickly shut my mouth and stopped stretching. Good thing I don''t blush because that was embarrassing. I wonder how long she was standing there.


    The nurse smiled at me and started adjusting the MediBed to accommodate the tray.


    "Had a good rest Mr. Mayon? I''ve brought you something to eat." She said. She brought some very fresh croissants and some butter, a couple of sausages, a small bar of chocolate, and a mug of green tea. I don''t know what time or day it is but I know that I''m hungry.


    "Yes I had a good sleep. I feel really recharged. What day is it? I know that I can sleep twelve hours when I''m really tired." It does feel like I slept for a long time. I stretched my arms above my head to pop a few bones. The nurse just gave me a bemused smile.


    "You were asleep for less than two hours, sir. You were in a medically-induced sleep to help the nanites in your body finish rebuilding the lingering damages. The cooling feeling you felt earlier is a liquid compound the nanites use as a binding agent. It would have taken longer if you were moving. The fully rested felling you have right now is an indicator that the regeneration was successful and you are fully healed." the nurse explained. She finished laying out my meal and stood back to talk to me.


    "Doctor Sahvi will be seeing you after your meal. Is there anything I can do for you Mr. Mayon?" She asked.


    "No, I''m fine. Thanks for bringing me some food. I''m starving." I replied. I quickly grabbed one of the crescent goodness and started slathering it with some butter. It''s practically making me drool.


    "That because we used your own body reserves to rebuilt itself. All the nanites and replacement liquids we used are just there to help the process. Your body is now demanding you to replace the stores that were lost, hence the hunger. Doctor Sahvi will be giving you a nutritional guide that you would have to follow for the next few days. Frankly, I envy you. You get to eat whatever you want and how much you want until your stores get replaced." She jokingly complained. She pinched her sides to make a point.


    "Please enjoy your meal and call if you need anything." She gave me a parting smile and left.


    I continued stuffing my face until I cleaned the table. I even ate all the butter. It was both disgusting and totally worth it, eating a small stick of butter.


    I moved the now empty table and looked at the controls beside my bed. I fiddled with it a little bit until I found the reclining function. I had the bed fold up to a comfortable angle so I could sit back and just relax. I didn''t really have anything to do since the CPM has my ArmCom so I started looking around for something to do. I found a reader on the table beside my bed so I grabbed it and started browsing the news.


    "Nothing about me or the girl. Don''t know if that''s a good thing or not." I thought.


    I even did a targeted search and came up blank. That''s impossible because the death of a police officer is always in the news. The only conclusion I can make is that the authorities decided to keep this close to the chest. I don''t know why and how long they will be able to do that so I didn''t dwell on it. I accessed my Star Friends account and posted a message saying I''m fine. I debated about posting the story as to why I''m in the hospital since the CPM officers didn''t tell me not say anything about it but I decided that just saying I got jumped is probably the smartest move here. It also made me realize that since the officers are not censoring me from sharing, the need for withholding the information must be over. Is that important? Again, I know nothing about law enforcement so... don''t care.


    I was engrossed in a vid when the door slid open. I looked up and saw Doctor Sahvi striding in. I put away the reader and greeted the Inugorian.


    "Hey doc. Thanks for leaving a reader behind. I haven''t considered that my friends probably don''t know where I''ve been the past two days. They must have been freaking out." I said. It would have been just a curiosity if I didn''t have such a public business. A closed eatery during normal operating hours without any announcement will garner attention. Even if my friends don''t normally eat at my place, my regulars would have made some noise.


    "It''s a common result of an unexpected hospital confinement. We normally inform your next of kin but according to your records, your closest relative is five gate transitions away. We could have sent a message through courier drone but you would have been healed and discharged before the drone arrives at its destination. We decided that you could make the decision to inform your family or not." The doctor explained. He took a scanning wand out and started waving it around my body. He was looking closely at his medical ArmCom as he continued conducting his wand. A soft beep sounded after a few moments and the doctor pocketed his wand.


    "Your healing is now complete. You can now leave at any time. All I need for you to do is to give me your DNA signature in this reader and we will be done." The doctor presented me a smaller reader showing an accounting of my injuries and the services the hospital have performed. The numbers at the end made me blanch. My bill is more than what I could earn cooking food in a good year. Now that I think about it, I''m in a private room and had access to a regeneration gel bed. I started panicking a bit since I don''t think my government medical insurance can cover even a quarter of my bill.


    "I can''t pay for this, doctor. I... I''m thankful for everything you''ve done but I don''t think I have enough in my bank to pay for my medical fees. I mean, I could get a loan but that would kill me. I''m still paying for my eatery. What am I gonna do? Why am I even in a private room? Aren''t I supposed to be in the general ward? I can''t pay for this!?" My shaky voice rising to soprano heights by the end of my litany of despair.


    The doctor quickly assuaged me that my fears are misplaced.


    "Calm, Mr. Mayon, be calm. You''re in a private room because your benefactor, Admiral Chander, requested you be placed here. He is also covering all of your incurred expenses. A beginning of his gratitude for you, from what I understand. Your DNA signature is just simply for a verified document saying that you are satisfied with our performance and that you have been properly taken care of. I think our staff did that to the best of our ability. We assure you, you will not have to pay a single credit for your stay here." The doctor confidently announced.


    I took a breath and calmed my fast beating heart. I don''t deal with financial stress too well. I took the reader the doctor have outstretched and thumbed the appropriate recess. A slight tickling feeling confirmed that it got a scraping of my skin for a DNA sample and then my stamp appeared on screen.


    The doctor took back the reader and gave me last minute instructions in taking care of my body. He then pointed at a vac bag on the coffee table containing my repaired and cleaned outfit. With the documents signed and post-treatment care delivered, the doctor made his goodbyes and left the room.


    I stood up for the first time since I came to and gingerly straightened myself. I was expecting to be dizzy or hurting but I felt perfectly fine. I did a little hop to test my repaired leg and it felt good. I grinned and did the running man dance move I learned from my historical earth class during secondary school. Mrs. Jensen would be so proud if she learned how much I practiced her teachings of pre-contact history.


    I quickly ended my momentary jig of happiness when I remembered that I haven¡¯t locked the door and I¡¯m not used to freeballing.


    ¡°Hospital, privacy lock and mirror mode please.¡± I don¡¯t know why but it doesn¡¯t matter if I¡¯m talking to a person or an A.I., politeness has been beaten into me by my parents that it¡¯s become automatic.


    ¡°Door lock engaged. Only hospital staff has access. You will be notified before allowing access. Please face the south wall.¡± The calming female voice of the hospital intoned. I heard that the voice package for all hospitals is the same. It was designed to have a calming effect that applies to all known sentient races that respond to auditory signals. The wall on the foot of my bed changed from a soft blue painted wall into a mirror. I opened the vac bag and took out my clothes. They smell good and were properly pressed. I took a moment while dressing to get a good look at myself.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    There was no visible scarring. I didn¡¯t expect there to be given the competence of the staff of the hospital. Any Inugorian leaving a scar behind would be unworthy of the title doctor and would be shunned by his people.


    Turning around to make sure my clothes are in order, I could see myself moving quite well. A solidly built man is staring back at me from the mirror. He¡¯s 1.8 meters tall with an unremarkable built. Neither fat nor slim, the man on the mirror still projects a look of good constitution and vitality. A slight bulging on the shoulders indicates some lifting work help developed his upper physique. The man has light brown skin but generally, smooth from overt blemishes. His face is not the face you would easily pick out from the crowd. A rounded face with traces of long ago acne, it is still a face that is well used to smiling and laughing if the crow¡¯s feet is any indication. The man stopped turning and patted his ear-length hair down since he didn¡¯t have a comb. He looks good. Not in the attractive sort of way, but in the ¡®Hey, that¡¯s Albert. I like that guy¡± kind of way.


    He would have looked better if not for that bright yellow shirt with a print of an angry Hippo pissing on a car while giving you the finger.


    Fully clothed and ready to get my life back on track, I exited my room and started looking for the exit. Asclepius General Hospital is a huge, sprawling complex as seen from outside and it¡¯s even bigger inside. I was passing multiple rooms and dozens of staff, patients, and visitors were moving along the corridors too. There are clear signs everywhere, most of it was warnings of what not to do or bring in the hospital, so I was able to find myself approaching the main doors. I took a slight detour and approached the reception. I thanked the staff and left a note of my eatery¡¯s address to the receptionist. I¡¯m giving them a 10% discount in my eatery for the next month as thanks. I also left a note for Doctor Sahvi and his operating team for a free meal. The receptionist was understandably happy and promised to pass the message along. It¡¯s not going to do wonders to my bottom line but then again, having an in with the hospital staff is to my benefit too. A smaller profit now for a bigger investment in the future. Who knows when I will need a doctor again? I might even have a doctor in the dining room the next time somebody has an allergic reaction to something. There are always those that don¡¯t read the food warnings.


    I stepped out of the hospital, making sure to not hurry a hobbling woman that was entering the premises, and took a gander of my surroundings. It was late afternoon if I were to judge the position of the sun. I reflexively brought up my left arm to check my ArmCom and was already poking on my arm when I realized my ArmCom in with the CPM.


    ¡°How am I going to call a car now?¡± I thought in frustration. I was going to go back inside to ask the receptionist to call me a car when I heard somebody calling my name.


    ¡°Hey! Hey Albert! Over here! Go get ¡®im girl!¡±


    I looked up and tried to find whoever was calling my name. There was a lot of foot traffic in front of the hospital which so I didn¡¯t immediately find whoever it is that wall shouting my name. A sudden commotion drew my attention when people started yelping and screaming. A path suddenly opened in the crowd. Before I could register what was going on, a massive animal pounced on me. I was taken by surprised so I was not able to brace myself. I went down in a heap with the animal on top of me. A vision of large, sharp teeth crowded my sight before a massive tongue sloppily covered my entire face.


    ¡°Fuck, baby! Get off! Oh stars, your spit got in my mouth. Move it!¡± I tried shoving off the excited sabre and swing my head away from the very wet tongue but it was a lost cause. She was just too massive for me to throw off. I had to deal with a face washing whether I like it or not. I could hear somebody laughing close by as I spat on the ground.


    ¡°Well, somebody misses you. She¡¯s a good kisser, no? Probably the only girl that kissed you since your mom stopped giving you goodbye smooches before going to primary school. C¡¯mon girl, let the man up.¡± The voice mockingly said.


    ¡°Hello to you to Flower and screw you. I would have you know I was in the company of a beautiful woman a couple of weeks ago and yes, I kissed her. She said I was good too.¡± I proudly replied as I stood back up after baby deigned to get off me. I dusted myself off and looked at a grinning man patting an oversized sabre.


    Flower has been my friend ever since I moved to Ceres. He¡¯s a tall man, just shy of two meters. He has a very athletic built, honed from hours and hours of practicing various kinds of cardio exercises. He has a light skin tone that accentuates his long chestnut hair. He normally ties it in a ponytail so it won¡¯t get in the way. His angular face and prominent cheekbones make his face look like a frustrated sculptor took out his anger on a block of uneven granite. His main draw is his gray slate eyes that look like he¡¯s staring at your very soul every time he looks at you. He looks like the perfect villain in an action vid. The way he dresses just supports the idea. He¡¯s currently wearing a fitted sleeveless white shirt and a pair of synth leather pants. He was also wearing some heavy duty stompers. A scarf wrapped around his neck for accessory and a pair of form glasses decorate his eyes completes his outfit. I don¡¯t know how well or bad he dresses because I¡¯ve no fashion sense myself.


    He was one of the few passengers I met during the trip here eleven years ago and we hit it right off. Flower is from an agricultural world about three gates away from Ceres and was looking for a fresh start. From what I understand, he didn¡¯t have the greatest of family members and decided to distance himself from them as soon as he can. He didn¡¯t want to end up in the family business, whatever that is, so he took the quickest qualification course he could find. There was a lot of demand for zoologist and conservationist during the third development cycle of Ceres¡¯ biosphere. Ceresian ecologists were trying to introduce new species in the environment and needed experts to study the effects of transplanting flora and fauna to the health of the planet. Flower caught on early by closely following the SecNet and was able to get his license as a zoologist after he passed his qualification exam. He always had a fascination with animals so he passed with flying colors. He now works as an expert with big cats, or an approximation thereof. The sabre beside him is a testament to his skills and understanding of these animals.


    He hand-raised the cat after it was abandoned by its mother. The cat formed a bond with its surrogate mother and made it impossible for the zoo to separate them. The sabre was deemed unfit to be reintroduced back into the wild but they also can¡¯t keep her at the zoo. There simply wasn¡¯t any space for her. Other zoos couldn¡¯t also accommodate her. Her species were not endangered and there are enough wild sabres to keep the environment balanced. They decided that she would be euthanized until Flower started lobbying hard against it. Long story short, Flower is the only being on the planet that is able to walk in public with a sabre. He has a special license granted to him that is certified by the Ceres Environmental and Forestry Ministry. He was able to successfully convince them that he could keep the sabre from mauling everybody in sight. It helps that the government didn¡¯t want to kill the animal too. I still have no idea what he did to change the mind of the government.


    We were seated together by chance during our trip coming to Ceres and became good friends after the two weeks trip. We regularly see each other over the course of the years and I consider him my family now.


    ¡°Paying somebody to kiss you is just pathetic, man.¡±


    ¡°I DID NOT PAY HER! It was a legitimate date that went smoothly.¡± I confidently proclaimed.


    ¡°¡­right. Whatever you say. Did you at least get her contact info?¡±


    ¡°Well, no but she said she¡¯ll be dropping by the eatery again.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you met her as a customer? She was eating at your place.¡± Flower asked. He stopped petting baby and gave a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°Of course! How do you think I met her? In a bar?¡± I snorted at the idea. ¡°You know I don¡¯t go to Hibiscus street. I must say, I was pretty suave. I gave her a free meal after chatting her up a bit. We went for a drink at Golan¡¯s later that day. She had a really good time and gave me a kiss.¡± I was reminiscing and found myself smiling at the memory. Flower just stared at me and gave me a slow shake of a head.


    ¡°You poor, poor man. I suppose you felt that it was a real date?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? It was a date¡­ wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you consider that it might be that she was just thankful for the free meal? She didn¡¯t give you her contact info and probably gave you a kiss on the cheek right?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah. You don¡¯t kiss a girl on the lips right on the get go. So what if she didn¡¯t give me her info? She¡¯ll be back.¡± I confidently said. Mentally, I hope she¡¯ll visit again.


    ¡°I rest my case.¡± Flower said with finality. He started walking towards the parking lot and I drew level with him. Baby was gracefully striding beside us, switching sides often, bumping our hands to get a scratch and generally just being cute. It¡¯s so incongruent with the big, dangerous predator calmly walking beside them it¡¯s almost ridiculous.


    Sabres are endemic to Ceres. They are the largest predators on the planet. They are huge cats that grow as big as panthers but have the temperament and behavior of a tiger. Their 5-inch long fangs gave them the name ¡®Sabre¡¯ after the prehistoric earth mammal. They are not as big as their namesake but they are ferocious just the same. Their dark blue fur coloration easily blends them in the evening background making them almost completely invisible to the naked eye. One of the earliest lessons learned during the colonization of Ceres was not to be outdoors after dark. Sabres are nocturnal creatures but do not shy away from day hunting when the opportunity for easy prey is available.


    Baby is an incredible specimen compared to her wilder cousins. Due to the great care she gets from Flower, Baby is larger, faster, and stronger than most Sabres. Her diet consists of some of the best Ceresian Plains Antelope. Flower gets them alive and kicking and lets them loose at the nearby nature preserve beside his workplace. If baby wants to eat, she would have to catch her meal. It keeps her from being lazy. It also keeps her natural instinct for the hunt from manifesting when in civilized locations. You know she hasn¡¯t had a good maiming for a while when she becomes snappish. Flower tries to keep that to a minimum with regular hunts at least twice a week. Flower pays a premium for live prey but he can afford it. Baby has become the official ambassador for the Illustratum City Zoo. They regularly parade her during school trips and environmental conferences. The zoo covers most of the expenses of her upkeep. The antelopes are also so prevalent that during hunting season, baby can hunt as much as she can for free.


    We arrived at the parking lot and approached a large lev car with a closed carrier attached to it. The car is currently assigned to Flower by the zoo. Nobody really ¡®owns¡¯ a car now. It is so much easier and cheaper to just call for one. Just the parking alone will kill your savings account. Only government officials, companies, and rich people own cars. Flower requested for one so he could drag baby around when he goes somewhere. The Illustratum City Zoo logo is prominently displayed on the dark orange paint job.


    After securing the protesting sabre in her carrier, we got in.


    ¡°So, where to?¡± Flower asked.


    I gave him a big smile and responded,


    ¡°Albert¡¯s Kitchen. I still have enough time to cater to the evening crowd. It¡¯ll be great to be back behind the counter.¡±


    ¡°Alrighty then. Might as well get a meal there. Of course, my meal is free.¡± Flower gave me a pointed look as he started messing with the car controls.


    ¡°Naturally.¡±


    The car got off the ground and gently floated towards our destination.

 Beer and Game Day

    It¡¯s been about a week since the alley attack and life has gotten back to normal. There was a small write up about my brush with the slavers on the SecNet but it was mostly an article about being vigilant in public places even if it seems safe. The episode still gave me nightmares once in a while but nothing traumatic.


    One aspect why Inugorians make such good doctors is their ability to treat psychic shock. It is an innate ability of the species that is, naturally, kept secret. It requires skin to skin contact between the Inugorian and the patient. About 120 years ago the Stavin Republic tried to ferret out the secret by capturing a few of them and performing ¡®experiments¡¯ after being frustrated by repeated denials by the Inugorians to share research about it. This is where the axiom ¡®never mess with the doctor¡¯ comes from. The Inugorian commune was swift in retribution. They dropped a biochemical bomb on Stavin IV, a heavily-industrialized human separatist world, where the investigation about the kidnappings led them. They threatened to wipe out the planet if the captured Inugorians were not released. The Stavin government was on their hands and knees and begged for forgiveness after quickly delivering back the battered captives. The commune was not amused by the state of their recently-returned people so they detonated the bomb after reconfiguring the contents. Stavin IV now is experiencing an unprecedented mortality rate among new births. About 1 in 600 survives birth; most have untreatable or serious health complications. The Treaty of Massan hasn¡¯t been signed yet so the only way to stop aggressive action is through force. Good luck with that because other than the Mercurians, the Inugorians have the biggest and most advanced fleet among the space-faring species. They¡¯re also not afraid to brutalize an opponent with extreme prejudice to dissuade repeat offense. They learned pretty early on that space is not for the weak. They paid for that lesson in blood.


    It''s the afternoon of the first day of the GFRL Finals and my eatery is hopping. The entire city is flooded with off-world visitors here for the finals and the locals are out in force to watch with them. There is hardly any restaurant, hotel, and bar that has any space left. Everybody is determined to have a good time. With the weather being sunny for the next couple of days, every establishment is trying to take advantage of the foot traffic.


    I opened early so I could catch the daybreak crowd and was not disappointed. It''s almost three in the afternoon and I''ve already made enough credits during the morning rush to cover my bills for the month and then some. I''ve been slaving away at my small kitchen nonstop since I opened. I had to rent a couple more servidrone just so I could keep up with the orders. I have an hour or so before I would have to close my doors to walk-in customers so I could free up the place for the ticket holders. Some of my regulars from Allied Security and Gauntlet Protection Services are already flowing in and jockeying for the best table in front of the dining room screen. Orders kept coming in and I had to work fast to get them out in a reasonable time. I took a glance at the kitchen window while I was rubbing some spices on some ribs destined for the accelerated pressure oven and could see Gallant street full of people. An enterprising young man was selling digital prints of the tourney finalists. He even has a portable cloth printer so he could cater to any species that would want a shirt.


    I was pouring beer on some mugs on a tray when I heard loud greetings coming from the noisy dining room. I looked up and saw Flower shaking hands with some of the patrons and waving at those raising their mugs at him. Baby was also getting some scratches from her adoring fans. Flower threaded his way towards the kitchen while Baby took her regular spot on her ''Pride Rock.'' I had somebody come over to build her a lazing platform at the back corner of the dining room. The guy that made her platform got creative and made it look like a boulder in a savanna. He also installed a heater underneath the platform to keep Baby warm. Her sleeping on it became a feature of my Eatery. She''s a real draw when she''s here.


    Flower entered the kitchen and started washing his hands.


    "Am I ever happy to see your villainous face. I haven''t had the chance to sit in hours! You know I love having a full dining room but this is ridiculous!" I complained while rushing to the stove to work on the fried spicy potatoes in the skillet.


    "You''re the one who wanted to cash in on the GFRL finals. Just be happy you got some help today, you freakin'' cheapskate. How many times do I have to tell you that you need another hand in this place. I can''t keep coming here to help you whenever you get swamped. What if I''m busy?" Flower scolded as he took out a slab of pork from the chiller after scanning through the order screen. He has worked with me often enough to know how to do the preparation for the majority of my menu. He''s a pretty good cook himself when he bothers to actually cook. He''d rather eat out if he can help it. He doesn''t like the clean up cooking entails.


    "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I''ll get one when I can afford one. You helping me is way cheaper than getting a regular to work here."


    "Again, you''re missing the point. I can''t always be here, you know."


    "Sure, I got that but you like me too much to leave me hanging."


    Flower stopped chopping to give me a dead eye stare. I just gave him a wink while flipping some omelets.


    The busy dining room ramped up in energy when the pre-game program started. The place was packed to almost bursting. They could barely fit in. I may have underestimated the size of some of the species. I had to check to make sure that all of the people inside actually had tickets. I may have oversold some. Good thing I had some extra chairs at the back.


    I was closing the doors when a hand stopped the door from closing. I looked up and saw a muscular beauty smiling down at me. An augument wearing a red flannel shirt and black jeans is beside her.


    "Hello handsome. Did we make it on time?"


    "Barely. Hello Nabila, C''mon in. It''s about to start. Hello Mr. Solomon, got your bets in?" I asked as I close the doors behind us.


    "Yes, I have. I hope this year''s tournament would offer a better competition than the last. The current champion doesn''t deserve his crown." Ronald''s scathing remark is full of venom. Somebody is not a fan of The Pummeler.


    Nabila chuckled at Ronald''s vexation. She told me about her partner''s disagreement with the sitting champion of the league. She dropped off my ArmCom a day after I was released and stayed for lunch. We got into talking about the upcoming competition and she inquired if she could get some tickets for her and Ronald. Apparently, all the other viewing spots are too expensive or full. She confided in me that Ronald is a huge GFRL geek when not on duty. It was a shocker for me how normal that is. It was slowly revealed to me during the course of our conversation that CPM officers are people too. Nabila likes watching the League too but not as much as her partner. She is more of a Pankration fan herself.


    As part of her homeworld''s cultural reintroduction initiative, a lot of cultural practices were brought back. Her name is a good example of that. Name reassignment took some doing but the people of Heimisgarer were all for it. Historical human athletics were also studied and put back into practice and one of those was Pankration. Nabila is an expert practioner from what I gather though she argues that she is nowhere near as good as the professionals from her planet. It is interesting to know that, according to her, a lot of the current unarmed martial skills we now know stems from Pankration.


    The two CPM officers had to squeeze in at the back since all the seats near the screen is already occupied. I retrieved a small folding table from my stock room and positioned it in front of Baby''s perch. I waved them over and had them drag their chairs to the table. Ronald promptly positioned himself to get the best view of the screen. He took out a small holo tab and stuck it on the table. The tab started projecting statistics and betting numbers in front of Ronald who was alternately staring at the figures and watching the pre-game analysis on the big screen. Nabila was playing with Baby to the delight of the Sabre. I hustled back to the kitchen after getting their orders to keep from getting swamped.


    A half hour later the first match started. Flower and I were so busy we didn''t notice it until an excited roar from the dining room made me check how the customers were doing. Everybody was hooting and hollering, or whatever the species equivalent of being excited is, at the screen. I could see Jack giving the finger to one of the pilots being introduced on screen. Jack was accompanied by Pearl, one of his squad mates, who was chewing on some nuts and commenting to Jack about the interviewee. The rest of his squad were on assignment so it was only the two of them but still, half of the people in the dining room are from his company.


    Orders for main courses petered off while alcohol started flowing like a river. Finger foods are on everybody''s table so they could concentrate on the screen. The pace in the kitchen got manageable enough that Flower was able to take a seat in the dining room with beer in hand to watch. The dining room crowd is having a good time with the matches. I took out a huge bone and gave it to Baby to chew on.


    The afternoon gave way to evening and with the first day matches over, the Albert''s Kitchen crowd emptied out. A few people were still hanging around, most were just finishing their drinks. Flower and Baby have already left earlier, citing a busy morning tomorrow. The zoo will be hosting a school trip so Baby will be on Ambassadorial duties tomorrow. The CPM officers are still at their table, Ronald cursing and drinking and Nabila stuffing fries while laughing at her partner. Jack is face down on his table, dead drunk with Pearl barely sitting on her chair. I called their friends to pick them up.


    All in all, it was a very successful day for my eatery. I earned a pretty penny and everybody had a good time.


    I was mopping the floor when I heard the door open. I looked up and was about the say that we''re closed but my visitors brought me up short.


    A Barral just entered, his enormous size filling the doorway. The Barral took a moment to scan the dining area. Satisfied, he stepped deeper inside and posted himself beside the door. I was staring at the ''turtle man'' that I almost didn''t notice that there were others behind him.


    An older gentleman wearing some kind of white military uniform followed inside. He also paused briefly to check out his surroundings before he walked my way. Trailing behind the man in white is a bodyguard, I suspect. The bodyguard is fully armored with an exosuit so I couldn''t make out any features other than he''s human. Interestingly, I couldn''t see any weapons on him. He''s also wearing a great coat over his armor, making it look like he''s wearing a costume. He looks rather festive, really.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    I stood up and waited for the man to get to me. I took the time to really look him over and I could say that this was no ordinary man. Even walking slowly, the man was radiating confidence. He''s the kind of person that demands attention, wherever he might be. It''s not the cultivated kind too. His stems naturally. He has a well-built body from what I could observe. A light brown skin tone compliments his uniform. His aquiline nose and expressive eyes give him a noble look. A deep red turban wrapped around his head completes his ensemble.


    "Mr. Mayon, I presume?" The man asked as he stood in front of me. His bodyguard gave us some space to have a conversation privately, standing by the bar.


    "Yes, I''m Albert Mayon. I guess you''re not here for the food? because... well, we''re closed." The man laughed at my assumption.


    "No, we are not here for the food. I''m here to thank you, in fact."


    "Um, really? Please forgive me but I can''t seem to remember meeting you before." I apologized. It''s really embarrassing when you forget about the person you are talking to.


    "No, we haven''t met before but you''ve met my daughter. You saved her, that night. I am Admiral Shyam Chander. I wanted to personally thank you for keeping my daughter from getting kidnapped. I would have done anything to get her back." He said sincerely while shaking my hand.


    "I would also like to apologize for the pain you have endured during the attack. It should have not happened. I believed that this was a secure sector from those slaving vermin. I was wrong. She almost paid the price of my carelessness. Learn from my mistakes, Mr. Mayon. Assumption is never a good practice when safety is concerned." The Admiral shocked me with that confession.


    I was already stunned by meeting the man himself but I''ve never heard of admirals making mistakes just like, you know, the rest of us. I suppose I''ve always assumed that they know what they''re doing and they''re always in command and control. Shows how much I know about the military.


    "Well, I could safely assume that most of my customers like beer." That came out of my mouth before my brain could catch up. Humor is my automatic response and it just kicked in during a very serious moment. I was horrified with myself and started to apologize when the Admiral threw his head back for a good laugh.


    "Yes, Mr. Mayon. Giving a thirsty man a beer is a safe assumption."


    "May I offer you some beer? I brew my own beer for my eatery. It''s not bad, if I may say so myself."


    "Thank you, yes. A beer would do nicely." The admiral enthusiastically replied. He took a seat on the table near the bar. I went back behind the counter to fix admiral Chander and his companions some liquid gold. I had to rummage about a bit to find a bottle of Bhak''lu, a traditional Barral beverage, for the turtle man.


    The Barral are an interesting race. They don''t talk much but when they do, you better listen. They believe that words are better saved for something important. It makes them valuable as advisors because they take the time to cut through all the verbiage and get to the heart of the matter.


    Physically, the Barral are intimidating. Standing at just short of 3 meters, they are massive. They are commonly compared to the snapping turtle with their wide torso and shelled back. They walk upright with trunk-like legs and interact with their environment with their muscular arms. They have three, thick fingers gracing each gigantic hand. They''re not the most dexterous but they don''t have to be. Overwhelming power is what they are about. Their thick, epidermal scales are tough enough to protect them from anything short of a molecular blade. The shell on their back is a different matter. Their shells could be compared to duraplate armoring. They could take laser fire and majority of plasma weaponry on their backs without any harm. Crew served weapons such as plasma cannons are the only man-portable weapons that could penetrate their shells. The main drawback and the reason why they are not the premier force in space is that their shells, however strong it is, is on their backs. You cannot fight facing away from your enemies. That''s why they are so popular and expensive as bodyguards. ''Going turtle'' is a completely valid technique for them. That, and the Barral just have no appetite for expansion. They are happy with their homeworld and their two outer colonies. If they need more space, they''ll petition the galactic council for acquisition. Most of what is out there in space is hostile to most of the space faring species but the Barral thrive in difficult environments.


    I emerged from behind the counter with a tray of drinks for everybody. I could see that the CPM officers joined the Admiral on the table and were having a lively discussion. I placed the tray on the table and distributed the drinks around. I had to go back to the counter to grab the bottle of bhak''lu since a Barral bottle is three liters in size. I took a seat beside Nabila and listened in on the conversation.


    "I don''t think those slavers are here by accident or stupidity. We have been getting reports of similar attacks on prominent figures in Ceres. Thankfully, all of them were successfully repelled but it is disconcerting." Ronald was saying. The GFRL geek is gone and the competent officer is currently showing on his face.


    "We have been monitoring the situation closely and have been quietly moving our people around. The slavers have timed their attacks well. We cannot move freely due to the number of visitors crowding Illustratum right now. We cannot take any overt actions or risk panicking the people. Even the security companies have been commissioned to work as crowd control to free up some of our officers." Nabila added.


    It was a surprise for me. I didn''t know it was that bad. I was a victim of circumstance.


    "Well, they have chosen the wrong target. My carrier, the Woglinde, is currently in orbit and we are planning to stay until we find those jaanavaron and ensure that they are not going to try again." The admiral almost growled out that last part. If I was a slaver, I would be running now. The incensed warrior took a long pull from his beer while the officers digested his statement.


    "Admiral, We understand that you are angry, no furious, about the attack on your daughter. I can assure you, we are doing our level best to apprehend those criminals. We would request that you and your men allow us to do our jobs and we promise you, those slavers will face a judge." Ronald reasoned.


    "So what, I will just sit here and wait? I think not. They attacked my daughter. No one, and I absolutely mean, no one, attacks my family." The admiral said staring hard at both officers. His knuckles going white as he gripped the mug tightly.


    "Sir, the Ceres Policing Ministry have already activated our best operatives. We are combing the city right at this very moment to find those criminals. We have enough people on the ground to do a physical search. We are not-"


    Ronald''s head snapped up while Nabila was impassionately trying to dissuade the Admiral from flooding the streets with mercenaries. I also noticed that the admiral''s bodyguard jerking upright from his post beside the bar. A laser pistol suddenly appeared on Ronald''s right hand and with his left he violently pushed Nabila off her chair. Since I was sitting just beside her, I got knocked off my seat when Nabila slammed into me.


    "Get down!" Ronald shouted as he dropped on the ground and scrambled to the adjoining table. He grabbed one of the table''s legs and flipped it over with the table facing the door. He ducked behind it as laser fire started peppering the dining room.


    I was still trying to register what was going on when Nabila grabbed the collar of my shirt and started dragging me back towards the kitchen.


    "Move!" She shouted at me as she fired back with her own laser pistol. I ran as quickly as I can while keeping my head down. My heart started pumping real fast and I could feel myself shaking.


    I dove through the doorway and scrambled behind the counter. I dropped on my stomach and covered my head as laser fire raked the counter top. Pots and pans started dropping on the ground. Nabila crouched beside me behind the counter. She popped up and returned fire a couple of times before ducking back down again.


    "You okay?" She asked as she replaced her gun''s spent energy cell with a fresh one.


    "Okay!? somebody''s shooting at me. No! I''m not okay!" I shouted back. Suddenly, I could hear a loud spitting sound emanating from outside. Green energy started taking chunks out of my counter.


    "SSSHHHIIIIITTTTTT!!!!!" I screamed as I tried to bury myself on the kitchen floor. I was getting buried by the pieces of the kitchen counter.


    "We can''t stay here! Crawl towards the backdoor! I''ll be just behind you!" Nabila instructed. She couldn''t fire back with the heavy weaponry trying to turn us into paste. We crawled towards the door as quickly as we can. We reached the safety of the back door and swiftly moved behind the strong walls of my eatery.


    "Stay here! keep your head down!" Nabila ordered as she ran towards the corner to the front of the store. I could see her speaking on her ArmCom while she began shooting at somebody from the corner.


    I squatted just beside the back door. I was scared and cannot understand why are people shooting up my eatery. I stayed low hoped that the police would arrive soon.


    It felt like just a couple of moments when a loud crash behind me made me jump. Taking a quick peek behind me, I could see the Admiral fighting off two augments with a sword. He was slowly backing off towards the exit where I was crouched. He was able to fend off both attackers but he could not go on any kind of offense. The augments were moving at astonishing speeds. They were bouncing off the walls and the crumbling kitchen counter trying to slash the retreating Admiral with their blade arms. The Admiral is an expert swordsman from what I could see but I can also see him straining. One of the augments used his partner as a screen to slide behind him and slice down on the Admiral''s leg. The beleaguered man was able to block the strike but it gave the other augment a short opening. The augment drove his blade arm towards the admiral''s face. The admiral has not recovered from the previous attack and I was fully expecting him to get skewered but he recognized his predicament and used the pommel of his sword to divert the attack while pulling his arm back. The augment''s blade arm glanced off the pommel and sliced the admiral''s shoulder instead. The man hissed as the wound opened up and started bleeding profusely. The admiral continued fighting back though now with a limp left arm.


    I wanted to help but I don''t know how to fight. I looked back at Nabila to see if she could help out but she was busy shooting at something. I looked around me and found my favorite cleaver on the floor. I grabbed it and... and then what?


    "I can''t wade in there! I''ll be killed! but the admiral is going to die if I don''t do something. After they''re done with him, they''ll be killing me next." I can''t run away because there is only one exit from here and Nabila was trading laser fire from it. My brain was working at light speed as I watch the admiral continue his fight with the augments. They were getting closer now.


    "Maybe I could distract one of them long enough for the admiral to finish them off. Yeah, I can do that, It''s worth a shot." Before I could question the insanity of what I was going to do, I stepped in the doorway and quickly sighted the attackers. They were trying that blocking move again so I threw the cleaver as hard as I can over the admiral''s left shoulder. I wanted to make the augment hesitate but the augment, not seeing my throw, jumped right, using the wall as a rebound. The other was again pushing his offense to keep the now flagging man from addressing the move. The airborne augment jumped straight into the flying cleaver, it embedding deeply in the augment''s skull. The augment dropped dead on the floor hitting the other one on the way down. The other augment did not anticipate the sudden death of his companion and was shoved aside. The admiral quickly took the opening of the unbalanced opponent. His sword flashed, decapitating the remaining augment.


    "What the hell is it with me and throwing!?" the thought briefly passing my mind.


    "Thank you for the assist, Albert. That is twice you have helped me. I will not forget." The admiral said as his sword retracted back to fist length. He staggered towards me. I shook off my surprise from the throw and quickly got a shoulder under the admiral. We quickly walked towards Nabila. She was taking cover from heavy fire coming from around the corner. She noticed us approaching and held a palm towards us.


    "We''re pinned down! They have too much firepower! My gun is doing dick!" She had to shout because the loud plasma cannon was slowly disintegrating my eatery.


    "Kal, drop ship incoming. Make an opening." the admiral was talking in his ArmCom. I heard a deep grunt as a reply.


    Moments later, the frontage of my eatery exploded. The Barral came jogging out of the recently made hole and proceeded to firing his heavy blaster. Following behind him was the other bodyguard, now sans right arm. He has Ronald over his left shoulder and was running towards us. I started to hear a loud whine approaching our position.


    "Go! Behind the truck!" The admiral instructed. We ran towards the truck on the other side of the street. The armored bodyguard carrying Ronald ran just in front of Kal. He was using the Barral as a mobile shield. I got a good look at my eatery now that we are on the main street and my heart sank. The entire front of the establishment was destroyed. The outer left wall was crumbling and I think I could see a fire starting inside. Before I could think more of my slowly collapsing eatery, the loud whine I was hearing earlier made an appearance. A drop ship went over a building and hovered beside us. A gun port slid open and a rotary laser cannon jutted out. It started shooting downrange towards the augments. An explosion marked the destruction of the plasma cannon.


    "C''mon!" Nabila pushed us towards the drop ship. The bodyguard carrying Ronald suddenly put on some speed and they passed us is a blink. They were inside the ship before I could take a couple of steps. I was expecting the see an injured man but what passed us was not a man. Now that I can see him clearly, I could see sparks coming out of the missing appendage. It was a robot, not a man. It would explain how it was able to move at impossible speed.


    The drop ship gave us covering fire as we piled in. Kal got in last and slapped the door control. My last view was of my now burning livelihood.

 Alcohol and New Beginnings

    "What do you mean you''re in space!? like space space, or Gabby''s Zero Gravity Recreation Room space?" Flower''s incredulous voice was coming in clear from the communicator. I was speaking with him in my sparse cabin.


    "As in I can see Ceres from here space."


    "What the hell are you doing there? I was expecting you to go to the police when I got the news that your eatery got wrecked, not go void cruising."


    "First off, the police IS with me right now. They''re the one suggesting that I say here for the moment. Second, I kinda didn''t have a choice on my destination. It was either hop in a drop ship or get diced by some really angry augments."


    "Right, about that, who''d you pissed off? Why are you messing around with augments? God, did you take money from a loan shark or something? I know some people-" Flower was gearing up into giving recommendations. I cut him off quick.


    "I''m not in debt. Well, not more the normal. In fact, if not for those assholes destroying my eatery, I would have been doubling up on my profits. I just made my last bank payment for the property. Congratulations to me, I now own a plot of land with rubble... Fuck!"


    "So, what are you going to do now? Are you going to stay there or are you coming back soon?"


    "I can''t come back yet. Those guys that attacked my place are not happy with me. CPM said to keep off-world for the moment until they resolve the issue. Good news is, I got a job. You''re talking to the new assistant cook of R.S.S. Woglinde. Whoot." My deadpan voice ending with a heavy sigh.


    "You did that before right? On a water ship if I remember you saying that in passing. You told me you had to do that for a couple of years to pay for tertiary education."


    "Yeah, it was a water ship. It was one of those pre-space cruise ships. Popular with the history buffs."


    "You''ll feel right at home then."


    "That''s not the point. The point is I''m now working as an assistant cook instead of running my own place. I''m on a ship, not just any ship, but a warship with an admiral bent on getting retribution."


    "I forgot about that part. What about your place then? Are you going to just leave it like that? How about your housing unit?"


    "The ship XO told me that he would be sending a couple of guys to pack a few things for me then I will seal the unit. I''m paid up for the rest of the year, courtesy of the Red Tiger Mercenaries, so hopefully, I''ll be back in a couple of months to get my life back. I just talked with my insurance company and they said that ''destruction due to a firefight'' was not covered by my plan. They reasoned that since I hosted an obviously high profile target in my restaurant, I accepted the consequences of whatever danger and destruction that might entail. Those fuckers." I angrily said. I almost smashed the desk communicator in my cabin from frustration when I talked to my insurer earlier.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ bad. You gonna be okay up there?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know. When I served on a water ship before, I had to deal with history nerds and obsolete technology. I haven¡¯t seen a gimbaled stove anywhere. I¡¯m not sure yet how I¡¯m going to adjust to working in a space warship but that is where I am right now. I just have to suck it up and hope that things work out in the end.¡± I think I was trying to convince myself when I said that.


    ¡°Anything I can do to help?¡± Flower asked. He really is a good guy. He just looks like a goon.


    ¡°Now that you mentioned it¡­¡± I then proceeded to give my best friend some instructions on what to do with some of my stuff at home. I was particular about him retrieving a certain box I had placed in my unit¡¯s safe. I gave him the code and asked him to keep it for me for the time being. I also asked him to inform our friends and not to say anything to my family if he gets a message from them. I don¡¯t want to panic them unduly.


    We spoke a little bit more then I ended our call. I¡¯m going to miss Baby. That sabre knows how to cheer me up whenever I feel down.


    I sat back on my chair and started massaging my temples. I was tired, angry, and defeated. I closed my eyes and started thinking about our harrowing ride up to the Woglinde.


    =================================================================================================================


    We were powering through the atmosphere, trying to get as much distance from the hot zone when the dropship suddenly heaved, throwing us around.


    ¡°Admiral, surface-to-air missiles detected. Engaging countermeasures. Please secure yourself in your seats and keep calm.¡± The robot bodyguard announced to the group as it just finished securing the unconscious CPM officer in a stasis pod. A clear female tone can be heard coming out from the suit''s speakers. It was very pleasant to the ear. I briefly remembered that a lot of businesses that deal with high-stress environments also uses the same voice package. It was carefully engineered to have a calming effect for multiple species that respond to auditory signals.


    A pair of clamps descended overhead grabbing the robot and fitting it just beside the forward compartment. A small, robotic spider crawled out of the robot¡¯s great coat and skittered towards the missing arm. The stump was dripping some bright blue liquid, a jumble of wires and electronics were jutting out of it. The repair spider straddled the damaged area and small appendages emerged from its abdomen. I could see a micro plasma torch cutting out a jagged metallic piece while the smaller appendages were working on the electronics.


    I heaved myself onto a seat and fumbled for the restraints. The drop ship was not a luxury model. A civilian shuttle will never allow its passengers to get thrown around. Inertia compensators are too good for that.


    We were getting rattled all over the place as the ship made itself a difficult target. I was able to find the proper button and slammed my palm on it. Restraints shot out of there holding sieve and instantly wrapped itself around me. It was perfectly snug, without the feeling of constriction. I noticed that I was the last person to who got secured. Even Kal, with his massive size, was able to secure himself on a custom slot reserved for people of his species.


    ¡°Unless they have a better controlling unit, were going to be just fine.¡± The admiral confidently said.


    ¡°What makes you say that?¡± Nabila was not having a good time. I could see her gritting her teeth and looking a bit green. I guess she¡¯s not a fan of atmospheric flying. She looked like she¡¯s going to hurl. The admiral pointed to a small compartment just below our seat. Nabila opened it and took out a fitted barf bag. She attached it to her lower face and grabbed her restraints. At least we won¡¯t have to deal with vomit splashing around.


    ¡°Our ECM suite is jamming their targeting systems, heat, laser, and radar. They have to manually target us with portable SAMs. Hypervelocity missiles can only be fired from a mounted platform. Those chemical missiles are too slow to give us problems. Their payload is also too light to penetrate an assault drop ship¡¯s armor. What they are really trying to do is to swarm us with as many missiles they could throw. Our point defense will destroy the incoming threats but the explosions would create a ¡®heat zone¡¯ which the HyVoc controller could use as reference points. That¡¯s why we¡¯re getting tossed around so much. We are evading more than destroying the missiles.¡± The admiral was cleaning his wound with a rag. He opened a compartment beside his head and took out a medical kit. He dipped inside it and grabbed a disinfectant spray. He thoroughly sprayed the injured shoulder then went back in the bag for a sealer. He took out a dropper and applied a clotting agent on the cut to instantly stop the bleeding. He then covered the wound with a temporary medical skin patch, the white patch slightly melting on the wound until it looked like the admiral grew a patch of white skin on him. He saw me watching him apply first aid. He gave me a slight nod and finished his treatment.


    ¡°Good enough for now. Woglinde¡¯s doctors will properly address our injuries when we arrive.¡± He said as he returned the aid kit. I didn¡¯t say anything back since I was too busy gripping my seat handholds. I didn¡¯t want to accidentally bite off my tongue so I kept my mouth shut.


    I could hear Nabila retching in her barf bag and her heaving was starting to get to me. Before I could grab a bag myself, the ride suddenly evened out.


    ¡°We have passed the effective range of portable SAMs. Time to arrival, 7 minutes.¡± The robot announced. The restraints snapped off. The robot stood up and made its way to a cabinet near an equipment locker. Its mangled right side was no longer leaking fluid. The repair spider was still hard at work and the damage looks like it was getting smoothen out. The robot opened the cabinet and pressed a button. The cabinet slid down to waist level then extended. A bar materialized in the cabin. Bottles of alcohol were prominently displayed on the extended rack, glowing in front of a dim yellow backlight.


    ¡°May I get anybody a drink?¡± The impromptu stewardess asked.


    ¡°Yes, thank you, mother. Whiskey, up. How about for our esteemed guests?¡± The admiral looked at Nabila and me.


    ¡°Uhm, a beer if you have one?¡± I stuttered out. I don¡¯t believe this. We just dodged missiles and now we¡¯re drinking alcohol.


    ¡°¡°Whiskey for me too, neat.¡± Nabila ordered. She was grimacing as she disposed of the barf bag. She probably needed the strong drink to burn the taste off her mouth.


    ¡°Kal?¡± The admiral inquired from his massive protector. The Barral just grunted.


    ¡°Tea it is then. Bracing evening, was it not?¡± The man commented while taking a sip of his chilled whiskey in a martini glass. I was flabbergasted. Did we not just escape death? Was that just a dream? Why are we having a social evening?


    The robot, Mother as the admiral called it, served me my beer on a tray. It was even perfectly flash chilled. I took the bottle and noticed that is a Johansen¡¯s. These things are practically worth its weight in four digit credits. I could count the number of times I got to drink one of these.


    ¡°Admiral, pardon me, but what the hell just happened!? Why did somebody just shoot up my eatery? Is Ronald going to be fine? Because he¡¯s definitely not okay. What the flying fuck is happening!¡± I was almost shouting at the end. My eatery, my bread and butter, was just destroyed. It took blood, sweat, and tears to get that built. I gave so much to get a nice spot in Gallant Street. The years of sacrifice and hard work just went out in a ball of laser fire. I took a huge swig of beer, not caring I just drank a week¡¯s wages worth in one move but I was too worked up to give a damn. Before I could go on a rant, Mother blocked my view of the unperturbed older gentleman.


    ¡°Would you like some pastries? A cupcake perhaps? We also have a variety of nuts if you are looking for something lighter.¡± I didn¡¯t see where she got the basket but she was now displaying a tastefully arranged basket full of croissants, rolls, slices of cold pies, and I shit you not, chocolate cupcakes with swirly icing sprinkled with glazed fruit shavings.


    ¡°No. thank. you.¡± I slowly hissed each word out. The robot was unaffected by my anger and continued her circuit, offering pastries to the passengers. Nabila almost threw up again upon seeing the basket. She quickly waved it away.


    ¡°Mr. Mayon, I cannot say I¡¯m surprised by the blatant attack. Those slavers already tried taking my child. It was not a great leap of deduction that they would make a play for me. I¡¯m just surprised that they made such a bold move. Publicly, I might add.¡± He calmly said.


    ¡°What! You knew they were going to have a go at you and yet you said nothing about it!?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I did not say that I knew they were going to attack. I suspected they will, and I was proven right.¡±


    ¡°But what about my eatery!? It¡¯s gone. Everything I worked for¡­ is gone.¡± My heart broke just saying it. I wanted to cry but I can¡¯t do that while trying to maintain my anger. The beer was also making it hard for me stay steamed.


    ¡°Mr. Mayon, nothing I will say would undo the destruction of your establishment. The Red Tiger Mercenaries will make restitution for the damages incurred. That is clear. What is also clear is that you cannot go back to Illustratum for the foreseeable future.¡±


    ¡°I know I have been saying this a lot but, what!? Why? I¡¯m no one. They don¡¯t have any beef with me.¡± I pleadingly reasoned out.


    ¡°Unfortunately Albert, yes they do. Those we just fought were throwaway slave soldiers. Captured soldiers turned fighting slaves. They are sent to capture or kill by their masters. There is no room for disobedience for these slaves. All of them have explosives planted in their brain and heart. The triggering of said explosives all depends on their performance. They would either succeed or die. You noticed that they were heavily augmented, yes? It was not by choice. Successful slaves get minimal medical attention. It is much cheaper to replace missing limbs and destroyed organs with mechanical parts.


    If you were able to see closely, you would have noticed that the augment parts were quite obsolete. Both of the augments I faced were untrained with its use. The forced augmentation made them fast and strong, not good. It is the price of success for a fighting slave. You get to live a little longer with less of yourself until you don¡¯t.¡± The admiral paused to take a sip of his whiskey. Mother stood attentively by his side with the basket of goodies. She was going to refill his drink but he waved her off.


    ¡°How this relates to you Mr. Mayon is that you were seen in my presence. It is no fault of yours but you are now a known associate of mine. You also killed one of them. All slaves have optical recorders functioning at all times. They saw you throw that knife, brilliantly if I were to judge, and killed a slave.¡±


    ¡°But- but they were going to kill you! I was just trying to help you, not fight them.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t know that. What they know is what they could see and what they will glean from the recording is a man throwing a knife and killing their slave.¡±


    ¡°Cleaver, not knife.¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    The admiral raised an eyebrow at me.


    ¡°A cleaver. Mine is a variation of the Deba B¨­ch¨­ style. A cleaver is basically a kitchen hatchet. It¡¯s primarily used for cutting through big bones and tough meat. Certain cultures use it as a primary cooking tool. A kitchen knife is a general tool used more for precise cutting.¡± From the looks I¡¯m getting, I know I was babbling again. I do not handle stress well.


    ¡°Thank you for the enlightening explanation. It still leaves the fact that you are a wanted man, Mr. Mayon.¡±


    ¡°So what do I do now? Will the CPM take me into protection?¡± I asked Nabila. It looked like she got her stomach in control and was listening to our discussion.


    ¡°That won¡¯t fly sweetheart. Slavers are not known for their subtlety. They would just keep blowing shit up until they find you and the admiral or until we get them. Don¡¯t get me wrong, we¡¯re going to take them down but I cannot promise we would be able to do it quickly enough to ensure your safety. The Krait Slavers are notorious for having oodles of credits. They believe everything and everyone has a price. Somebody must have paid a fortune for the admiral¡¯s capture. Someone will eventually sell you out to them and the next attack will be directed at you. The admiral has a big ole¡¯ carrier sitting in space to fight back and a freakin¡¯ army of angry mercenaries out for blood so he¡¯ll be fine. You, on the other hand, don¡¯t. They have too many slaves to be concerned about losses. The next time they start shit up, a lot of innocent people might get caught in it. We can¡¯t have that.


    We just need to find where they¡¯re coming from. There¡¯s probably a cloaked transport ship hiding somewhere in-system but it would take time locating it. Until we flush it out, you¡¯ll be a painted target. I would have to call in to make sure but command will probably recommend you to stay too, if the admiral will grant you protection?" She looked at the admiral for an agreement after her explanation.


    ¡°He has it. He would not be in this position if not for my daughter and me.¡±


    ¡°Great. I¡¯ll phone home and tell HQ about the situation. I just got an alarm on my ArmCom when we got away from those missiles. Ilustratum just declared a state of emergency. Air space has been severely restricted. The Navy just deployed half a dozen destroyers with fighter support. They¡¯re blasting the area with radar. The planetary defense force is also being deployed all over the city. They¡¯re rooting around for the slavers. I¡¯ll need a ride back. Would you take care of Ronald for us?¡±


    ¡°Of course. He will be taken care of.¡±


    ¡°Great. If I may say so admiral, you¡¯re a hard man to have around.¡± Nabila commented as she stared at her now empty glass.


    ¡°The consequence of competence, my dear. They wanted a fight, they¡¯ll get one.¡± He punctuated the declaration with a hard tone. Mother started gathering up the finished drinks and reconfigured the cabinet back to its original form.


    ¡°What about me then? Will I be stuck in a secured room or something?¡± That¡¯s what I remember from the vids I watched. Armed guys at the door while the witness play vid games inside.


    ¡°Nothing of the sort Mr. Mayon. I actually have a proposition for. While we shall be paying you back for the destruction of your eatery, the fact is you cannot return to Ceres in the short term. You are without employment for the moment.


    I would like to offer you a position in the Red Tiger Mercenaries. Our former head cook recently retired. His former assistant has taken over his position but is in need of help. The fighter deck galley has been working below efficiency and if you take the position, we would gladly have you apply your skills in feeding our voracious pilots. It is not glamorous work but we pay well.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to fight right?¡± I stood up and started pacing the cabin.


    ¡°No, Mr. Mayon. You¡¯re a cook. You¡¯ll be responsible for feeding those who do. Of course you will still have training in small arms and damage control but you will not be doing any assault drops anytime soon.¡± The admiral reassured.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really have a choice, do I?¡± It was a rhetorical question while I kept on pacing. The admiral answered anyway.


    ¡°There is always a choice, Mr. Mayon. You can stay with us, secure and safe as you can be in a warship but there is not much to do. Or, you can be productive with your time and earn some extra credits for the trouble. For your information, the Red Tiger Mercenaries is not an easy outfit to join. Very few can own the red patch.¡± The admiral pointed at the patch on Kal¡¯s armor. It was prominently placed on his right shoulder. The patch design is predictably very aggressive. A huge Bengal tiger on the pounce in front of a deep red background. It matches well with the black armor the Barral was wearing.


    I took a moment to get my facts straight. I wish I could say that I had to think about it hard but there¡¯s really nothing to think about. I¡¯m stuck for the foreseeable future. I don¡¯t have any source of income. Sure, I could be a passenger but like what the admiral said, a warship is not a pleasure ship. I don¡¯t want to sit around all day staring at nothing.


    I stopped pacing and approached the admiral. I stuck my arm out for a handshake.


    ¡°Thank you for the opportunity Admiral Chander. I gratefully accept the position of Assistant Cook.¡± I stated clearly. I wanted to be firm about this. I have to move forward and not think about what was already in the past. ¡®You live in the present in preparation for the future while using the lessons of the past¡¯ was something I learned from my father.


    The admiral stood up and shook my hand with a genuine smile.


    ¡°Excellent. Report to the Head Cook once you get checked out by our doctors. Caution though, our venerable head cook has some anger issues so do not aggravate her unduly. Welcome to the Red Tiger Mercenaries. In the meantime, how about a glance of your new home?¡± The admiral nodded at Mother and a view screen on the forward compartment flickered on. The R.S.S. Woglinde was displayed in all its glory.


    The Woglinde is a modified Light Carrier designed by the Ronwell Navy. It¡¯s a 2 kilometer long, 7 decks spaceship of deadly intent. The carrier was modified to be a quick response warship that houses a complement of 2 full squadrons of Mk. 3 Spatha multirole combat spacecraft. It was originally made to carry about 4 squadrons but the Woglinde, and her sisters in the Red Tiger Mercenaries, have been modified to also carry ground troops. The ship is berthing an oversized battalion of ground troops along with their equipment. A squad of Risast¨®r Mechs is also making use of the extra deck space. The ship has been modified to be able to stand alone or with minimal escort and to operate both in space and ground engagements.


    Of course, I learned all of this later when I was fully integrated on the ship. As for now, I was looking at something that looked like an elongated cockroach. It¡¯s really not flattering but I¡¯ll be damned if I¡¯m going to say anything. We were approaching the ship and I could see shuttles and a squad of fighters flying about. A quad of fighters was actually escorting us now that I could see outside. I didn¡¯t know when our escort arrived but I¡¯m glad they¡¯re there. I know we¡¯re no longer being shot at but it¡¯s still a comfort to see that we have solid protection.


    The ship itself was constructed with what looks like overlapping bands. It¡¯s like an enormous segmented armor layout. The bow of the ship is large and round which slowly tapers off with the aft flattening out. I saw a shuttle enter from a hanger bay that became visible on its port side. I can also see a quick launch fighter catapult throwing a fighter from somewhere behind of the bands. The ship was painted black though I could see some pock marks and scratches here and there. I surmise that those were from stones floating around and smashing on the ship. Purely cosmetic damage now that I¡¯m considering what it was built for. Sailors were doing some repairs outside. I spied a gang of suited repairmen working on an antenna. It doesn¡¯t look broken to me but I know squat about spaceships.


    We were slowly drawing closer to an open hanger when the fighters peeled off. Thinking about how tight those cockpits look like on those fighters made me think about our own. I turned to the admiral to inquire.


    ¡°Hey! I mean, admiral, is the pilot of our shuttle busy? I haven¡¯t heard from him yet.¡± I asked. The admiral gave an amused smile from my lapse of decorum. ¡®Hey¡¯ is not how you call an admiral.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have one. Specifically, rather, we don¡¯t need one¡±


    ¡°Err... Pardon me?¡±


    ¡°Mother is piloting the shuttle. She¡¯s been coordinating with the Woglinde ever since I called for evac.¡± The admiral explained.


    ¡°But she was with us when stuff started going down. How is she piloting the dropship?¡± I was thoroughly confused now. Nabila gave a chuckle and answered for the admiral.


    ¡°Mother is not just a robot. She¡¯s the Woglinde¡¯s A.I. You have to remember that advanced warships like this beauty on the screen rates a military grade A.I. controller. I would bet that Mother right here has a lot of limiters disabled compared to the military cores. It would allow for limited autonomous actions. I didn¡¯t see or hear the admiral give her instructions for evasive maneuvers and not to blow up the missiles in the air. That was completely her, am I right sir?¡± Nabila¡¯s asked expectantly.


    ¡°You are correct. The ship is currently in geosynchronous orbit from Ceres. The robot you see here is her personal avatar she uses when on away missions or when her personal touch is warranted. I admit, I have gotten used to having her around when on-planet. Having the ship¡¯s A.I. at hand has saved us in multiple occasions. She can access the ship¡¯s capabilities and bring it with us on street level. Her avatar can also function as a rear guard during desperate situations.¡± The admiral saluted the robot with his glass. Mother acknowledged the act with a graceful bow.


    ¡°That is enough for now. We are home. Mr. Mayon, welcome to the team. Ms. Akseldatter, when you are satisfied with the care of your partner, please look for me at my ready room. I would have words with the Ceres government.¡± The admiral¡¯s hardened face doesn¡¯t bode well for the guy picking up the comm. Nabila nodded and we stood up as the drop ship settled down on the deck. The side door opened up and a small welcoming party was waiting below. The admiral waved us aside as a party of nurses and a doctor rushed in with a stretcher. They quickly and efficiently extracted the injured officer from his stasis pod and placed him on the levitating conveyance. The doctor was already poking him with instruments and was giving concise orders to the couple of nurses pushing the lev stretcher down the gangway. The doctor gave a quick greeting to the returning officer then rushed off to tend to his ward. The admiral followed behind at more leisurely pace and shook the hand of the men waiting below. A stocky, bald man broke off from the group and walked with the admiral as he moved towards a lift. Kal deigned on using the ramp and just jumped off the drop ship. The heavy thud attested to his impressive weight. Mother¡¯s avatar drifted off and I didn¡¯t bother to look around. Nabila was about the work her way down the gangway when my previous experience working on board a water ship kicked in. I was actually impressed with myself when I thought about it later on. It was purely an automatic response. It¡¯s been a decade since I last worked on a ship.


    I barred her from exiting the ship with an arm. She stopped and looked at me with surprise. I turned to face the lead man on the ground who just finished talking to the Admiral.


    ¡°Permission to come aboard sir?¡± I asked.


    The man grinned and pointed at me while looking at the older, weathered man beside him.


    ¡°Oh I like him. He has manners.¡± He turned back to me and answered. The other man was not impressed judging from his bored look. The older black man just stood there with his arms crossed chewing on... something.


    ¡°Permission granted. Come aboard and let¡¯s get you settled in.¡± I winked at Nabila and she just rolled her eyes at me. I hurried down the ramp to meet my new bosses.


    ¡°I¡¯m the ship¡¯s XO, Matthew Lu. The cranky old man beside me is Master Chief Gordon Rains. He will introduce you to our Head Cook, Ms. Vasiliev. Word of advice, don¡¯t make her angry. You got your bag with you?¡±


    ¡°Uh, no sir. My current employment status didn¡¯t give me a chance to arrange for my possessions to be packed and ready.¡± I temporized. I didn¡¯t really how I am going to arrange for some people to pick up some stuff from my home for me.


    ¡°Relax. This is not the navy. We don¡¯t stand at ceremony. Well, sometimes we do but those are far and in between.¡± As if to prove a point, the master chief decided that it was the perfect time to let one rip. The XO grimaced and shot the offender a nasty look.


    ¡°What? What¡¯s your problem now? It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t do it yourself.¡± The older man grumbled. He was not at all intimidated by the XO. The XO was not an big person. In fact, he looks like he was void born. Soft, light skin and slight frame of body. You have to spend a lot of time growing up in zero gravity to get that stretched look. Doctors had to mess around with genetics for void living to be a thing in the past. There are still some people that practice it but it has fallen out of fashion. The void born were just too much trouble their worth when working outside their weightless environment. They make for great station hard dock workers but nothing else. Even ships have Terran normal gravity.


    ¡°Excuse me gentlemen but can we go to the infirmary now? My partner is in there.¡± The urgency in Nabila¡¯s voice was very apparent.


    ¡°I¡¯ll lead the way. Master chief, why don¡¯t you tell our newest hire how things work around here? Mr. Mayon, get back to me tomorrow so we can get your stuff.¡± The XO then waved Nabila to walk with him as we started moving towards the lift hatch. He began asking her about the incident back in Ceres. The master chief dropped back and started my instruction. I paid attention because the man looks like he doesn''t take shit from anybody.


    ¡°First thing, don¡¯t piss Franny off. It¡¯s the fastest way to get killed. Talk to the others and you¡¯ll understand why. Next, you have two days to familiarize yourself with this the ship. I expect you to be able to walk around this deck blind if needed. Our old head chef¡¯s replacement has been doing a bang-up job. She just needs an extra hand from what I hear. I love to eat so don¡¯t fuck it up. Lastly, get yourself kitted out. You''re kitchen staff but if you want some respect, better learn how to shoot. I''ll tell the armorer to issue you a sidearm. Work it out with Franny but I want to see you at the range every day until I''m satisfied you can hit something smaller than a shuttle. At least look the part of a mercenary. Got it?" He wasn''t really asking a question. I still gave a good ''yes sir'' to be sure.


    "Call me Master Chief, not sir." the man quickly corrected. I made sure that I remembered that.


    We arrived at the infirmary and Nabila quickly strode towards the nearest nurse to inquire about her injured partner. XO Lu gave the master chief a nod and left. Another nurse approached me and ushered me to an examination stand. Master Chief Rains took a chair by the door and took out a pad. He was already immersed in what he was reading by the time I got the stall. The nurse had me strip to my undies and stand in the middle of the examination stall for a scan. Except for some minor scratches and bruises, I was deemed healthy. I was about to put my clothes back on when I noticed how filthy it was. It was covered in dust and pieces of my kitchen counter were stuck all over it. Thankfully, I didn''t put it back on as the nurse handed me a clean gray overall. I slipped it on and hustled back to the master chief. He was already stepping out the infirmary when I got caught up with him.


    "Time for you to meet Franny." Was all master chief said.


    A couple of turns later, we entered a huge galley. Using my previous experience on a ship, I would venture that the galley could fit about a cool hundred or so. It''s pretty clean though the bolted tables and benches were a bit battered. The bulkheads were covered with faux wood paneling in an uneven alternating pattern. Posters of popular vids and some scantily clad women, men, and aliens adorn the wall. Some even look like they were printed on real paper. There was also a life-size replica of pornstar Janet Roxx posing in the corner beside the beverage dispenser. I checked the flooring and the deck has been given the brick treatment. I stomped on it and a suspicion I had was proven true. The bricks were plasticrete molds about 3 centimeters thick. It''s a sensible decision given that bricking is heavy and very difficult to clean. The benches and tables are all industrial grade. Probably fabricated specifically for the ship. The sizes are off and adjustments were made for non-human crew.


    The sound of the master chief clearing his throat stopped me from continuing my inspection.


    "Satisfied? so, you really do know what you''re about. Franny''s going to love you." I caught up with the older man as we entered the preparation area. I immediately recognized the longitudinal layout of the kitchen. Massive appliances were placed at the back with everything else around the bulkheads. It would take me some time to get used again to the design. My kitchen was an island-style layout. I took the time to think about how to ergonomically place my equipment before I had it built. I''ve even done some simulations before I finally approved the final design.


    I stopped looking around the focused on the people we were approaching. A woman was working on some dough while directing two other people who were working on different stations. The woman was pretty short. About a meter and a quarter, I would say. She has bright red hair and a curvy build to complement her pale complexion. She has a smooth rounded face with generous cheeks that make her look younger than what I think she is. Freckles sprinkled on her petit nose works a lot on her look. She''s very cute actually. She would be a lot cuter if wasn''t angry.


    "No, no, no! I told you to set the cutting width to 2.5 centimeters. Larger cuts will take more time cooking. Why are you not following my instructions!?" She bellowed at the guy feeding the vegetable processor with carrots.


    "But there''s a gazillion of these things, Franny. It would take me forever to finish this." The man whined.


    "I don''t care if you have to feed that thing the entire ship''s store of carrots but you will cut it correctly or help me, I''ll throw you out of the airlock." She threatened. The man grumbled but did start pressing buttons on the processor. The other guy, an Inugorian, was quietly watching an autovat slowly stirring broth. He was trying to keep himself from getting caught up with the woman''s wrath.


    We stepped up to the preparation table.


    "Franny" The Master Chief greeted. The woman gave her cowed assistant a last scowl then turned to face the master chief. She wiped her hands on a rag on her apron while a servidrone picked up a tray full of unbaked rolls and dropped it off on the oversized oven.


    "Gordy, if you are here to give me one more meat shield masquerading as a cook well you can take him back. I''ve enough headaches as it is. Do you know how useless these two are!? and they''re already the best you can do!" She barked at the man as she stood nose-to-chest in front of the immobile officer. I was expecting for the master chief to put her in her place but he just raised his arms in surrender and spoke to her as calmly as you please.


    "I''m sorry Franny. You know that restaurants pay better for good cooks than a ship. I promised you that we''ll find a qualified cook for you when we get back home and I meant that. For the moment, I have a present for you. This is your new right hand man in the kitchen. He-" the master chief never got to complete his sentence as the angry cook whipped her baneful gaze at me.


    "Do you even cook!? What have you done that they had to throw you here? did you get somebody killed?" Her rapid-fire questions were punctuated with her getting up close and personal.


    "Well, uhm, I can cook. I''m no chef or anything but I used to serve both lunch and dinner in my eatery. I-"


    "Wait, you OWNED an eatery?" she asked with a squint of her eyes.


    "Uhrm, yes, I do. was small though, about 11 tables and a bar. I have a couple of servidrones as waiters but I cook-" I was speaking fast and trying to enumerate my qualifications when she kissed me. Hard. I froze from surprise. Before I could recover, she whirled and gave the master chief a bear hug. She actually lifted the man off his feet and twirled him around. Master Chief Rains, the man both officers and crew probably feared, couldn''t do anything. Franny dropped him and pushed him towards the exit door.


    "You got it good now. Don''t fuck it up. Don''t make her angry understand?" The master chief whispered in my ear as he passed me. I was starting to get concerned with how many times people remind me of her temper. The fiery woman grabbed my hands and now has a beautiful smile on her face.


    "You don''t know how long I''ve waited for you."


    "Uh, you know me?"


    "No I don''t but that doesn''t matter. You can cook. I mean you can cook, proper-like? Did I hear you right?"


    "I don''t know what you mean by proper cooking but I can cook." I replied with confidence. I''m a damn good cook if you were to ask my former customers. She squealed, clapped her hands and did a perfect pirouette. She then started fist pumping while shouting in a language I don''t understand. I looked at the two other cooks with confusion and they just smiled and high-fived each other. The guy she berated earlier gave me a thumbs up.


    "Wonderful! Please tell me your are starting today?"


    "I signed up today. Master Chief Rains said that I have to work on my shooting skills but other than that, I''m your man."


    "Great! We''re finishing up here. That dough is for later so give me a moment so I can clean up." I called out to her before she went back to work.


    "By the way, how should I call you? is Ms. Vasiliev okay?"


    "Pfft. That''s too formal. Just call me Franny. Everybody does." She went back to work and was done in ten minutes. She asked a couple of questions and discussed what was expected of me while she worked. When she was done, she gave last minute instruction to the two assistants and shooed me out the door. I followed her around as she took me to the supply officer to get some extra clothes and sundries then escorted me to my new cabin. Apparently, I rated a private one. Granted, it''s a small one but it''s private nonetheless. It even has its own refresher. Franny explained that it used to be hers before she moved in the larger, more comfortable cabin that the old head cook used to occupy. She told me to get some rest because I''ll be reporting for morning watch. She left me to my devices as I stood in the middle of my cabin.


    =================================================================================================================


    A beeping sound woke me from my nap on the chair. I checked my ArmCom and found some files from Franny and Master Chief Rains to work on. I stood up and stretched. I cracked my neck and took a deep breath. It has been a crazy, unbelievable day. I went from being a restaurateur to line cook in a span of hours.


    I shook off my melancholy and undressed. I slid under the covers of my bed and was asleep almost instantly.

 Feeding the masses

    A beeping sound slowly woke me from my sleep. I tried opening my eyes but I can''t find the energy for it. I was contemplating on going back to sleep and was already drifting off but the beeping has gotten louder and quicker. Resigning myself to getting up, I scrubbed my eyes with the palm of my hands. The room slowly came into focus. I sat up and immediately regretted it. It might be because of last night''s excitement or my bed is just really bad but my back hurts. I scooted over to the edge of the bed so I could warm my feet on the deck. That''s a habit of mine. I hate it when I get surprised by cold flooring.


    I still felt tired. I woke up a couple of times from nightmares about slavers and the augment I killed but oddly enough, I didn''t feel so bad about killing the guy. I kinda dreaded that it would haunt me for the rest of my life but I had more trouble with the idea of slavers chasing me. Does that make me evil? Shouldn''t I be an emotional wreck after killing somebody? I''m sure as hell I never wanted to do it and never even thought about the possibility of actually taking a life yet aside from a nightmare, there was very little remorse. I wanted to do some introspection but that infernal beeping was driving me crazy. I got off the bed and started searching for where the racket was coming from. I was tapping the room control screen when dim lights gradually illuminated the room.


    "Good morning Mr. Mayon. Shipboard time is 0400. Ms. Vasiliev has requested me to remind you that she expects you at your duty station at 0430. I have taken the liberty of waking you up earlier to allow allowance for hygiene. I hope I was not presumptuous with your schedule. Forgive me but I was not able to consult with you last night. You were added late in the duty roster by the head cook. I decided that it would be for you to have an uninterrupted rest. Did I make the right decision?"


    "Yes, mother, you did and thank you." I groggily replied as I move towards the refresher unit. It was a little bigger than my closet back in Ceres but it''ll do. I checked my water allocation on the refresher screen and saw I have about two minutes of running water on high pressure. It''s not a lot but it could have been worse. I could opt to use the sonic cleaner but it just doesn''t give you that clean feeling. I got under the shower head and got to showering.


    "Mother, is there anything I should know? I haven''t read the stuff master chief and Franny sent last night." I asked as I washed off the dirt, blood, and sweat I''ve accumulated. I''m going to have to throw the bed sheets in the cleaning unit.


    "Nothing immediate. The admiral had recalled all personnel on shore leave when we returned yesterday and has been coordinating with the Ceres Government. The Woglinde will be joining the search for the cloaked slaver ship. More information will be released once more details pertaining to the situation becomes necessary."


    "Okay, so we''re hunting them now. No surprise there. Thanks, mom. I''ll just call you mom. Mother is too much mouth work."


    "Whatever is comfortable to you the most." I thought I heard a sarcastic tone in her voice but I must be imagining things.


    I finished cleaning myself and made use of the extra time I had before work to shave and make myself presentable. I checked the clothes I got from the supply officer and chose a plain white shirt that has the Red Tiger Mercenaries patch and a pair of sturdy but light pants. I threw them on and sat on my chair. I still have a couple of minutes so I accessed the files Franny sent me on my desk computer. I searched for a bit until I found her menu plan.


    Most people that don''t know anything about food preparation don''t understand how much effort goes in on cooking food. You think about the food on your plate and how it taste like. You might complain that it took too long or it was not to your liking but that''s it. Kitchen crew has to worry about that and a lot more.


    The menu list for our galley shows a 20-day meal guide for the three major meals, desserts, and late night meals. I studied the menu and sat back to think deeply about the meals described. Franny''s menu revolves around a 35 credit plate/meal budget. When I match it with the menu list, I would say she''s a freakin'' miracle worker to make that list work. A few recipes on the list contain some pretty expensive ingredients. Unless they have a local source everywhere they go, I can''t see how they can get those ingredients for a reasonable price. One of the ingredients for Jappal Stew is a bright green seedpod that only grows in its local planet, Huttula Prime. Even the merchant guild in Ceres has to pay through its collective noses to get a good price for it. I pulled up the lists for perishables and found we have almost a hundred kilos of the stuff. That''s an insane amount to have. You just need to add one pod per sixty-liter soup base to get its mildly sweet and spicy taste in the mixture and that''s already pushing it. Its generally sold by the milligram.


    As I continue to work my way through on the galley files, I could see why Franny was so desperate for experienced help. It was not just a question of amount. The ship has three species to feed. Though the ship is primarily carrying a human crew, there was still a sizable number of Inugorians. The Barral eat a lot but they generally eat about once a week. The Inugorians are purely vegetarians and only a few of the human ingredients is compatible with our furry friends. The two other galleys already have cooks trained in xeno-culinary preparation. Only ours don''t. In fact, we''re the only galley that doesn''t have trained assistant cooks. Franny had to take control of our galley because she was the only one free and knows not to poison the non-humans.


    I checked the time and decided to make my way to the galley for my first day of work. I was both excited and a little anxious about it. This will be my first time serving a crowd this big. My time on a watership was a little different. We had a full complement of cooks and a head chef. From the duty roster that I checked, it will just be the four of us and we''ll be feeding an estimated 1000 people during meal times. The two other galleys will be serving about the same but we''re what I learned as the ''dirty'' galley. We''ll primarily be serving the pilots and the flight deck crews. Modern equipment has done away with people-intensive labor such as chopping, peeling, and constant stirring but until they can invent a machine that can adjust taste, there will always be a need for a cook.


    I stepped in the in the preparation area and could see the two assistants I briefly met last night already hard at work. The Inugorian was filling an autovat with water. I could see that he was adding it to the soup stock he worked on last night. From the smell of it, I think it''s vegetable stock. My other co-worker just came out of the walk-in freezer carrying an entire side of prime beef. He was laboring under the weight. I could see him struggling and hustled to help him out. I grabbed the lower end of the beef side shouldered it. The relieved cook gave me a smile.


    "Thanks, man. I thought I was gonna drop it for a moment. The name''s Titus Tom. You could call me ''T'' and before you ask, yes, my last name is Tom."


    We dropped the slab on the chopping counter. T stuck a hand out and I gave him a warm handshake. Titus is a young man from what I can see. Actually, I think he''s barely out of his majority. He''s a sturdily-built man with a well developed upper body. He''s definitely a body builder. His plain grey shirt was straining to contain his biceps and pectorals. His bald head was completely shiny from sweat. He took out a rag and wiped it dry. He''s probably the darkest skinned man I''ve ever met. He reminds me of an obsidian statue of a male god I saw during an art festival in Illustratum. A number of off-world artists visited the city to showcase their works. T reminds me of the centerpiece they revealed of a god from a religion I don''t recognize standing on top of a rock majestically staring at the horizon.


    T has that youthful exuberance that makes older people hate you. We just wrestled a side of beef and his breathing was already normal. It might also just be that I need more exercise. What I consider his best attribute is his eyes. They''re soft, large eyes that have a kind look to them.


    "You''ve checked the menu right? Man, Franny''s working us hard. I dunno half of the stuff in there. You know that shit? cause I sure as hell don''t."


    "I checked it out earlier and yes, I know how to prepare them. Don''t worry, I''m here to help."


    "That''s great! Finally. Maybe Franny would step off my dick some now that we got somebody who actually knows how to make some good grub." Titus moved back to the vegetable processor and proceeded to feed it potatoes. I''ve got a feeling he''s been doing that a lot.


    I looked around and found a clean apron hanging from a peg. I put it on and washed my hands in the nearby sink. After drying my hands, I approached the other person in the kitchen crew.


    "Strong roots, tall trees friend." I intoned as I touched my forehead with my left-hand fingers.


    "Green leaves, fresh fruits friend." The Inugorian completed the traditional greeting of his people. The cook gave me a close approximation of a smile. The Inugorians don''t have the same facial muscles to be able to smile naturally. It''s a cultivated skill for them. If an Inugorian shows teeth at you, he''s definitely not smiling. He''s on the verge of ripping you apart.


    "I''m Albert Mayon. I''ll be working with you guys starting today."


    "I have heard. Welcome, friend. I am Musaka of the line of Arandi. Your arrival is a great relief. The staffing of our galley leaves a lot to be desired." Musaka said.


    Musaka is short for an Inugorian. Just under 2 meters, he would have been quite unusual among his people. Height variances are rare among the tree dwellers. The reddish brown coloration of his fur was accented with black splotches here and there. He has his ringed tail wrapped around his waist to avoid it getting in the way.


    To most humans, the Inugorians look the same. The human eye is just not good enough to pick up slight differences in their faces. Most people try to look for something obvious to help them in identifying separate individuals. The Inugorians try to be understanding by wearing distinctive accessories like rings or bracelets of unique design. Some use fur braiding on their facial hair for a more fashionable approach. I won''t have any problems with Musaka because of some horrendous burn scarring on the lower right of his face. I tried not focus on it.


    "Franny said something about that. I''ll try to lighten some of the load."


    "Please do. I''ve yet to make Franny satisfied with my work. It is difficult for me, cooking. I''m a chemist by training. It plays well in creating food because, in its base aspect, cooking is the combination of compounds to arrive at a consumable mixture. I have thought that chemistry would make cooking simple but I''m wrong." Musaka said with a forlorn tone.


    "I think it''s more because you work with precise science. Exact measurements and such right? Recipe cooking is all well and good but you would always get the same result. Franny probably has been working on making her creations taste better." I also use some recipes when I cook but it''s more of a flexible guide. Some people like things more savory or sweet. I''m not a fan of locking in my flavors.


    Musaka just nodded and took out some Inugorian vegetables from the galley stockroom. He started chopping what looks like apples but twice as big and is blue. I left him to work on it and decided to make myself useful. I tapped on the galley screen and checked the menu for today. I mentally cataloged the necessary ingredients and familiarized myself where everything is. After a couple of minutes of opening and closing drawers and cabinets, I felt more confident in being able to grab the things I need without spending too much time rummaging.


    I took out a large molecular cleaver and went back to the slab of beef on the preparation table. Checking for how much the recipe called for, I started cutting it into proper portions. The vibrating cleaver made short work of the meat. I was used to adding some omph when chopping so I had to remind myself I''m not using a traditional tool.


    After slicing the meat, I checked with T for the vegetables. He''s been working on those since last night and have them ready. I gathered some broccoli and dumped them in the steamer. While it was gently steaming, I started working on the butter sauce. I didn''t notice but I was slowing getting into the zone. I started working faster and soon I was zipping around the kitchen. I was really into it that I almost ran into Franny. She arrived looking Fresh and ready for the day. She looked at what I have accomplished and gave me a hug. I think there was a tear in her eyes. She quickly broke away and started firing instructions at us. I was to continue working on the vegetables while she works on the stew and the roast. I''ll be helping Musaka on preparing the Inugorian meals when I''m done. I was doing good work and felt happy my skills were being properly utilized. I might not have a lot of skills but cooking is one of them. I barely noticed the time as I was so focused on the food I was preparing.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Hey, what are you humming? I''m digging it."


    The question snapped me out of my trance. I was turning over some Inugorian vegetables for a quick roast. T was skewering them on long roasting rods for me.


    "Oh, nothing. It''s a popular pop song in Ceres a couple of years back. I kinda start doing that whenever I''m busy at the kitchen. Helps me focus, sorry."


    "Hey, whatever makes you do your thing, man. I''m not judging."


    "Thanks. I had some co-workers who complained about it before when I was apprenticing under a chef. The said it was distracting them."


    "You won''t have that problem with me. In fact, how about you share me some of your music, man? I love listening to new stuff." T grunted as he racked the heavily loaded rod on the oversized roaster.


    There are four accepted Inugorian cooking styles. Roast, bake, steam, and stew. Frying has never really been used since most local oils in the Inugorian homeworld is mildly poisonous to them. The concept was introduced by other races and though technically they could use oil substitutes, they just plain don''t like it. I personally prefer roasting when preparing Inugorian food. Less work for me.


    T and I continued working in tandem while we chatted. I learned that T was actually brought in by the Master Chief. Titus is the son of an old colleague of his whom he used to serve with back when they were still in military service. T''s dad got hurt in a lev car accident and couldn''t go back to work. His injuries were extensive and required a lot money. They had to sell off a lot of properties to get him back on his feet. By the time his dad was ready to go back to work, they found out that he''s been replaced. He got a good back pay and the service don''t forget veterans but there was still a long way before they could reach a comfortable lifestyle. T was of age and decided that the quickest way for them to do that was to join one of the merc companies. Mercs get shares from spoils they get. They don''t have the best regular pay but a captured ship will earn a merc a lot of money, even if the shares they own are small. His dad tried to talk him out of it but T wasn''t listening so his dad did the next best thing, ensured that his son doesn''t do something stupid. He got into contact with the master chief and found him a place here. Thing is, T is not exactly infantry material. He''s strong, fast, and a good shot but he doesn''t take to tactics very well. He''s taking lessons from the master chief and until he proves that he wouldn''t get himself and his squadmates killed, galley duty is his assignment.


    After finishing loading the roaster, I checked the menu and saw that everything for breakfast was done. The different appliances in the preparation area were still working overtime but nothing requiring operator intervention. I started studying the lunch menu and saw that it would be a lot busier later.


    I heard Franny call my name so I looked up and saw her motioning me to come to her. She was at the autovats station slowly manually stirring the stew. I went to her and the savory smell of the stew hit me.


    "Here, try it out and tell me what you think." Franny passed me a loaded spoon. I blew at it a bit then stuck it in my mouth. I closed my eyes and focused on the taste.


    It is at this point that most people would say ''it''s good!'' or ''it''s bad.'' That''s not an acceptable answer for a cook. The main purpose of tasting something is to know WHY is it good or bad.


    Though some experts might disagree, it is the common belief that the receptors in the human taste buds can taste five basic flavors. Those flavors are not just a result of putting something in your mouth but your sense of sight, touch, and smell plays a big role in how you perceive the taste of something.


    Human cuisine is generally based on one or two base taste. Simpler dishes normally has one basic taste that the other ingredients revolve around. An apple pie has the basic taste of ''sweet.'' Sweet and Sour pork uses two basic tastes, hence the name sweet and sour. This is important to know because your understanding on how taste work will dictate if the dish is ''good'' or ''bad.''


    The most basic assessment that all people could do is testing intensity. How strong or weak the taste is. ''Is it too sweet or too salty'' is a question very easy to arrive at. Much harder to do is to assess how much intensity does the recipe calls for. How much ''sweet'' does an apple pie need for it to be ''good.'' That is not easy to say because people being people, we all have a different taste and different tolerances. Those that tend to eat salty dishes on the regular has a higher salty taste tolerance compared to those that don''t. What might be salty for you might be a little bit bland for others. That''s what makes a person a good food critic. They could tell you in exquisite detail why something is good or bad because they could describe the taste and qualify it based on a given common baseline. That''s why when you travel to different worlds or regions of your planet, beef stew from Ceres would be different from the beef stew from Proserpine even if they have the exact same ingredients. Culture, availability of ingredients, and cooking practices would make the same dish different each time.


    "Taste''s great, Franny. Savory without it being salty. The potatoes helped suck in the saltiness and gives it a starchy flavor. The beef stock is a bit different from what I''ve gotten accustomed to in Ceres but I''m liking the onion-heavy style to it. Gives it a little spice to accent the beef." I said. It kinda sounded critical and I hope she didn''t take it that way.


    "Good, yes? It''s a favorite of mine and I try to serve it once every new menu rotation."


    "Isn''t this expensive? I read the file you sent me last night. From what I gather, we''re on a tight budget."


    "ah, but you forget, we''re a mercenary carrier. We can buy ingredients from the worlds we visit. We overstock with ingredients we can buy cheap from the world we''re visiting or if we have time and got permits, get it ourselves. Nothing''s better than freshly-caught fish I tell you." Franny wistfully stared at the stew for a moment before she went to the stockroom. I followed her as she entered the room. Franny gave me a brief tour of the huge room so I could find everything easily and I could see what she told me was true. There was an abundance of some ingredients while others were carefully used to stretch them out until we could get resupplied. Since we were here already, Franny had me carry out a box of canned fruits for the dessert she''s making for later.


    We went back to work and finished up the breakfast menu a few minutes before the breakfast rush. Considering we''ve been preparing for a huge crowd, I''d say we did well. Franny was already directing T and Musaka to start preparing for the lunch menu. As usual, T is helming the processor. I have a feeling he works there most of the time.


    "alright, let''s get these things on the serving counter. I want you working the counter so the crew could see you. Everybody wants to see the new guy especially if said new guy is feeding them." The mischievous wink she gave me didn''t give me a comforting feeling.


    We filled up the counter and had the flock of servidrones on stand-by. I checked the old-styled mechanical clock installed beside the counter and saw that it wouldn''t be long before people start streaming in. I wasn''t wrong as hungry crewmen came looking for breakfast. A group of them made a beeline for the coffee dispenser but the majority grabbed trays and got in line. The human complement had the stew, two dry dishes and some bread rolls to eat while on the Inugorian side of the counter was the roast I made, fresh salad, and some boiled Pranna, a rice-like vegetable except it was yellow. Musaka was handling the Inugorian line and I could hear him speaking in his native language with the people on his line. The Inugorian language is mainly hoots and whistles so a group of them speaking at the same time is quite a racket.


    "Who are you?"


    I looked away from watching Musaka do his job to address the question. An overweight, middle-aged man was squinting at me. He was wearing a very greasy shirt and a pair of work pants that have a couple of burn holes on it.


    "I don''t think I''ve seen you before. You new here?" He asked as I poured some beef stew in a bowl and placed it on his tray.


    "Yep. Name''s Albert. I''m Franny''s new assistant cook."


    "Well, shit. I don''t know if that''s a good thing or not. The last couple of goobers she had working for her, our food tasted like something I would feed to my mother-in-law, and I hate my mother-in-law."


    "Have a taste of your breakfast and you tell me." I waved at him to move since he was holding up the line. He gave me a disbelieving snort and took his tray to look for a table. The line moved briskly as the dining room started filling up. People dug in and were surprised with their meal.


    "Hey, Franny! The hell happened to our food!? This is actually edible for once. You feeling okay?" Somebody yelled. Laughter rolled around the dining room with other people seconding the comment. I didn''t see who it was but Franny was quick to answer. She stepped up to the counter to set her sights on the wiseass.


    "You keep complaining Carl yet you keep eating. If you must know, the new guy made your breakfast possible. I don''t have to hurry everything anymore so be nice to him." Franny yelled back while pointing at him with her kitchen knife.


    "If your crew keeps cooking like this then he''d have no problems with me. I''ll even give him a kiss for this broccoli sauce, it''s amazing!"


    "You''re too late. I already gave him a fat one last night." With that, Franny went back to her chopping. A roar of discontent washed over me as people started throwing curses my way. One particularly incensed guy threw a bread roll at me. I snatched it out of the air and put it back on the counter. I raised my hands in surrender. The unhappy men, and some women, settled down to grumbling.


    "I didn''t ask for it!" I loudly proclaimed but was ignored by the masses.


    "Aren''t you a lucky bastard! What''d you do? There''s a long list of people who tried and got shot down by the ''red beauty.''" The skinny guy Franny called Carl was polishing off his tray and took the time to interrogate me.


    "Nothing. I just got in. I guess she was really hurting for experienced help." I said.


    "Hey, Franny! If all it takes to get some smooches out of you is to know how to cook well, I make a pretty mean gumbo." Carl yelled while lazily waving his spoon around.


    "You can make ONE dish Carl. Even if you can make something edible out of that sorry of an excuse abomination you call gumbo, You''re still too ugly." Franny''s witty comeback incited another round of laughter. Some even choked on their food. Carl placed his hands on his chest with an exaggerated shocked expression on his face.


    "You wound me, my lady. For your information, I''m quite the dashing rogue. What you call ugly is more commonly known as an alternative look. Last port we made I had trouble walking back to the ship. Women can be so very demanding of my time." Carl''s wagging eyebrows and ball grabbing almost made the woman sitting beside him throw up. She would have gagged if she wasn''t vacillating between being disgusted and laughing.


    "Then don''t let them kick you in the balls then. Wait, I take that back. We need less ugly in this world so ball-bashing it is." Some of the crew were on the ground pounding the floor while others were wheezing and holding their sides from laughter. Carl just gave a deep sigh and went back to eating his stew.


    "If any of you bastards think they know how to cook and want to do something useful during your downtime, present yourself to me at 18:00 every Tuesday. If you''re good enough, I''ll petition that you get to work for me part-time. Hell, if you''re really good, I''ll freakin'' wrestle with your squad leader to get your ass behind this counter. We need cooks, people. You just tasted how good help made your food better so if you want to keep eating the good stuff, get me some help. To give anybody interested an incentive, you''ll earn credits from me... And a kiss, maybe." Franny made her way in front of the dining crowd to make her sales pitch and I saw some people thinking about her proposition. I can see that Franny is a very beautiful woman but I didn''t know she was the ship''s heartthrob. I could understand why getting a kiss from her could earn you some backstabs in a deserted passageway. What makes this interesting is Franny know that she''s really attractive and she uses that to her advantage.


    The first batch of the breakfast crowd was busily working through their meal. I had to refill the coffee dispenser a couple of times and took a cup myself. I almost spat it out. I''ve heard from some people that work on military ships that shipboard coffee is uniformly bad and I didn''t believe them. I believe them now. This was like drinking tar. I think I could see something congealing on the bottom of my mug. I shuddered and emptied my mug in the waste recycler. I''m going to be talking with Franny about this. If this is the best they could do, I''ll see if she could let me take a shot at it.


    Meal times work on 30-minute intervals of 2 hours so just as the first group finished, the second group of hungry personnel came looking for food. I was busy serving food and chatting with the Woglinde crew. Unlike working in a restaurant, I have only one demographic and that''s the mercenaries. They tend to be a sour and aggressive bunch. When I first came aboard, I was expecting to see huge, dirty brutes comparing chest hair while shooting things at random. I''ve been working for less than a day and though they could come across as crass, they''re just like regular people. If regular people walk everywhere with guns. And armor. And former military service... Okay, they''re not regular people. Still, they eat like everybody does and enjoys good food like everybody else.


    The entire day was a blur of activity for me. Just as breakfast was done, we started working on lunch. The menu called for 1 wet, 2 dry, and 1 vegetable dish just like breakfast sans bread roll. The Inugorians generally eat twice a day since they metabolize food slower than a human. Inugorian vegetables and fruits are very dense and it takes a while for them to break it down into absorbable nutrients.


    I was working both in preparation and serving the entire day. Musaka and T helped me on and off but they had their own work to do. Franny worked her magic and I understand how valuable she is. She''s like a veteran line chef working the kitchen. I''m thankful that she gave me some allowances since I wasn''t as fast as all of them are but it was still my first day. I made a personal promise to memorize where everything is so that I could work at their pace. I was used to working on multiple dishes for a smaller group of people. I''d have to change my mindset and adjust accordingly.


    When lunch was over, Franny told me to clean up and to follow her. I returned my now food-splattered apron back on its peg and washed up. The scent of breakfast and lunch was strongly clinging to my clothes. It''s kinda nice, really. Franny was already out the door and impatiently tapping with her right foot. I hustled and caught up to her.


    "What are we doing?"


    "Your other job. Don''t forget, this is a warship. In a firefight, ''we drop pans and strap cans'' as we call it. We''re damage control. I''ll be teaching you how to strap on your breathing module and how to operate the extinguisher bombs and retardants. After that, you''ll be learning how to patch bulkheads. We can''t have holes in our ship. That''s why you have to learn the layout of the ship so you can immediately respond anywhere. Later, T will be taking you to the armory to get a gun. He''ll be teaching you how to use it. Don''t be fooled, that boy can shoot." We reached another door and Franny opened it and entered. We found ourselves in an equipment room. I could see everything was laid out for quick access. Environmental suits were on rapid access stands, equipment lockers with snap out rails holding firefighting equipment, emergency hull patches beside quick welders and so on. Franny strode to the center of the room and spun to face me.


    "But first, You need to learn how to suit up fast. Red Tiger Mercenary standards require you be fully geared up and ready in one minute twenty seconds during emergency situations. I will show you how to put on your equipment so pay attention."


    Franny proceeded to instruct me the intricacies of emergency response by slowly donning the lightly armored environmental suit while pointing out things on it and what function they served. Getting the suit on took some clever wiggling and a particular method. Once she had the suit on, she showed me how to strap on the various firefighting and patching equipment. After she was satisfied that I understood how everything goes on in its proper sequence, she had me demonstrate it back to her one step at a time. She made a simple ditty that helps you remember the proper procedure when gearing up. After a few fits and starts, I finally got myself properly geared up. Franny had me remove everything and do it again. This time, I was able to get everything on no problem. I looked at Franny through my helmet and grinned at her and gave her a thumbs up. She nodded and had me strip everything off.


    After I returned everything back to its rightful place, I looked inquisitively at Franny. She took out a holo tab and stuck it on the locker beside her. I could see it projecting a counter.


    "Now, do everything again but this time, I will time you. Don''t suck." Her sinister smile made me groan.


    "This is going to be a long afternoon..."

 Hot Lasers and Hot Meals

    I took a deep breath, paused, then open fired on the target down range. I worked through ten shots at a staggered pace, ensuring that I reset my position after each shot for maximum accuracy. After the last shot, I held my shooting position then depressed the firing stud again but this time, I saw a red light on the backend mini screen of the gun. It was also showing a zero on the counter.


    ¡°Empty!¡± I said in a loud voice.


    ¡°Clear your weapon¡± my instructor commanded from behind me. I tried firing on the target again to double check the charge count and got a reassuring red light again. I pressed the safety stud then the held the power button. The soft light emanating from the screen went away as the gun shut down. I ejected the power cell and placed in on the table in front of me. I ensured that weapon was fully offline then moved it a bit to the side so that my instructor could see it. He briefly inspected the sidearm then gave me the clear. I deposited the gun on top of the table and removed my glasses. I turned to face T as he enlarged the screen on the shooting stall for us to peruse.


    ¡°So, how¡¯d I do?¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re not¡­horrible.¡± He mumbled. I looked at my shots and was happy to see them.


    ¡°It¡¯s much better than last time, though.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s better. You actually hit the target area consistently this time. Maaan, I¡¯ve never seen a shooter so bad. At first, I thought you were messing with me.¡± T was tracing my shot grouping on the screen. All of them were center mass which means in my case is that I actually hit a target as big as Titus.


    ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯ve never fired these things before.¡± I gestured at the deactivated weapon on the table. For my introduction to firearms, T selected for me a PDF23 sidearm. It¡¯s the most renowned energy weapon in modern human history. Its earlier iteration has been used as a model of freedom and defiance. Wars have been won and lost with this weapon. It is also one of the weapons available for civilian ownership.


    The PDF23 is a light, stubby, pistol that has a sloping top backend. Unlike regular firearms, the PDF23 looks like a hairbrush on steroids. The backend has three studs placed below a small screen that are color coded to easily discern the function of each stud. The screen shows the charge count and the firing mode of the gun. It has a selector which you can toggle so you can choose between stun and kill. It¡¯s so easy to use that it¡¯s basically idiot proof. It even shows you a small graphic if you¡¯re so stupid you can¡¯t distinguish what the buttons do.


    T had me pick up the weapon and started drilling me on how to improve my form. My biggest problem is that when I shoot, I jab with the gun. I¡¯ve no idea why I do that but it¡¯s messing up my aim. T said it looks like I was trying to stab somebody from across the room. We worked on it for half an hour then had to stop since we have to work on dinner. I returned the pistol and the box of energy cells the armorer lent me.


    The armorer is a surly middle-aged man who rarely speaks. He¡¯s like a Barral that answers with grunts and snorts. I had to have Franny order him to lend me a gun because he didn¡¯t want to give me one. He grudgingly allowed me access to a single sidearm but was very clear that I would not be able to take it out of the armory until he was satisfied that I was competent with it. T promised to work with me on that.


    We left the armory and started walking back to the galley.


    ¡°What do you think? How long do you think before I get my gun?¡± I haven¡¯t expected it but the gun felt good in my hands and I had a great time plinking away with it.


    T frowned and considered it for a moment.


    ¡°I dunno man, you follow instructions good but your body wants to do something else. You¡¯re gonna have to work on muscle memory. You¡¯re twitching in all the wrong places. Maybe you should get a sword instead?¡± A speculative look appeared on his face but he quickly dismissed the idea with a quick shake of his head. I gave him a raised eyebrow


    ¡°Dude, I¡¯m not planning on stabbing anybody soon. I don¡¯t WANT to be in a fight anytime soon. If there comes a time where I would have to defend myself or this ship, then we¡¯re screwed.¡±


    ¡°True that. Well, you¡¯re trying at least. In a couple of weeks, maybe? I really dunno. You kinda suck man, and I mean, you suck hard. I mean that in the most non-pleasurable way.¡±


    ¡°Ouch. There goes my dream of being a gunslinger. Anyway, I have all the time in the world to practice. I¡¯ll eventually get it.¡± I said with confidence. We entered the galley¡¯s door with T leading the way. He stopped and turned back to face me. He has that sorry-I-forgot look on his face that instantly got me concerned.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°About the shooting thing, sorry I forgot, man. You¡¯ll need to get evaluated on that. There is a test new recruits have to pass to qualify for a firearm. It¡¯s necessary if you want to be able to take a gun outside the firing range. There¡¯s also a minimum expected performance score that you have to achieve if you want to stay in the Red Tiger Mercenaries outfit. We¡¯re not just a group of guys that decided they want to get paid for shooting shit up. We¡¯re premium service, man. Your test will be the week after the next. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll get you ready for that.¡± T gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze.


    ¡°Really? You''re telling me that now?¡± I demanded.


    ¡°Like I said, I forgot. Don¡¯t get your panties in a bunch. You¡¯ll do just fine.¡± T grabbed a fresh apron and proceeded to wash his hands. I decided to focus on my current job and leave that concern for later. Though I was accepted in the ranks of the merc company, I understood that if I want to be respected as a member of the crew and not just some privileged ass that the admiral took a shine to, I would have to work on my evaluation scores. I decided to do what Titus just said. I stopped worrying about it. I grabbed an apron and joined the rest of the kitchen crew.


    Dinner preparation went smoothly and I was back behind the serving counter pouring mushroom soup in bowls. We managed to make some toasted garlic bread to go with the soup. It was rather labor intensive so they were not able to make some that would fit the cooking schedule before I joined the team.


    I just placed a bowl on tray in front of me when the owner of the tray addressed me.


    ¡°Hey handsome.¡±


    I looked up from staring at the soup warmer and saw Nabila standing in front of me. She has a big smile on her face and gave me a wink as soon as I made eye contact.


    ¡°Oh, hey! Hello, officer. How are you doing?¡± She was the last one I was expecting to see. I¡¯ve been so busy working the galley and meeting new people that I completely forgot the CPM officer. Her face also reminded me of the injured Robert and was about to ask when I saw the next person in line was the now healed augment. He looked a bit haggard but he was standing tall and firm.


    ¡°We¡¯re doing just fine. Robert got released earlier today. It was touch and go there for a moment. Good thing this ship has a fully equipment medical ward. They even have regen beds like the one you used before.¡± She explained. I placed some baked spiced potatoes on a plate with a quarter cut of roast chicken. This would be the third to the last time we would be able to serve some chicken until we get resupplied. The plate of food joined the soup I placed on her tray.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Hi, Robert! Great to see you up.¡± I waved at the man with my soup ladle. He gave me a wan smile as he took his place at the front of the line. Nabila was already off to the side impatiently waiting for her partner. She was practically drooling over her potatoes.


    ¡°It is not an experience I would like to repeat, Mr. Mayon. Though we officers are acquainted with the idea of death, it is not something we look forward too.¡± He was not trying to show his weakness but his movement is a lot less crisp than I remember them.


    ¡°Are you supposed to be out of the infirmary? To be honest, you don¡¯t look like you¡¯re fully recovered.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m able. I just need some time to fully recover. At the moment, I am completely functional.¡± His augmented parts are doing well as he said but I suspect that his squishy parts still needs a day or two. Modern medicine is great and all but it¡¯s not magic.


    ¡°Hey, can we talk with you? It¡¯s important.¡± Nabila butted in after Ronald got his now loaded tray back. I checked with Franny who was assembling some ingredients for a good, old-fashioned apple pie and she waved back. I took off my apron and assigned and servidrone to take my place. I joined the two officers at their table. They chose a smaller one near the back of the galley to give them a modicum of privacy if such a thing is possible in a crowded room. I parked my butt on a seat beside Nabila. Robert got a mug of coffee and before I could warn him, he has already taken a sip. He froze as then slightly angled the mug to get a good look at the contents. I could see his optics focusing on the coffee.


    ¡°This is¡­interesting. Is this normal?¡± He asked as he placed his mug of coffee on the table.


    ¡°Apparently it is. I¡¯m gonna talk to Franny about it. It¡¯s the foulest thing I¡¯ve ever swallowed.¡±


    ¡°Check with the crew first. They might have a different opinion.¡± Ronald picked up his fork and started on his chicken. Nabila had already consumed her bread. She grabbed the soup bowl and lifted it up to her lips and proceeded to take large sips.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s up?¡± I got to the point since I still have work to do. Ronald nodded to Nabila as she wiped her mouth with a serviette. The galley found it cheaper to just have a bunch of those and just wash them rather than buying paper ones that you throw away after use.


    ¡°I got into talks with the Ceres government while Ronald was on the mend. The government is not happy with you being here. They want to take you in for questioning but understand that they can¡¯t ensure your safety or the other people that could potentially be collateral damage from a suicide bomber especially now that there are tons of visitors for the GFRL finals. The admiral is also not keen on releasing you from service and had to remind the Ceres government about the agreement between the galactic council and licensed members of the mercenary guild. The Red Tiger Mercenaries laid claim to you before a bulletin was issued for your questioning." Nabila stopped so she could get a big bite of her chicken. The woman could surely eat.


    "Ronald and I are going back after dinner. We came by to tell you that CPM still wants to talk to you so expect a visit from some of our officers sometime soon when the mess in Illustratum has been cleaned up. We have to report back to work. From what I''m getting, the police is getting swamped."


    "It would take some time to unearth hidden slave soldiers but we''ll get them all." Ronald added. He was eating slower compared to his ravenous partner but he was also making quick work of it.


    ¡°If they want to talk to me, I¡¯m all ears. It¡¯s not like I could go somewhere. I¡¯m stuck here for the moment. Work here is a lot better than I thought it would be and despite it being in a warship, mercenaries still need to eat.¡±


    ¡°Good for you. Who knows, you might grow the like the experience.¡± Nabila winked at me.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s growing on me already. The kitchen crew is great. It¡¯s tiring work, cooking for a thousand souls on the daily, but rewarding.¡±


    We moved on to talking about trivialities as both Nabila and Ronald polished off their meal. Nabila had a forlorn look on her face when she looked back at her now empty tray. The large woman probably eats a lot to maintain the kind of muscle mass her impressive physique has. I walked with them as they deposited their used cutlery in the collector then said my goodbyes. I gave Ronald a firm handshake and a sincere thank you for saving us back in the restaurant during the attack. If it wasn¡¯t for him, some of us probably wouldn¡¯t have made it. He pointed at a small stud protruding behind his left ear. He explained that it was a military-grade energy scanner. It picks up on active weapons within a certain radius. It was one of his favorite tools as a CPM officer. That split second knowledge of the possibility of being in a gunfight gives him the advantage of initial action rather than reaction. Combined with his augmented speed, few people can get the drop on him. Nabila gave me a crushing hug and told me to keep in contact if possible. The blonde Nord made me promise to make her some steaks on the off chance we meet again.


    I watched them leave then took back my station from behind the counter. The second batch of diners was already lining up. I went back to filling bowls with mushroom soup.


    The next couple of days mirrored the rest with few variations. I wake up, work the galley, have classes with Franny on my other job, go to the range for shooting practice, then end my day after dinner. I tend to have longer work hours compared to the others because of all the things I have to catch up on. Franny¡¯s classes moved on to teaching me how to weld patches, how to use a cutting torch, how to properly arm and deploy a fire suppressor grenade and the manual suppressor unit I would be carrying around, and a bevy of other things. Most interesting for me was her instructions on how to transport injured personnel. I was pleased to know that if I pass my evaluation test, they would add a responder certification to my I.D. registry. If cooking doesn¡¯t pan out, I could work as a relief officer for NGOs or as a safety officer for companies.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    T¡¯s lessons on dispensing death at a range was doing less than satisfactory. I was improving, just not as much as we hoped. I was not a natural with a firearm. I have to constantly remind myself of the proper steps before firing on a target. I was slow and inaccurate compared to the mercs and I still keep of freakin¡¯ stabbing with the gun when my concentration slips. T was still optimistic that I would learn enough in time to pass my test and I tried to think positively but deep down inside, I was depressed with how much I suck at it.


    I started roaming around the different areas of the ship I have access to during my off time. It¡¯s both to familiarize myself of my new home and to satisfy my curiosity. I found the crew bar a deck down and it looked like a dive you¡¯ll find in any station. It even has a name above the door in neon lights. ¡®Punch Drunk¡¯ serves different kinds of alcohol that can either be bought through creds or salary deductions. It was only available to crewmen and women after shift. I normally pay a visit for a bottle of beer when I¡¯m done for the day. It was a fun place with loud music even if the bar is small and can accommodate only a few dozens at best. I got to know the barman, Gar, an older Barral who decided that being a barman is better than being stuck planetside. He loves the idea of traveling and was a former Merc himself. He¡¯s too old to run around and his shell was not as strong anymore. He petitioned for the admiral to allocate him some space to provide entertainment for the crew. It was not a hard decision since a warship like the Woglinde would sometimes be in transit for extended periods of time. The crew needs a place where they could wind down and just have a good time. The bar regularly show competitive games on its multiple screens so bar crawlers have something to shout at when getting blind drunk.


    I also made a couple of tentative friendships and people were starting to warm up to me. Part of that is because the food quality of the dirty galley is better. Having a great meal after doing some hard work always do wonders for your mood. There was even some talk among the crew to donate some creds to our budget so that we could afford more and better ingredients. That is a common practice among officers and the crew thought that they wouldn¡¯t mind eating fancy sometimes.


    It was the eighth day since I started working on the ship and we were busily preparing dinner and something for midnight rations. We generally cook something easy and have the servidrone keep them at the proper temperature and to serve those that come in for late night meals so that we could get some proper rest. We don''t have enough people to work the night shift. It was a particularly busy evening because we would be serving three species today. Barral food is easy to prepare but it¡¯s a lot. T and I were busy hauling huge slabs of Sauropod meat from the walk-in freezer. Franny was working the meat like a maestro with her spice shaker on one hand and a butcher¡¯s knife on the other. She was cutting the meat in long, fat strips that she skewers it with a rigid, violet vegetable. She wraps it with a thorny leaf then ties it up to secure it together. She took out a large sealed container from a nearby cabinet and opened it. It contained sealed jars of bright yellow liquid. When she removed the seal, an acrid aroma wafted around the preparation room. Musaka, who¡¯s species¡¯ nose is very sensitive, started coughing in loud and long intervals. He stumbled around and was struggling to open a cabinet. T rushed to help the Inugorian while Franny resealed the jar and apologized profusely to Musaka. She has forgotten about the extreme reaction of the Inugorian to the substance. Musaka waved her away as T fitted him with a half face mask.


    ¡°What the hell is that?¡± I asked. I picked up the jar and stared at the viscous fluid.


    ¡°It¡¯s a binding agent and also a nutrient mixture that reacts with the sauropod meat. Once ingested by a Barral, the mixture hyper activates the species¡¯ digestive fluid causing them to break down the meat faster. The nutrients help maintain proper nutritional content that gets lost during the hyper digestion.¡± She replied as Franny took out a brush and started brushing down each skewer. I took an extra brush and started working from the other end.


    ¡°¡®Break down the meat faster?¡¯ I thought that the Barral could eat almost anything? They¡¯re the only species I know that could eat non-endemic flora and fauna from their homeworld.¡±


    ¡°Yes, they can. There is no problem with them eating without the mixture. This is mostly to accommodate their current lifestyle. An adult Barral takes about 36 hours to fully metabolize food on a full stomach. While they¡¯re still digesting, the Barral is a bit slower. That can be deadly in a fight. Besides, they said that it makes their food taste better.¡± Franny shrugged and continued brushing. I thought about what she said and was supremely grateful to learn something new. I¡¯ve never heard of the practice and I¡¯ve been serving Barrals for years. Now that I think about it, eating in a nice eatery in the middle of a city has a lower chance of flying swords and deadly intent compared to a warship looking for one.


    We just finished preparing the Sauropod skewers when the lights suddenly turned red. The PA system crackled then the ship¡¯s XO could be heard.


    ¡°General quarters, general quarters, this is not a drill. Report to your action stations. General quarters.¡± A blaring alarm could be hear reverberating throughout the ship. I could hear faint shouts and the thuds as people started running to their assigned stations.


    The kitchen crew burst into action. I¡¯ve just finished this part of my training and knew what to do. What I didn¡¯t expect was the sudden burst of adrenaline that was coursing throughout my system. I ran towards the gas valves and started closing the seals. Franny ran towards the back and activated the automated shutdown of the different appliances. T and Musaka just finished securing their assigned emergency shutdown stations and were flying out the door. I took a second to check that the valves were all registering a closed icon before I beat feet. It would be catastrophic if the galley blows up because of an open gas line during a fire. I was running like the devil was after me with Franny close behind. I skidded around the end of the passageway and slammed on the bulkhead. I paid it no mind and rebounded as fast as I can and stumbled in our assigned fire room. I immediately reached for my environmental suit and started donning it. I felt somebody sealing me up from behind and saw Franny do a quick check on my seals before she moved to gear up herself. I helped her seal up too and noticed that my hands were shaking. I don¡¯t know if I was afraid or excited but I was definitely anxious. I slammed a hand on her shoulder to indicate that she was sealed and ready to go. T and Musaka were also done and were strapping on their repair gear. Since I was the least experienced person in the room, I was designated as the mule. I carry all the extra equipment and the replaceable parts. My pack was created with an igneous design that allows it to pack as many retardant tanks, suppressor grenades, and patches an unaugmented human can carry.


    ¡°Comms check. Comms check. Sound off.¡± Franny¡¯s commanding voice came in clear in my helmet speakers.


    ¡°T, ready!¡±


    ¡°Musaka, ready!¡±


    ¡°Albert, ready!¡± I think my voice broke but I hope they were too busy to notice.


    Franny was standing by the fire room wall screen and pressed an icon. A green light went off the top of the door. Franny toggled a different comm channel but kept us tied in.


    ¡°Response crew D-14, ready!¡±


    ¡°Acknowledge D-14. Slaver transport ship was sighted. We¡¯re moving to intercept.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the heads-up, control. The boys and I are packing and waiting.¡± Franny cut comms with control and switched back to our local channel. She waved us to sit on our response chairs beside the repair and firefighting lockers and had us strap ourselves down.


    ¡°Everybody got that?¡±


    ¡°Ooh, those slavers are going to be in a world of hurt. An armored shuttle could take out a slow ass transport. This is going to be quick.¡± T¡¯s derisive assessment of our opponent¡¯s chances was not unfounded. I don¡¯t know much about military hardware but I do know transports. Most freighter-class ships come with two gimbaled single pulse lasers normally used to obliterate obstacles in space like rocks, ice, and the occasional offloaded detritus such as waste canisters. It¡¯s just an extra level of protection to give ship shields some breathing room to recharge. Especially useful when passing debris fields.


    ¡°That is preferable. I would not want to respond to a ship repair call when can be avoided. We have enough work as it is.¡± Musaka replied. He was rechecking his hoses for blockage and was testing the pressure charges. I decided that I should do the same. My pack was a lot bigger but everything was easy to reach. I¡¯ve thought that the patches would weigh me down, and they are of considerable weight, but not as much as I thought. It probably has to do with the well engineered magnetic clamps that attach to different parts of my suit. The pack¡¯s weight sits snugly right in the middle of my upper back. There are buttons on the waist strap that I could press that would extend a holding rack on my pack. I wouldn¡¯t have to reach back for them.


    We sat in silence for a couple of minutes then we felt a slight rumble emanating from above. I looked questioningly at Franny. We had our face shields off to save on O2 and so we could talk to each other normally.


    ¡°Fighter catapults. We¡¯re playing back-up for the system cutters moving in to intercept. We¡¯re not authorized for independent operations.¡± She was listening to the chatter on the comms. We were tied in and I understood what was generally being said but the extensive number of jargon I was hearing was totally new for me.


    In the course of the two hours we sat there, we would occasionally feel some faint rumbling as fighters launched and came in to land. We spent our time chatting and speculating about if the Navy would try to board the transport or just pummel it until it surrenders. There was a lively discussion between the four of us if the slavers would actually allow themselves to be captured. Their normal operating practice is to blow themselves up if in danger of arrest or capture while taking with them as many enemies they can. They don¡¯t have a choice in that. The transport ship probably has a cloaked courier following it from a distance. Those ships are almost impossible to find if they don¡¯t want to be. The overlord that leads the slaver operation in the area would be in the cloaked courier with the detonation codes for the ship down to the individual slave soldier. Once the overlord decides that the usefulness of the transport is at an end, he could choose to detonate the ship by overloading its power plant. That would be a double-edged sword, though. The transmission signal could easily be traced so if he does make the decision, the courier ship would immediately gate out after ensuring destruction.


    It makes me sad and angry when I think about the fate of the poor bastards the Krait slavers have. They live and die based on their usefulness and the whims of their overlords. I promised myself that if I ever get into a situation of either be dead or be enslaved, I would choose to die. I don¡¯t think I would survive the brutality of the life of a slave. Why prolong the pain? I¡¯ll just give them the finger and eat laser.


    Eventually, the order to resume regular operations rang throughout the ship. We stood up and started returning the equipment back on their ready racks. I was happy that we didn¡¯t have to do anything. I tried not to show my nervousness while sitting on my ready chair but my constant twitching and tapping of my legs didn¡¯t fool anybody. Franny would check up on my once in a while to make sure I was doing fine.


    Franny requested access to the engagement recording and had it streamed on our fire room screen. According to her, the ¡®battle¡¯ was over half an hour ago.We watched as the system cutters disabled the ship by slagging its engines. They then started pounding on it with rail cannons, blowing gaping holes all the hull of the transport. The transport¡¯s two puny lasers were shooting back but it was too weak to penetrate the cutters¡¯ shields. It took just moments before both turrets were silenced and destroyed. It was all over for the slavers and we were just waiting for the cutters to deliver the coup de grace. The ship already looked like somebody chewed on it. One of the cutters started demanding for the ship¡¯s surrender but was met with silence. There was a brief debate about capturing it but the threat of the slavers scuttling the ship was too great a risk so they decided to destroy it and look for survivors later. The cutters deployed their missile racks for a volley. Before they could do so, the transport suddenly exploded. The explosion ripped the ship in half. Pieces of the ship peppered the cutters and were rocked by hard hits. Their shields held, though one of the cutters reported a blown power coil. A huge chunk of the transport¡¯s hull slammed on the beleaguered cutter, overloading its shield matrix. The coil melted but it saved the ship.


    There wasn¡¯t much left of the slaver transport but the cutters were still out there doing SAR operations. They¡¯re hoping they could scoop up a lifeboat and find somebody to interrogate. Most people think its wishful thinking. What people were concerned about was that the ship explosion was not triggered remotely. That means that the overlord courier ship is still out there. There were very few reasons why an overlord ship would stay and all of them are disconcerting. To this day, the council worlds still curse the name Xiao Bin, a scientist of infamous status, who after inventing the cloaking technology and pioneering the design for the galactic shadow ships, promptly defected to the Krait Slavers. It was sensational news 12 years ago when a SecNet stream was highjacked by the doctor to announce his change of employment. During the broadcast, he vented his anger towards the galactic council¡¯s treatment of him. He railed about how the council would force him to work while separating him from his family. His wife eventually left him and his children grew up barely knowing their father. He blamed the council for his wife¡¯s abandonment and subsequent divorce and promised that he would inflict the same pain he felt after his life crumbled around him towards the council worlds. Now, slavers ships are equipped with cloaking devices and other new technologies that the doctor cooked up. It is the only time in history that a pirate/slaving group is able to match council tech. The saving grace for the multitude of species the Krait slavers prey on is that they''re constantly broke. Nobody wants to fund such a well-armed people who can, at a whim, enslave you. Kidnapping and economic sabotage could only get you so far. They normally have ships doing piracy work but they have to very careful about that. The council revived an old practice of using Q-ships to sucker pirates and slavers into attacking. It took a while before the Krait slavers caught on. By the time they started scaling down their attacks, they''ve lost a sizable number of ships they''re I''ll afford to lose.


    We made sure everything was on its right place before we left the fire room. Franny reset the ''on duty'' signal then informed us that we clocked in at 47 seconds in our readiness speed. She wants to work that down to 40 seconds for the next couple of days. She wasn''t too happy about how long we took in getting there, suiting up, then getting gear on. I felt guilty since I was the one slowing everybody down. I will just have to work harder if I didn''t want to be a liability.


    We got back to the galley and restarted everything. Thankfully, there wasn''t anything on the stoves that required uninterrupted cooking so nothing went to waste. There are ways to save undercooked food or interrupted cooking but it normally requires a lot of effort to get it to taste good. The worst thing is some meats don''t react to well when the temperature of food goes down or up to a specific level. The meat would stay hard even if you reheat it to the previous temperature. Texture also is a variable not easy to replicate after some vegetables get soaked in solution. Chemical softeners would fix most problems but the softeners really messes up the taste. We did the best we can and came out with a passable dinner spread. It wasn''t our best work but it would still taste good.


    We were loading the counters when people started streaming in. There were a lot of grumbles about not being able to participate in offing the transport. The admiral is a revered man among the Red Tigers and they wanted some payback. They could accept the admiral being a target since he chose this life and it''s a life of danger. What they can''t accept is the failed kidnapping of his daughter. When they saw the traumatized child with a bruise on her face, they almost did an unauthorized assault drop on Illustratum to search for the evil bastards. The admiral had to threaten them with expulsion from the Red Tigers and that barely did it.


    The more experienced mercs were saying that there was still a chance for them to get some licks in. The overlord courier is still in-system and there were still those slave soldiers hiding in Illustratum. The older mercs are counting on the Ceres government to hire them to root them out. The local police were already struggling with the number of tourist in Ceres. They don''t have the numbers to also address the off-world terrorists threatening their people.


    We finished up dinner and called it a day. I headed to Punch Drunk for a bottle of beer before I go to sleep. It was a particularly intense day for me so I felt exhausted. I got there and saw the place packed. Rather than the screens playing some game or another, a space at the far corner of the room was cleared and a low platform was placed. The improvised stage looked very festive with the multi-colored lights on the background and some cloth trimmings on the edge of the stage. The stage was occupied by a band preparing to perform. I was feeling really pleased since I didn''t know we had musicians on board. I could see that it was a small 5-man band that focuses more on pre-space music. A couple of wind instruments and an electronic drum set was prominently on display. A tall, vivacious woman was bantering with the people sitting in the front while her bandmates were tuning their instruments.


    I was halfway done with the bottle of beer when the band got started. It was a tight squeeze around the bar itself as most of the people who were off duty were packing themselves in. I could see T and Franny and gave them a wave. They couldn''t join me due to the number of people present so they settled on leaning on the bulkhead beside the door.


    "Welcome, everybody! Exciting night we''re having, eh?" A couple of laughs rippled through the room as the singer worked her magic. She has a magnetic personality that has nothing to do with her looks. In fact, from what I could see in the back is she wasn''t wearing any kind of makeup.


    "Since the day was such a disappointment, why don''t you let us lift the mood a bit? Just a reminder folks before we start, Woglinde''s premier band, ''The Grease Monkeys'' will be busy next week so we would send an announcement through the Woglinde Community Channel if we could spare the time to perform so make sure to subscribe." A loud boo echoed throughout the room but it went away quickly enough when the singer made a cute pout.


    "I appreciate the love guys but unless you''re willing to work extra shifts for me, you''re going to accept the fact that you''ll be missing me dearly sometimes." She gave one of the crowd a wink that resulted into hoots and cheering.


    "Now that we got that out of the way, let''s have some music, shall we?" The holo keyboard started flashing as the keyboardist banged out a quick beat that the drums and the saxophone blended into. It was followed after a measure or two for an intro by the singer. She has that rich, low tone that reminds you of lounge singers of yore. The crowd quieted down and drank their poison while enjoying the great performance.


    I finished the first set before I decided to call it night. It was a busy day and I just got a message from Franny. Apparently, some high-level politicians from Ceres will be visiting tomorrow for a meeting with the admiral. Franny didn''t elaborate about what the meeting is about and just said that I was the only one who has experience in serving non-mass consumption food. She wanted to talk to me tomorrow before shift about what are our options for a five-course meal. We had limited stocks on board so we''re going to have to be creative. I was already thinking about the different recipes we could try but the fuzziness in my head tells me that one, I had too much beer, and two, I was tired. I acknowledged her plan and slowly made my way to my cabin.


    I took the time to clean up when I got back to my cabin. I was really tired now but I didn''t want to sleep filthy. I took a sonic shower instead of using the water. I want to save that for when I really needed it. As I crashed into my bed, my last thought before I went to sleep was how bare my room was and promising myself to decorate it when I get the time.

 Fishy Guests and Toasty Rooms

    CHAPTER 8


    I could not escape the infernal beeping. It has that insidious tone that works itself through any blockage you would put in your ear. It¡¯s like a scraping sound gift-wrapped as a pleasing tone but in reality, it¡¯s like a rake that slowly but surely scrapes off any vestiges of sleep you would deign to have.


    ¡°Five more minutes, mom.¡± Is what I thought I said. If that is what actually came out of my mouth, I don¡¯t know but I suspect not.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be late for your meeting.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m tired!¡± That whining quality harkens back to my childhood.


    ¡°Lateness is unbecoming of an employee. If I may note, Ms. Vasiliev is not very forgiving of tardy employees.¡± She really had to say that, didn¡¯t she? I¡¯ve yet to see Franny really angry and I¡¯m not going to test that.


    I forced myself to get up from bed. I check my chronometer and saw that mom woke me up 20 minutes earlier than normal. I didn¡¯t really do anything strenuous yesterday other than that brief sprint to the fire room and the frantic gearing up we did. We mostly sat in so I don¡¯t understand why I felt so tired.


    When I felt that my feet were warm enough, I got out of bed and took a shower. I need the water to shock me awake. It didn¡¯t take me long to get cleaned up and properly attired for a day of kitchen duty. After taking a quick look at the mirror, I was out my cabin, walking leisurely towards Franny¡¯s office. Her office is actually is nearer the ¡®clean¡¯ galley which serves the officers and ship crew. It reminded me that she was on loan to our galley due to staffing shortages. She did say that we had some prospective employs that she would follow up soon. We don¡¯t have a relief crew so we¡¯re all working long hours. Third shift had been making a lot of noise about the quality of food they¡¯re getting. Midrats is not exactly known for its great spread.


    I took the auxiliary tube down rather than taking the central lift. The aux tube is an open personnel tube that has its own gravity field. It could be lowered or turned off to float or slowly descend a person towards the target deck. There are handholds at regular intervals that a person could grab onto to propel themselves faster or to arrest movement. It¡¯s normally off limits during general quarters because you¡¯ll never know if you¡¯ll lose power. It¡¯s a sorry way to go, ending as tomato sauce on the deck.


    I reached Franny¡¯s office and knocked on the door. I heard a disgustingly chipper ¡®enter¡¯ from the other side. The door unlocked and slid open to allow entrance. As I stepped inside, I made a quick look around the room. It was a utilitarian office. I could see some crates stacked at the back end of the room. From the stamp of it, I recognize it as sealed dry vegetables. The office is basically an extra storage room with a desk and a table computer. There were readers strewed around the desk and I could see some coffee stains marking the wooden furniture.


    I anxiously glanced at my ArmCom to check the time because there were people there already. I was sure I wasn¡¯t late but I was in my morning fugue so I might have misunderstood something.


    ¡°Good, you¡¯re here. C¡¯mon and meet the rest of the team. I¡¯ve realized that for all the time you¡¯ve been working the galley, you¡¯ve yet to meet your spatula brothers.¡± Franny urged me with a wave to take the last open seat near the door. I could see both T and Musaka seated beside a tall, thin man with an incredible mustache. T gave me a two-finger salute and continued his discussion with the man. Musaka just nodded and listed as another short Asian girl bend his ear.


    ¡°Alright, everybody is here. Before anything else, you¡¯ve noticed that we got a new guy. His name is Albert Mayon. He just joined our team during our last port of call. He¡¯s helping us out in the dirty galley so I don¡¯t want to hear any complaints from all of you about serving more people than your regular galley assignments.¡± Franny paused to give some people time to react but since none raised a concern, she went on.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to serving a few Ceres officials later on today for lunch. Albert and I are going to be preparing a five-course meal for our distinguished guests so don¡¯t bother me then.¡± An Inugorian with black and blue markings flicked her tail high in the air. Franny nodded to her.


    ¡°Why is the new employee the one helping you? Should not one of us be a more logical choice?¡± That was actually a good question if I didn¡¯t know the current situation of the galley crews.


    ¡°He¡¯s the only one among us that actually had experience serving non-shipboard food. We all are experienced ship cooks, don¡¯t get me wrong, but none of us are used to serving fancy dishes. Albert here used to have an eatery down in Ceres before he joined us.¡± That got a people nodding. The person beside me turned to look at me.


    ¡°You have an eatery in Ceres and you¡¯re here? Why, for god¡¯s sakes!?¡± The incredulous man asked. He has that aristocratic look that reminds me of those nobles from the Sol system. His blonde hair was cut ear length and was meticulously combed.


    ¡°My eatery experienced some problems with its operations that cannot be addressed in the near future which necessitated me to look for other viable options to continue my practice.¡± I didn¡¯t really want for everybody to know my circumstances of joining the Red Tiger.


    ¡°Slavers blew up his restaurant while trying to off the admiral. Our boy here killed one of augments trying to shove a blade through the old man. Our glorious leader offered him a job.¡± T explained like I was doing a bad job at it.


    ¡°Ah.¡± was my seatmate¡¯s only response. I gave T a pointed look and he just grinned at me and shrugged. I supposed it was better to get that out of the way now rather than later. Franny cleared her throat to focus our attention back to her.


    ¡°Point is, he knows how to cook fancy. None of us do so we¡¯re thin on choices, no offense.¡± She directed that last part to me. I took it in stride.


    After my introduction, the group went on with the discussion of the next menu cycle, equipment status reports, stocks acquisition, and the like. It didn¡¯t take too long. Most of the concerns other than the low manpower are the need for gas recharge for some of our cooking appliances and certain chemicals that we need to add flavor to the meals of the non-humans on the ship.


    That is the biggest reason why multi-species ships are rare. Depending on the species you have on the ship, the smooth operating of a ship could run from difficult to almost impossible. Gravity, atmospheric requirements, diet, sleep cycles, racial necessities and a bevy of other things needed to be taken into account if you allow multiple species to work on a ship together. That¡¯s why most ships that do practices the idea only take onboard species that could adjust to a common environmental situation. The Woglinde is friendliest to the humans since it¡¯s a human ship but certain concessions were made. The gravity onboard was actually 1.1 earth normal and the oxygen content is slightly higher. Most humans don¡¯t need acclimatization when first stepping on board while the other species would take a day or two to feel relatively comfortable.


    What this means for the galley crew is that certain dietary requirements for the Inugorians and Barral needed specific equipment. The cooking of Barral meat requires specialized gasses that react to fire in a specific way which in turn gives the sauropod meat a certain taste. Depending on the gas you use, it would change the taste of the meat. The Inugorians has this ingenious cooking apparatus that looks like a hollow, heat-conductive, ceramic ball that they use to evenly cook certain fruits and vegetables evenly. Inugorian vegetables and fruits are both delicate and tough. It took me a couple of years before I felt confident to serve non-human species in my eatery. I could have saved a lot of money if I stuck with feeding humans but that would get me nowhere. Sure, I¡¯ll always have customers but I would have never been competitive.


    The meeting broke up after 20 minutes. It took another extra five as I made rounds to properly introduce myself to the other cooks. I can¡¯t believe how narrow my thinking got. I knew there were other galleys located in the ship. Obviously, not one galley could feed the number of people in the ship at the same time yet somehow, I completely forgot about the fact. I made a promise to the other cooks to visit them at their workplaces if allowed.


    The other cooks started leaving the room as they had their breakfast menu to work on and I was about to do the same when Franny waved me forward, pointing at the chair she dragged in front of her desk. I left the line and dropped myself on the seat. Franny took her chair and brought up the inventory screen on her table computer.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s your plan for our distinguished guests? The admiral wants a good meal but doesn¡¯t expect us to serve something out of Ballier¡¯s Universal Food Guide. I¡¯ve done my fair share of preparation but mostly as sous chef of our former head cook. I don¡¯t have the proper training for it so you¡¯re gonna have to help me here.¡± Though she was not showing it, her frustration was leaking through her voice. I could understand her predicament. The old head chef left the ship quite suddenly after he started voicing his displeasure about his pay. It was not difficult for him to send feelers out and was able to find some very attractive offers outside. He took the most experienced members of the galley crews and left Red Tiger employment. He did everything properly and didn¡¯t cripple the staff so there was little the captain could do. He could not force the man to stay, nor the others that wanted to leave with him. It was both a blessing and a curse. T intimated to me one night during a drinking session at the Punch Drunk that the man was an asshole of the highest caliber. He drove everybody he works with insane. He had this Napoleonic complex that made him try to boss everybody around for the sheer purpose of exerting his dominance because he was short and ugly. His talent was undeniable, though. He works magic in the kitchen.


    I put that out of my mind and concentrated on the inventory list. I could see that the ship¡¯s food inventory reflects the worlds they have been to. I scrolled on the screen until I found the seafood section. I highlighted it and threw it on the small holo-projector on Franny¡¯s desk. I highlighted the three different kinds of fish we had in stock.


    ¡°Right, I was thinking we should prepare fish as our main dish. I was hoping for some blue marlin but the grouper would do well. I was thinking of a simple, yet popular dish. We¡¯ll clean the fish but other than that, we salt it a bit then put it on the steamer. We¡¯ll serve it with some carrot salad. That¡¯s mayonnaise with strands of carrots and garlic.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but why fish? Not that there is anything wrong with that, but is there a reason why you¡¯re going for that?¡±


    ¡°Illustratum started as a small seaside colony during its founding days. One of the first big operations they had was seeding the sea with terran fish. For the first twenty years, the colony ate mostly fish for their diet. Once the place developed enough, other wildlife was brought in and it allowed for a better variation for their tables. Now, fish is still a favorite staple of Ceresians. They don¡¯t like it heavily seasoned so that¡¯s why I proposed we just salt it lightly. Grouper has a very nice taste and its lean, white flesh is light on the stomach. They won¡¯t have to worry about feeling drowsy during the meeting.¡± It was really helping that I know the culture of the guests. It ensures that I serve something that they would most probably approve of.


    Franny nodded at my explanation and allowed me to continue.


    ¡°We could start with some creamy tomato soup for the appetizer. That¡¯s easy and quick to make yet we could make it look fancy with proper plating. I¡¯ll even drop a decorative leaf on it.


    For our first meal, we could go with some steamed vegetables. Ceresians like beans so we could do that. We¡¯ll make some butter and cheese sauce to go with it. We talked about the fish already for our main so we could take something from our Inugorian friends and prepare a Shalaka Rumi for our fourth plate. We have to ingredients for it and Musaka could taste for us later. I could get away preparing some Inugorian dishes because I have been practicing on some of their more human-friendly recopies. Shalaka Rumi was a regular entr¨¦e in my menu before. For dessert, how about a classic? Leche Flan. It¡¯s simple and sweet. It¡¯s also a great way to get the fishy aftertaste out of your mouth. What do you think?¡±


    Franny cross checked the ingredients while listening to my explanation. She highlighted them on the holo vid and assembled them into meal groups. She nodded while working on that on the course of my proposal and now was seriously contemplating the dishes.


    ¡°Kind of a strong finish, isn¡¯t it? Leche flan would completely wipe out anything left on their taste buds.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and that¡¯s a good thing. Fish breath ain¡¯t exactly appealing.¡±


    ¡°How long would it take us to make these? Those flans are going to need some cooking time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say an hour for everything if we prepare it right. So, are we doing this or would you like me to change it?¡±


    ¡°No, this is good. Nothing too complicated but something fit for the admiral¡¯s table. Let¡¯s get busy with breakfast so we could slot some time for this. They¡¯re not going to be here for a while.¡± I helped Franny stack the chairs then walked with her to our workstation. T and Musaka have already started. I grabbed an apron and got down to cooking.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    A couple of hours later, Franny and I were working on the special lunch for our guests. We were lucky that all three officials are humans. It would have made our work considerably harder if we had to prepare cross-species food that is both palatable and interesting. The admiral¡¯s steward, a Mr. O¡¯Connell, was down in the galley with us. He¡¯s an older gentleman with graying hair but it doesn¡¯t show by how he carries himself. He stood straight and moved briskly. His clothes are immaculate, well pressed and lint-free. The man is a shining example of the modern day butler. What makes him endearing to me is that he wasn¡¯t one of those stuck-up butlers that act that other than their master, everybody else is beyond their attention. He even has that posh, accent reminiscent of the old earth language, English. According to him, they still had to learn the language even if it was a dead one. It does make their pronunciation of standard more interesting.


    The steward was checking on the menu and was there to confer with us about how the food is supposed to be served. He also gave us an idea of what was happening outside our world of food prep. Apparently, CPM and the local police of Illustratum are almost at their breaking point. There were just too many people and not enough officers to go around. With the space restriction in place, none of the off-worlders could leave until the current situation has been resolved. That has been more than a week of panicky, angry people that the government had to house, feed, and protect. No wonder they didn¡¯t put me in protective custody. It just takes on spark to start a pandemonium. The Woglinde has been hired to work in conjunction with system patrol to suss out the overlord courier ship and another suspect transport that they believe to be hiding in-system. They also requested some manpower to secure some of the public places in Illustratum until support arrives from a nearby allied system. The Ceres Planetary Defense has been activated and is slowly spreading marines and other ground units all around the planet. The Woglinde currently has two companies of ground units. The ship was in Ceres for R&R and was not expecting to work a contract so there not much need to house people that would eat you out of your house. The ship generally gets a contract first then goes back to HQ to load on the needed personnel. They have a maintaining force aboard always but it is nowhere near for extensive ground operations. The admiral is meeting with them now to hammer out the details.


    Franny and I were able to complete the menu set without too much trouble. The biggest issue we had was every appliance and cooking utensil we had were industrial in size. We had to look for smaller pans and pots from the stockroom. We gave the steward serving times so that when the set plate reaches the admiral¡¯s table, it would be at its freshest. We placed the dessert on the serving tray and handed it to the steward. He immediately set off to serve the guests, tray in hand. I was bit confused as to why we had to cook the guest''s meals in the dirty galley when the clean one was a hell lot nearer to the admiral''s wardroom. I didn''t say anything though since I didn''t want to sound stupid.


    With the guest''s meals done, we didn''t wait for word on how it was received. We immediately dived into helping T and Musaka in serving lunch. The boys had to work overtime to feed the flight galley and they appreciated the fact that we didn''t dally. It does seem like it was a bit much taking out two people who work in a team to feed a thousand ship crew members to feed three guests. Franny did change the menu set for lunch so it wouldn''t swamp the two while we were addressing the guest menu.


    The rest of the day proved to be routine. I was in the armory, working on my terrible accuracy later that evening when my ArmCom dinged. I finished my shooting practice first, with the master armorer giving me instruction, before I checked my messages. According to the steward, the guests liked the 5-course meal we prepared. Franny added her own input as she was the one who forwarded the message to me that the joint security agreement was hammered out and signed and people are already being deployed. I didn''t notice since I was busy training for my certification test. Franny already signed off my welding skills with a reminder to clean up my straight welds but was satisfied that my skills were good enough for DC operations, albeit a bit messy.


    I returned the pistol and ammo crate to the taciturn armorer and wiped off my sweat with a rag. I was feeling a deep-seated tiredness that doesn''t seem to go away. We only have enough people in the galley for one shift so that means we had to work really long hours. Compounded with the need for me to get training in, I was getting to the point where a night''s sleep doesn''t seem enough.


    I was contemplating asking for a day off while I made my way to Punch Drunk. I checked my employment contract and could see that I''m not eligible for a paid vacation day for the moment. I could ask for an unpaid one, though. It wasn''t too much of a big deal for me if I didn''t get paid off for an extra rest day if my request gets approved. It''s not like there are a lot of things to spend on in the ship. Some people might be used to the long hours and hard work ship living entailed but I was still adjusting.


    I entered the bar and could see that it was pretty deserted for the moment. A few mechanics were having a drink by the screens but other than that, I had some elbow space to spread on. Gar gave me a bottle of my favorite beer when I arrived at the bar. I always get the same thing so he didn''t have to ask me. I took the time to savor the drink while I watched what was playing on the nearby screen. It was showing a nature documentary featuring an Inugorian trying to catch a slippery eel-like thing. The Inugorian was having difficulty catching the creature because it was secreting a goopy substance that acts likes a very effective lubricant. I didn''t know why they don''t just scoop it up with a bucket or something but just watched and enjoyed the show.


    In the hour that I sat there, I worked myself through two bottles of beer and a small bowl of nuts. The bar was slowly filling up and decided that I had enough and will try to get some sleep. I didn''t foresee a problem with that. It was waking up which is hard. I said my goodbyes to Gar and to those I know then made my way to my cabin. As usual, I made the mental note to improve my cabin but as always, I was asleep before I could think up of what will I do to liven up my place.


    ***


    I thought I was dreaming about flying until I slammed on my cabin wall. It was a rude awakening and I was definitely feeling the impact. I bounced off my the bulkhead and dropped down on the deck, legs akimbo. I just lay there, trying to clear my head wondering what the hell happened, when the lights switched red and an alarm started blasting throughout my cabin.


    "General quarters, general quarters. This is not a drill, general quarters."


    I knew I heard the ship wide alarm but my body doesn''t seem like it was registering it. I just continued to lay there on the deck while my thoughts started drifting.


    "Albert. Albert! can you hear me?"


    The person calling me sounded so far away. I might have been dreaming that and let my thoughts continue wandering.


    "Albert! do not fall alseep. Focus on my voice."


    My name was being called but again, I paid no heed to it. They could wake me up later if they really need me.


    "Albert!"


    This time, I was snapped out of my daze when a low-powered shock was delivered to my system. My muscles tensed and released after the one-second charge.


    "Fuck!" My heart was beating fast as I remained on the deck but this time, completely lucid. I was panting real hard and wondered if I ran or something.


    "Albert! Get up! I''ve opened your closet. Your pressure suit is fully charged and ready to be put on. Get up!" I untangled my legs and flipped myself on my belly. I pushed to right myself and it took more effort than I expected. I was panting heavily by the time I was vertical.


    "Mom! what''s happening?" I didn''t see anybody so I assume it was Mother who was haranguing me to move.


    "I will explain later. Please put your suit on." If Mother didn''t want to explain then might as well follow instructions. I moved to the closet and unhooked the secured pressure suit. It was a simple affair. Just a sealed pressure suit with enough air for an hour. I moved as fast as I can, squirming myself in the light green suit. I was getting light-headed by the time I pressed the control stud on the neck of the suit. The suit pressurized and the retractable helmet snapped closed. A slight breeze blew on my face and my head started to clear. I took deep breaths and felt myself getting stronger. I stood there a moment until I felt my lungs loose the strain.


    "What the hell happened!?" I asked nobody in particular. Mother took it upon herself to answer.


    "We were hit by stealth mines. Your cabin door has been damaged. Your section of the deck has been sealed. Yours is the only cabin that was not sealed and was slowly depressurizing and emptying of oxygen."


    I looked at my door and found jagged tears on it. The top half was almost sheared off, bits of it hanging down. I quickly approached my door and it didn''t open. I tried pressing on the ''open'' key on the door controls screen but it didn''t do anything. I ran a system''s check and saw that it was unpowered. I opened the manual door control cover and pulled on the lever. It didn''t want to budge so I threw my weight on it. I placed my right foot on the bulkhead and strained with all my might, pulling on the lever with both hands, shouting obscenities at it.


    The door slowly started opening, grinding and tearing noise marking the protest of the machinery. The door opened halfway before it got stuck. I couldn''t move it anymore no matter how much I pull on the lever. I let go and held myself up on the bulkhead, sucking in air from the exertion.


    "Albert, do you read me? I''m getting reports that your section has been hit. Are you getting this?"


    Franny''s voice was crackling out of the suit''s helmet speakers. I took a couple of deep breaths to steady myself and answered.


    "I''m okay, Franny. My door''s messed up and is not opening completely but I think I could squeeze through. I''ll be at my station as fast as I can."


    "Belay that. You''re the closest to the hull breach in your section of the ship. Get to the nearest repair locker and seal that breach. The team that is responsible for the section is working on another hole. Get it patched as soon as possible then make your way to our section. We''re responding to a fire call so don''t wait for us so get suited ASAP. Clear?" Franny''s heavy breathing indicated that she was running.


    "Clear. Moving!" I closed the connection then took a good look at the door opening. It was going to be a tight squeeze. I worked myself sideways and tried to keep from tearing my suit. Unlike my duty suit, this one is not armored. It could take some punishment but why take the chance. I popped out of the other side a moment later and saw the damage. The deck above me has a long tear on it. Pipes and wires were hanging off the large hole and I could see a small fire starting.


    "Mom, where''s the nearest repair locker?"


    "Routing."


    A map overlay appeared on my helmet with a dot marking the locker. It was on the same deck and pretty near. I jogged towards it and as I passed the other cabins, a thought struck.


    "Mom, how about the other people sleeping? Do we need medical assistance here?"


    "A few reported minor injuries but none are life threatening. All the cabins have been sealed and have enough air for six hours. They also have access to communications. Yours was the only one that suffered damage. SOP is they remain in their cabins until the environmentals in the deck has been stabilized."


    "Great." Just my luck that I was the one who was going to die from suffocation. It didn''t take me long until I reached the locker. It was a small one just beside the sealing hatch. I opened it up and found a couple of good-sized patches, cutting and welding tools and a retardant grenade. There was no rig in sight so I had to use the bag inside the locker. I stuffed everything inside the bag and slung it on. Mom didn''t need to be prompted and another designation was marked on my opaque map currently showing in my helmet. I didn''t run to conserve my strength but I didn''t take my time too. The bag was heavy so I jogged. I was really missing the equipment rig. The sling bag was bulky and unbalancing me.


    The damaged hull was a deck up. I took the ladder going up. I had to dodge to the side before I could start myself up as a person slid down the ladder. A shield was erected around the opening to allow personnel access. The guy took off running as soon as he cleared it. I quickly climbed up, before the strain of the bag makes it difficult, then orient myself. I could see people running to and fro as they do their own thing. There was more damage in this deck but I could see that most of the damage seems superficial. There were no bodies on the floor too, thank goodness. That was one of the things I was dreading during my lectures with Franny. We went through the different ways to secure and carry an unconscious person or an injured one. I could see one guy holding an obviously broken arm but a suited Inugorian was already addressing the injury. I stopped looking around and hurried towards the breech. I turned on my team channel and listened as they conversed. From what I gather, a fire started on Deck-U3. It was taking time because they were also evacuating folks that were unconscious due to the smoke. A couple of other teams were on the way to support them. A few were also on their way to me but I couldn''t wait for them.


    I arrived at the hole and could see that it was a big one. It was about two meters across, bits and pieces hanging off. I checked the environmental readings and could see that there was no air and pressure. The ship was able to keep the grav field working but that''s it. I dropped the bag on the ground and opened it. I took out two patches and removed the plastic covers on the sticky side. I placed them on opposite sides of the hole, half of the patch on the bulkhead with the rest covering the hole. The thick patches looked out of place on the bulkhead but that was how it was supposed to be. I then grabbed the spreader and cranked up the energy output. The nozzle of the thin, flexible hose grew bright green as a small static plasma fire flickered on. Using the guide controller on the main unit of the spreader, I waved the nozzle on top of the patch on the left side of the damaged hull. The patch slowly started spreading out as the chemicals on the patches reacted to the fire. I worked the patch until it covered half of the hole evenly then moved on to the second one. I waved the spreader until the whole was completely covered with the two patches overlapping one another. It took me a couple of minutes to get the patches installed and by the time I was almost done, another damage control team stopped by. The leader asked if I needed any help and told him I was okay. He gave me the thumbs up and rushed to another location that needed his team''s attention. The hole I was covering is significant but not strictly essential to the operations of the ship. The damaged deck is used as a training facility for the numerous personnel working on it. The hole was actually in front of a room used as a lecture hall. I''ve never been here for any business other than to familiarize myself of the ship''s layout during my first few days on the Woglinde.


    I finished the patch job with little difficulty. I glanced on the chronometer I had on the corner of my vision and found that it took me almost five minutes to do a simple patch job. I was a little disappointed at myself because I know I did better than that during time trials during training. I''m now learning that training doesn''t exactly mirror real life.


    I packed up my patching equipment then snagged the analyzer hanging off the side pocket of the bag. I pointed at the patch job and ran the scan. It took just a few moments before a beep indicated that the scan was finished. I checked the screen and it reported a complete seal. I finished off the job by emptying a can of liner on it. The chemical is based on polyurethane that is commonly used for a variety of purposes but mostly as bedliner for grav trucks. The liner I was using has been tweaked a bit to function not only as a seal, but also as a high-impact, kinetic absorption material to help augment the thin patches. It''s no armor and a hit from any ship-based weaponry will penetrate the patch but it would prevent smaller impacts such as rocks and space debris from destroying the quick repair.


    I packed everything up and slung on the bag. I ran towards the nearest ladder and started moving towards my duty section. I opened a channel to Franny.


    "Franny, I''m done here. I''m moving towards our fire room. I''ll get geared up and catch up to you guys." I could hear her coordinating the operation to suppress the fire that started in a storage room and she grunted a quick okay. I made a short detour to return the equipment I borrowed and continued on my way. I had to be light on my feet as people were rushing all over the place. I was expecting to see people panicking and somehow forgot that these were not helpless civilians. What looked like panic was actually well-organized chaos. Most of the people running around are either damage response teams or internal security forces escorting medics. There were specific protocols in place during emergencies and these are trained people.


    I rushed in our fire room and started disrobing. The emergency suit I had on will be insufficient for the tasks ahead. I slot it on a charging dock once I got it off and removed my armored suit off its rack. I put it on, beating my personal best and was strapping on my oversized equipment pack when I called Franny.


    "Franny, I''m suited up and coming your way." I reported as the last of the magnetic clamps secured the pack on my back. I wiggled a bit just to make sure nothing will fall off then exited the room, running towards my teammates.


    "Good, move fast. We need your help here. Wait, Musaka, are those oxygen tanks?" Franny had me on the team channel and suddenly shifted to Musaka.


    "Yes, according to inventory list there were oxygen tanks stored here as reserve." Musaka''s calm voice replied.


    "Shit! Out of the room, now! Move, move, move!"


    I heard T started to say something when a loud bang followed by a whooshing sound almost deafened me. I got really concerned.


    "Franny? what''s happening? Is everything okay over there? Franny?" There was no answer, just static could be heard on the channel. I was really nervous now and started running as fast as I could. I was almost there. I was about to signal for help to their location when Franny started talking.


    "We''re okay, I think. The plastic valves on the tanks melted and let off a lot of oxygen. That was a backdraft you heard. Some of our equipment got slagged but we''re fine. Our suits did the job but the room is now an inferno. Move your ass Albert." Came Franny''s worried voice. I could see on the map that their locators were marking them just outside the burning room. I kept pounding deck while I listened as Franny called some back-up. The blaze was eating away at the storage room and help was needed. They were barely keeping it from spreading out. I was sliding down a ladder when another ship wide announcement came through all channels.


    "All hands, we are under attack. Prepare for combat maneuvers."


    ...shit.

 Teamwork

    The ship lights changed red and there was a new sense of urgency in the air. As I ran past people, I could see frantic movement and a greater sense of purpose. Not saying that the situation earlier was a walk in the park but you tend to be more receptive to action when somebody was trying to shoot you.


    I was running hard, trying to reach my team but the pack was slowing me down. The armored environmental suit I was wearing didn''t have the amplification system that the combat models do. The model I was using was rated for extreme temperatures for both hot and cold and was certified for void work. All of that amazing tech still weighs and I was already puffing and I was only just halfway there. I had the unfortunate luck of responding to an emergency that was way out of my area of responsibility.


    "Albert, D-15 and D-16 are on their way here. The fire is getting out of control. I can see you''re going to pass a repair locker. Get some gel. We''re gonna need it."


    "I..got...it..." I could barely find the air to speak, I was so focused in sucking as much oxygen in my lungs. I was really out of shape. Well, I was never really in shape.


    I took a left at the end of the passage and found the locker Franny was talking about. Repair lockers are placed in strategic locations for easy access. They all have the same contents so if you can find one, you''ll always know what''s inside.


    I yanked it open and popped the latch of a sealed box. The box contains half a dozen gel packs and I took them all, stuffing them in my front pouch. I closed the box and made a quick scan to see if there is anything else I could use. There were a few more fire grenades but I decided that it would be a bad idea to take everything. Somebody might need it later. Besides, I was already heavily loaded.


    I started running again and almost tripped when the ship suddenly rumbled. I was more surprised than physically bothered by it. The inertia compensators were working so it must have been something serious for me to feel it. I toggled our team channel.


    "Got the gels...huff...Will be there...huff...soon."


    "Great. D-15 is already here but D-16 got redirected towards a different emergency. Move your ass!"


    I didn''t bother to answer and just took the next ladder down. I slid down and dropped heavily, groaning from the weight on my back. A couple of turns later, I finally reached the storage room that was in flames. Franny was not kidding, the room was raging.


    My team was hanging back, assisting D-15 while they used their suppressors to try and beat back the flames. T saw me and pointed at the ground in front of him. I took a knee at the spot and pressed a button on my backpack belt. The retracted rack on the pack extended, allowing quick access to the stuff I brought.


    The team hastily started removing things, attaching some to their person while replacing some parts on their own equipment. I could see that their suits were blackened from the fire but were still in good condition. T replaced a melted connecting tube while Musaka reloaded his grenade launcher.


    The fire grenade works on the principle of oxygen starvation. The grenade creates a small explosion that burns the oxygen in the area, therefore starving the fire of the fuel it needs. The difficulty in making these grenades was that it should be strong enough to use the surrounding oxygen while not blowing anything up. In most situations, chemical retardants would be easier than using the grenades but for ships, there could be some very important equipment that is susceptible to them.


    "Right on time, man. I was starting to feel a little useless watching those D-15 guys." T said. He just finished replacing his tube and was spraying a specialized non-conductive fluid that has been highly modified for fire fighting. The fluid needs to be able to suppress fire and keep our electronics alive. Rather than spraying it as a stream, the fluid was being projected from T''s hose as a thick mist, slowly moving its way inward the room.


    "Yes. I also dislike the feeling." Musaka added. He was firing his launched at an angle, working his way from the back, sweeping left and right. The grenades were working beautifully, blasting pockets of fire out.


    "Don''t worry. There''s enough work for everybody. Albert, the gels please." I passed the gels I primed while the team was loading themselves with equipment to Franny. She pressed a button on one then tossed it at a cleared space. The area was still smoking and the glow of embers could be seen scattered amongst the burned equipment when the pack hit the floor. The gel pack quickly melted then a thin green, viscous liquid started spreading out rapidly. The gel spread out across the room, smothering embers, ensuring that it would no flare ups would occur in the case of oxygen. The gel slowly evaporated, leaving the area completely fire-inert.


    Our team and D-15 worked in tandem, slowly but efficiently working ourselves deeper in the storage room. It''s a huge one with a lot of things to feed the fire. Franny and T worked at each end of the room, slowly sweeping with their mist guns while Musaka was pumping grenades at especially fierce fires. I trailed behind, injecting reloads for the mist tanks, handing out fire grenades and keeping an eye out for flash points. I have a heat sensor in my left hand that I used to sweep the extinguished areas of the room. It''s more of a safety precaution more than anything. The mist, grenades, and the gels already formed three levels of blanketing material. My sensor is already overkill but like what I learned during training, fire is the bane of all ships. Much better to be doubly sure than not.


    It took us about five minutes before Franny declared the ''Fire out'' signal. All the time we were working, rumbles and small tremors could be felt once in a while. I ignored it and just focused on my job, being a pack mule for the team.


    "Shit, man. That''s a lot of creds that just went up in smoke. The hell, man!" T was looking around the room, pointing at the destroyed equipment. He bent down and picked up a half-burned replacement chip for one of the recycler drones. It crumbled in his hand.


    "Equipment could be replaced. There was no reported casualty during the fire nor did we find one. We are fortunate." Musaka made an excellent point, people before equipment. I suppose there is a point that we have to take risks to save equipment since we are basically floating in space in a metal can and properly non-burnt equipment would be essential for our continued existence but you can buy parts at the next port. You can''t buy a life.


    "Yeah, I know. I just don''t like it when somebody wrecks our stuff. It''s a waste of money. Money wasted mean less money for us." Right. the shares thing. I forgot.


    "Enough blabbering. Time to head back. Don''t forget, we''re on General Quarters. D-15 is already gone." Franny said.


    I looked around and indeed, the other response crew was already gone. Franny hustled us out of the room, pushing and shoving us to move. There were no immediate problems that we have to respond to at the moment but that could change in an instant, combat damage can happen at any moment.


    We made it back in short order. The team was pulling out ammunition and charging pumps. I had to work extra fast since they basically emptied out my pack. The only thing left were the patching equipment. Franny was busy talking with control, trying to keep us informed about the flow of the battle. The rest of us took advantage to get our helmets off. The suits weren''t exactly brand new. Despite the advancement in technologies, removing the smell of farts in old suits still elude scientists.


    "Hectic day, eh?" T was wiping the sweat off his glistening plate. It seems his suit thermals broke.


    "Hectic!? I almost died! Friggin'' mine opened a hole in the deck. Mom had to shock me to keep me from passing out. Next, I had to patch a huge hole then I had to run all the way back to get back to you guys, so yeah, It''s a hectic day." Musaka was strapping himself secure in his seat and I could hear him laughing, that airy coughing Inugorians make.


    "Bracing experience, is it not? I find life and death situations as a testament about our lives, species willing to fight for their place in the galaxy."


    "Dude, what the hell are you talking about? The last time we getting shot at you were the first one to tell us to break it off. We could have totally wrecked those raiders." T said.


    "Well, yes. We could. But it would also mean less credits for us. If I may remind you, we were being paid to capture them alive. That means not dead. I distinctly remember you were the one insisting that we, and I quote, ''shoot them in the ass'' for the difficulty they''ve put us through. Thankfully, Franny also has a vested interest in keeping our captives unharmed."


    "THAT WAS ONE TIME, MAN! You''ll never let me live that one down, won''t you? There is probably nobody left that you''ve not told that story to."


    "It presents too good of a moral for people. Restraint has a place and time." I didn''t notice I was nodding along. Musaka talks like everything he says has weight. He probably does.


    Franny removed her helmet and her red hair spilled out. She cracked her neck and looked at T.


    "I didn''t hear you complaining about the creds in your bank account after that job. Who knows, those stupid bastards could have died from an infection of something. I would have been pissed at you then.


    "Anyway, great job guys. All emergencies have been addressed. Control says the transport we were looking for was actually two transports. Somehow, one of the ships was able to extend its cloaking field to hide the other one, that''s why were only able to pick up one signal. The other one is a heavily modified carrier. It''s a piece of shit from what I''ve heard and it was spewing out some outdated fighters. Our pilots are having a field day out there. The captain is not in a generous mood after they holed his ship so half of the Spathas are on anti-ship bomber runs. They''re not going to last long.


    Alright, when we return to normal duties, Albert, you and Musaka are to get some food ready. Our people are going to be hungry. T, check up with the other-


    Franny was not able to complete what she was about to say when klaxon suddenly started blaring, drowning her out.


    "Attention crew! Boarding sleds detected. Prepare to receive boarders. Repeat, prepare to receive boarders. Ship security, to your defensive positions. Ship crew, report to the nearest armory."


    All of us were cursing as we pulled off our straps. The ship has a small number of armories spread out in multiple decks. The biggest one was just beside the security station. The logic behind it was to not put all our eggs in one basket. It gives the ship the opportunity to fight back if one is captured. Conversely, there would be more opportunities for boarders to get extra weapons if they capture one.


    I was about to run to the armory when I saw the others opening their packs.


    "Uh, guys? Aren''t we, I dunno, suppose to go to the armory...?" I was fidgeting around, not sure why they aren''t too bothered by the announcement.


    I was going to ask again when T pulled out an energy gun from his pack. I looked over to Musaka and he was loading his own energy pistol with a fresh power cell.


    "Here, use this." Franny handed me an energy pistol. It''s was a Galmex ST-14, a pistol based on Barral tech. It''s a bit heavier than regular energy guns since the miniaturization process didn''t translate well to current tech and it only has two firing modes but it was essentially modeled after the PDF23, albeit a more powerful variant. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    "What about you?" Franny opened her locker and took out an axe. It was no ordinary axe, it looked like something out of fantasy novel.


    "What. the. hell."


    Was the only thing I could say. It was a large, wide-bladed hand axe. The scarlet-painted head has a forty-five centimeter retractable spike on top and a crow''s beak at the back. It looked like somebody took a halberd and cut the shaft to fit it as a single-handed weapon. I could also see energy running on the plasteel shaft. The grip was molded and I could see that it fits Franny''s hand perfectly.


    "Don''t worry about me, I have an extra." Franny clipped the axe on her right thigh and drew another energy pistol from her pack. She also attached it on her weapon slot on her left thigh.


    Franny had to instruct me on how to slot my weapon on my armor. We haven''t gotten to that part yet. She also gave me three extra power cells that were good for five hundred regular shots each or one hundred overcharged ones. Overcharging shots allow the laser to punch through anything less than power exosuits. I was taught not to get too comfortable using pumped shots. You''ll not last long in a gun fight.


    Armed and ready. I stashed my power cells on the belt pouch. I rehearsed grabbing them to check if anything catches when I dig in it and was satisfied that I could reload cleanly. I noticed that my hands were slightly shaking. I knew that there was always the possibility of me having to pick a gun and fight but it still doesn''t remove the fact I don''t react well to it. I tried opening and closing my hands to stop the tremors but it was still there. A large paw landing gently on my shoulder made me look up from staring at my shaking hands. A pair of bright green eyes greeted me.


    "Fear is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, the absence of fear in a person is more concerning. Do not think of it as ending the life of others but continuing your own. Take slow and deep breaths. Focus at the task at hand. Empty your mind of thoughts of fighting and go over your equipment checklist. Are you fully equipped? Did you check your seals? have you checked on your teammate''s suit?" Musaka''s voice slowly help me bleed out the anxiety that I didn''t know was building up. I followed his instructions and took deep breaths, ignoring my gun for the moment and focused on my job and wouldn''t you know it, I forgot something. I looked back at the placid Inugorian and felt myself calming.


    "Thank you." I was very sincere too.


    "Nothing to thank for, friend." reassured that I was not panicking, he went back to his seat and relaxed. I looked over to see that Franny was following the exchange and gave me bright smile and a thumbs up. I replied in kind then went back to stuff my pack with the few things I forgot.


    When I went back to my seat, Franny approached me.


    "Okay, I know we could potentially be in a fight. When a call comes in and we have to move out, T and I will be walking point. Stick by Musaka and keep your right hand free. We''re a damage response crew, we''re not expected to fight. Still, we need to be able to protect ourselves, hence the weapons. We would try to circumnavigate any firefights but we still need to get to our calls fast. If we do get into a fight, remember your training. Don''t jab with the gun. Keep behind cover and let us deal with it. You''ll be acting as our support so if I tell you to fire on something or someone, don''t hesitate, clear?"


    "Crystal."


    "Great. We''ll get you your red stripe yet."


    "Red stripe?"


    "A red stripe on your ship jacket. It marks you as a fighter."


    "Oh. Okay then. Honestly though, I''d be fine if I didn''t get the opportunity to earn one."


    Franny just laughed and went back to her seat. She toggled her comms and was busy listening in to control. The rest of just tried to get as much rest as we can. I opened a small pocket and took out a food bar. I unwrapped it and took a big bite. It was a mistake.


    "God, this thing is horrible!" I wanted to spit it out but it was a waste of food and there is no greater sin for a cook than to waste food. I could hear T and Musaka laughing.


    "You don''t have to tell us, brother. That bar is notorious for its taste. I think the company that makes them didn''t care enough to make it taste good. It''s really nutritious, though."


    "T, I don''t care that it''s healthy. It still sucks. When I get the time, I''ll introduce you guys to something called a granola bar. They''re old school trail food. Pre-space recipe nutritionally improved for the modern man."


    "Hey, if you can make ration bars better, the ground pounders will kiss your feet."


    "I don''t think it would take much to make this edible." I waved the bar at him.


    The three of us continued bantering, waiting for the next emergency. Franny would make a comment here or there but she was mostly focused on listening in to control. I understand that they were doing this for my benefit. I''m not used to the idea of getting shot. Now, there is a distinct possibility that I would be dodging lasers before the end of the day. I knew that they were trying hard to get my mind off it and I appreciate it.


    It didn''t take long before Franny cut in during our conversation about the benefits of flash toasting bread.


    "Alright boys, we''re on. Check your map. We''re going to be plugging some holes. Keep your eyes open, ShipSec is still fighting off some raiders on Deck E-4. I''ve plotted a route to bypass them but there might be some stragglers."


    I just finished resealing my helmet when the map blinked on. Deck E was not far from our station and it makes sense since it is within our area of responsibility. I stood up and put on my bulging backpack. I double-checked that the energy gun''s safety was engaged then powered it on.


    Franny and T were already moving out. I hurried to follow and Musaka drew level with me. We worked our way towards our marker, fast but cautious. Franny and T were jogging ahead, a couple of meters separating us. We were climbing up a deck when I started hearing the faint sounds of fighting. There were no explosions, more of the high, keening sounds of energy discharge. Gauss weapons are rarely used when fighting within the confines of a ship. The weapons are too destructive to be used around sensitive equipment. Most boarders aim to capture ships with as little damage as possible. The less holes they blow, the more profits they make.


    "I just got an update, ShipSec said that our uninvited guests are almost done in. Just a few small groups trying to evade security. They''re not exactly sure where all of them are so, you know, keep an eye out." Franny said.


    "Great. Now every corner is a possible surprise." I intoned.


    "Exciting, isn''t it?" Musaka did sound excited.


    "No, no it''s not."


    "You''ll get used to it. We''ll help you. We''ll even let you take the first shot, won''t we, Franny?" T added.


    "Of course. ''Experience breeds proficiency'' as the saying goes." Franny slowed down and took a quick peek at the next corner. She gave an all clear and waved us on.


    "No, it doesn''t say that. You made that up."


    "Still true, though."


    We were almost to our marker when Murphy''s law made itself known. We came upon a T-junction, the left route was towards officer''s country while taking the right route will bring you to one of the ship''s small armories.


    T checked the corner going right when he suddenly jerked back. He almost lost his footing after throwing himself away from the blade now sticking out from the corner.


    I knew that my team was made up of experienced fighters but I haven''t imaged them outside the confines of the galley. Imagine my surprise when as soon as T secured his footing, his right hand flashed to his gun and shot the emerging augment three times in quick succession. To me, the entire sequence happened like something went missing in the middle. I just know I saw T evading then the next thing I saw is the human augment crumpling to the ground. Three scorch marks were visible on the boarder''s chest.


    "Back! move back!" T kept firing down the right passage while the rest of us flattened ourselves to the wall. T dropped and rolled towards us, counter fire peppering the deck.


    Franny took a knee and fired back with her weapon, giving T the opportunity to clear the wide corridor. He was scrambling on the deck, trying to keep from getting himself shot.


    I grabbed his collar and pulled him in as soon a lull in the shooting from the boarders came.


    "You okay, man?" I asked. I couldn''t see any injuries but I might have missed something.


    "Yeah, I''m good. They almost got the drop on me, shit."


    "I don''t even know how you avoided that. You''re damn fast."


    "Natural gift and training. If either one was missing, I would have been dead."


    "T, Stop yapping and shoot back! Musaka, get on the line and sic ShipSec on these assholes."


    T stood up and fired from a standing position. We didn''t have any heavy weaponry but so did the boarders. I just crouched beside Musaka with my own energy pistol in my hand. We were trading shots with the enemy but it seems like we were at a stalemate.


    "I''ve relayed our position to the nearest unit. They have informed me that they will arrive momentarily." T shared to the team.


    "Momentarily!? that is not what I want to hear. Listen, get back to them and-"


    Franny had to break off talking when a storm of laser fire forced her to draw back from her firing position. T flinched when a laser almost shot off his arm. It went on for about a couple of seconds then nothing. Franny and T were about to fire back but when they peeked out of the corner, what they found was five boarders charging our position.


    "Shit!"


    We didn''t have time to move to another position. The boarders were already halfway towards us when the shooting stopped. Instead of running towards a fallback position, I saw Franny draw her axe. A soul-wrenching scream exploded from her throat then she burst from her hiding position, axe raised high. T backpedaled, shooting from the hip like one of those ancient gunslingers. Musaka slotted his gun and got into all fours. He started loping after Franny, moving at great speed. He gave me one instruction as he and Franny closed in with the boarders.


    "Kill the shooter!"


    I gather that there was probably one or two guys that will be trying to take pot shots at us while the other boarders get up close and personal. I sidled to the corner and tried to not look at the melee Franny and Musaka were currently embroiled in. Franny greeted the lead boarder with an axe to the gut. The boarder tried to bisect the red-haired head cook with a diagonal slash with her cutlass but Franny sidestepped and slammed her axe deep in her opponent''s stomach. Musaka took a short leap and delivered a powerful kick to the head of one of the boarders trying to take advantage of the opening the dying swordswoman made. There was a lot of snap in the kick, rattling the man''s brain. He dropped unconscious on the deck.


    I wrenched my sight from the fight and looked for the shooter in the background. Sure enough, A raider with a rifle popped out of a doorway. That was stupid. It was one of the first things T had drilled in me. Do not expose yourself when there is cover to be had. He hasn''t fired yet, probably trying not to hit one of his people when I took my shot. He was perfectly outlined and stationary, a clear sightline from my pistol.


    And I missed.


    Missed probably is too gracious to describe my pathetic shot. I shot the bulkhead almost three meters behind him. He didn''t even realize that he was under fire. He was moving now, trying to get a better angle. I cursed then quickly went over mentally what T had taught me. I toggled the burst fire mode and tried again.


    This time, I did better. I didn''t hit him but it forced him back to the doorway, my laser fire burning the deck around him. He jumped back, hiding in the room. I took a couple more shots to keep him from shooting back then quickly ducked back around my corner. The fight was now in the middle of the junction. Two of the five attackers were already down and out but the other three were fighting with desperate vigor. Musaka was fighting off two boarders and was slowly backing the embattled Inugorian off. Musaka was throwing kicks and punches at an astonishing speed. The one on his left tried to tackle him to the deck but was greeted by a powerful punch, staggering him back. His partner had to work double time, using his cutlass to keep Musaka at sword-length.


    For a race known as healers, the Inugorians probably have the most aggressive fighting style. They built their fighting style with the principle of overwhelming power. They attack fast, hard, and multiple times. There were some expert martial artists that criticized the form for its lack of defensive maneuvers, the powerful strikes leaving a lot of openings. The Inugorian simply asked them to spar with them. It was said that the experts that participated in the sparring changed their opinions afterward. An interviewer asked why and they just said, ''you don''t have to defend when your opponent is too busy trying to defend himself.''


    Once the mouth-bleeding boarder cleared his head, he raised his sword to get at Musaka while his partner was keeping the Inugorian''s attention. He took at step forward then dropped to the deck.


    T was watching the fight, trying to get a shot in when Musaka''s punch forced the boarder to an open space. T didn''t hesitate and shot him in the head, burning a hole through his temple. The boarder dropped like a puppet whose string were suddenly cut. Musaka was now free to focus his attention on the lone swordsman. He was dodging and weaving around the sword strokes while keeping the other boarder within sight. With the other boarder gone, Musaka was able to go on an offensive. Timing the strike of the cutlass-wielding opponent, Musaka dove inside the man''s space then stopped the strike mid-swing. Rather than blocking the blade, Musaka blocked the swing near the grip, bleeding off the power of the strike and jarring the sword arm. Musaka''s right arm punched forward in an open palm. He wrapped his long finger on the man''s neck then twisted, breaking it with a loud crack. It happened so fast the man probably didn''t see the attack coming.


    The shooter tried to work his way around the corner of the doorway but I kept him from making any aimed shots. He was spraying with his rifle, hoping for a lucky shot. There were multiple chances that I could have taken him down but like him, I suck.


    While I was trading fire with the rifleman, Franny faced off with the last boarder and he was a big bastard. He was more than two meters tall and unlike the other boarders, he was fit and looked competent.


    Unlike the others that were using cutlasses, this one drew a long knife. He moved at speed, belying his size. He was using his knife to make fast, precise cuts. Franny had to use the shaft of her axe to block those she couldn''t dodge but it was a losing proposition. The man was putting a lot of power in his strikes and it was pushing Franny around. Musaka tried to help but had to drop down flat when the rifleman sprayed his area with laser fire. I was trying to keep him pinned down since I couldn''t hit him but he wasn''t taking aimed shots. He was just sticking the rifle out and pulling the trigger. It was a miracle he hasn''t killed the big one yet.


    Franny was not happy being pushed around. Another scream tore out of her throat then she stepped back. The big guy was surprised too. Normally, screaming would mean working yourself forward so he was totally unprepared when a gap opened between them. The knifeman tried to rush in again but Franny had swinging space. Her axe pulsed blue when the knifeman blocked the overhead strike. The man suddenly shouted then dropped on his knee, electrocuted by Franny''s axe. Franny drew back then cut off the now-stationary man''s arm. The axe cleaved through the shoulder, severing the arm with an explosion of blood and gore. The man dropped on his back, flailing around in pain. Franny straddled the man then gripped her axe in an underhand grip. With a last shout of rage, Franny stabbed down with the spike of the axe through the man''s heart. The man only had time to gasp before he died.


    I was still trying to tag the rifleman but I still couldn''t hit him. I took a knee to better steady my shots but still I missed. I already worked through one power cell. That''s a whole lot of ammo for nothing.


    I was reloading when the man stepped out of the room. Franny and Musaka had just finished their fight and were still out in the open. There was nobody else the shooter had to worry about now. I was still pulling out a spare power cell but there wasn''t enough time to reload my pistol. I was not thinking when I threw the power cell as hard as I can at the rifleman. The power cell smashed on the man''s ear, making him drop the rifle and grab his bleeding ear. Before he could recover, T shot him in the chest, burning three holes in a nice, close grouping.


    It was like time stopped. We were all just standing around, breathing heavily. I couldn''t believe I was still alive. I participated in a firefight! I wanted to throw up but I was still trying to register what happened. I think I would have stayed there, looking at the dead shooter if not for Franny''s voice coming in clear in my helmet speaker.


    "C''mon, we still have a job to do."


    Right. We''re damage control. That is what we do.


    If our enemies just try to remember that, everything will do just fine.


    but they won''t, will they...

 Broken Things, New Things

    We hoofed our way to our marker without meeting any more stray boarders. I focused on keeping bile from spewing out of my mouth. The vision of a bloody flying limb dropping with a squishy thud on the deck was seared in my brain. If I didn¡¯t have a helmet on, I would have heaved on the bulkhead.


    At least my hands stopped shaking.


    That was a weird. I would have thought that all the excitement would have turned me useless again. I hope I was not getting used to death. That would be sad.


    We just passed an intersection and found ourselves near one of the smaller hangars. It was normally used as a receiving port for personal shuttles or space yachts. D-14 and some other teams are generally responsible for areas near the fighter launchers and the hangars. It¡¯s a huge place so there are certain overlaps in response locations. The other teams were already doing something else from what I gather so we were alone when we got there.


    It was some nasty work we had in front us.


    A large, uneven tear almost bisected the entire bulkhead from the hatch towards the adjoining section. There were some small fires as some of the electronics were fried and sparking. The entire interior hangar doors were jammed and bent and the outer force emitters were fluctuating, threatening to lose its containment shield.


    The reason for all this mess was the boarding sled lying embedded on the deck. It plowed through the deck for a short distance before its nose hit something and got stuck. The boarding sled looked like an oversized missile. It worked with the same principle. The boarding sled would be launched from a gunship like an ordinary missile. The difference is that it would contain a twelve man boarding crew, complete with all their equipment. The sharp nose is shaped from extremely hard duraplate sheeting and is tipped with an explosive charge that blows outward once the sled reaches a certain proximity to its target, softening or completely penetrating the hull of a ship. The passengers are cocooned inside a shock gel-filled carriage to avoid being turned into paste by inertia and g-forces. Once the sled had made penetration, the gel is quickly drained from the compartment, spraying the vicinity of the sled to act as a fire suppression agent. The carriages release their hold on the passengers as the top section of the sled pops open from small charges strategically placed along the edges of the lid. From penetration to combat ready only takes less than ten seconds with a trained boarding team.


    ¡°Shhhiiieeettt! They wrecked our ride, man! Look at all this! The captain is gonna be scalping some heads later.¡± T exclaimed as he made a slow turn in the small hangar, examining the damage.


    ¡°I concur. I find myself feeling¡­ disagreeable. I¡¯m fighting the urge to locate and battle our uninvited guests.¡± Musaka has already dropped his pack and was pulling equipment with both hands.


    ¡°We can kill them later. We have work to do. T, get those emitters stable. I think there are some spare focusing lenses in one of the boxes scattered around here that you can use as replacement. Musaka, put out the fires and restart the main console. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s too damaged. You could probably get it to boot on auxiliary power. Albert¡­ Albert!¡±


    I had my hands on my knees, sucking oxygen in deep breaths, trying to fill my lungs with as much air as I can. I was concentrating on breathing so I mentally toggled my silent signal to flash a green dot under my name on Franny¡¯s visor UI. I also gave her a weak thumbs up when she looked over at me, leaning on the damaged bulkhead.


    ¡°Take a minute then break out the cutter. Start by replacing the broken pipes and plug those leaks. Leave the wiring to Musaka then help me patch it up. I¡¯ll start on the far side on the room.¡± Instructions done, Franny jogged to her end of the tear and started bending and cutting the jagged pieces sticking out with her cutter.


    I felt bad that I was slowing them down yet also grateful that they didn¡¯t make me feel unwanted. Not only am I bad in a fight, my stamina is nowhere near what is needed for an extended operation. I resolved that starting tomorrow, I will start doing some cardio.


    When I felt that I was no longer in danger of passing out, I unhooked my cutter and got to cutting. The blinding green light from my tool made easy work of the broken pipe segments. There weren¡¯t a lot to be cut but they were some awkward pieces that would require Franny and me to work in tandem. Franny kept us updated on how the battle is going and it was no surprise that we were chewing them up good. Retribution was quick and vicious. The other two system frigates that we were attached to had already disabled the modified slaver carrier. The other transport was a floating scrap heap after it got overwhelmed by missiles. The Ceresian navy was done trying to take captives.


    This was my first time working on some extensive damages and had my helmet sensor feed the vid to Franny. She kept an eye on what I was doing and gave me some corrections or tips on how to apply fixes. I am somewhat handy since being an eatery owner, most of the time I would have to effect repairs on my appliances when then conk out. I was satisfied that there wasn¡¯t anything really beyond my skill to repair. It just takes me longer to do it compared to a veteran spacer.


    Franny and I were manhandling a large, warped piece of the bulkhead that she just cut off when an announcement went off informing the crew that we''re now off general quarters. We were still at condition two, or modified general quarters, until command is confident that nearby space is clear. CSP was flying and a combat shuttle was sent to investigate the destroyed ships.


    It allowed us to relax some, now that we were not on the lookout for new boarding sleds digging themselves through the hull like a parasite. There were still some lost boarders roaming around the ship but they were rapidly being put down by ShipSec.


    That was something we had been discussing while we worked. The boarders didn¡¯t seem to have a goal in mind. Most boardings normally follow the same procedure. Secure engineering and the bridge, lock out the ship¡¯s personnel from access, then make a slow sweep when reinforcement arrives. The boarders we have had the pleasure of meeting were going the other way from the small armory. The armories are all manned by a small security team of six. They could have made a serious fight if they wanted to.


    Another thing was while the boarders have shown some competency in using their weapons, they gave Musaka the impression that they had minimal training. Without his battle staff, Musaka said that he would have been killed by the two that tried to corner him if they had been properly trained. He was able to take them on unarmed.


    Lastly, there was that big dude that made Franny sweat with just a knife. He was exceptionally well-trained. Compared to the others, he was out of place in their group. T speculated that the knifeman was a New World fanatic. A paramilitary religious sect that believes that true happiness could only be found through faith and obedience. They also believe that only an ¡®enlightened one¡¯ could lead the different galactic races to universal peace. They handily do not mention that the enlightened one happened to be their own leader and he is a despotic megalomaniac. They made it their divine duty to spread happiness to the galaxy by any means possible. It was not unheard of for the two most despised groups in space to work together, no matter how rarely they do. The New World men have no compunction about using slaves as meat shields while the Krait Slavers love the credits the fanatics pay them.


    We debated about it for a while but came to no conclusion. The entire situation was insane, now that we were talking about it. The slavers attacked a core world and it was not just a small raid to capture a high profile target like what the Red Tigers initially thought, they brought an assault team down toIllustratum, made a play for the admiral in the middle of the food district, then continued to threaten the populace by digging in, forcing the police to scour the city for hidden slave soldiers. That is all before a total of three, yes three, transports carrying probably hundreds of slave soldiers lurking about Ceresian system space. That was enough hardware and personnel for the galactic council to declare it as a major incursion, forcing the core worlds to mobilize a large task force to bring the slavers to heel.


    The slavers do not have the capacity to make war with five core worlds in this arm of the spire. Even if they were working with new world fanatics, those religious zealots would not sacrifice their people in a match against the council¡¯s best. All of us tried to come up with a reason as to why they are making themselves a target while working but came up with far-fetched ideas or totally stupid ones. Most of the stupid ones coming from me.


    I finished replacing the broken pipes with extender tubes then hurried to help Franny with the patch job. The repair crew is going to have a lot of work ahead of them when this is all over.


    It took us more than two hours to finish everything we need to do. The damage was extensive even if they were not critical. Normal operations had been declared earlier so we packed up everything and tromped back to our fire room. Franny was busy communicating with control and Musaka and T were discussing the fight earlier. I almost forgot about it. I listened in as they critiqued how the fight went and how they could do better next time. It was refreshingly very objective. They pulled out the captured vids on their helmet sensors and watched how each other dealt with their foes.


    We reached our fire room and started getting out of our equipment. T removed his helmet and I could see he was covered in sweat. It looked like he just took a bath.


    ¡°Finally! Man, my balls were sweating in there.¡± He took out a small towel from his locker to mop his face up. He sniffed and made a waving motion.


    ¡°I stink! This suit is going to the cleaners before it put it on again.¡± His face was all scrunched up as his own body odor was making him gag.


    ¡°Just be thankful your environmentals was the only thing that got fried. We¡¯ve never pushed the heat plating on these things before.¡± Franny interjected, thumping her chest armor. Their armor was showing streaks and splotches of stressed plating. Burned paint and other cosmetic additions to the suit melted from the intense heat.


    ¡°I¡¯m not complaining! I¡¯m black enough, thank you very much. I don¡¯t need no toasting.¡± T replied. He was finally able to shrug his suit off and he was totally soaked. His shirt was plastered on his skin, outlining his impressive physique. It made me feel puny.


    ¡°Yeah, sure you¡¯re not. The same guy that bellyache every time he gets nicked by a kitchen knife says he not complaining. Sure. One moment¡­¡± Franny froze as she took the ear imbed from her ArmComm and stuck it in her ear. She listened for a moment then gave an affirmative back to whoever she was listening to.


    ¡°Okay, guys. the last of the boarders have been taken care of. We¡¯re now hosting three new prisoners in the brig. ShipSec was able to disable to implanted charges on the slave soldiers brain before it could detonate. No fanatic though. We¡¯ve been cleared to resume normal duties. I¡¯ve got to report to a meeting so Musaka, you¡¯re in charge. Get some food going. Doesn¡¯t have to be something complicated. Make some sandwiches and take out some hard fruits and nutrient drinks. That would do for the moment until breakfast. There¡¯s gonna be a lot of hungry people. Control says the flight deck got hit hard. Not a lot of casualties but it would need some major repairs. Spathas could still dock, no problem but the launchers are all messed up. Keep me informed on how things are going. This meeting is going to be a long one.


    Albert, once you got some food on the trays, take one of food carts up on to the flight deck. The maintenance guys probably won¡¯t have time to come down for a quick bite. They¡¯ll appreciate it. Don¡¯t forget to ask permission from the flight boss before you go mucking around in there.


    T, get your stinky ass to a shower then give Musaka a hand in the galley. He¡¯s short-handed as it is. Wait, drop off that suit for repairs first then get that shower. Lord knows, you might need it later. Get a replacement, soonest. Any questions?¡± We all shook our heads.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m off.¡± Franny was the fastest to get out of her DC gear. Her clothes were crumpled a bit but she still looked presentable. It was like she didn¡¯t have a medieval face off with a knife-wielding new world fanatic earlier. I even got a whiff of a perfume when she left. When did she have time to put that on?! No wonder she was the darling of our part of the ship.


    ¡°Come, it is time for us to do our other job.¡± Musaka¡¯s tail flicked at us, urging us to move faster. I hurriedly attached the power jack on the back of my suit and also inserted a small hose to refill my small oxygen tanks. The suits have scrubbers/recyclers that provide breathable air for the user but it cannot work indefinitely. Some activities that require strenuous exercises would mean that the user would be breathing heavily for extended periods of time. The scrubbers would be hard-pressed to keep up. The small oxygen tanks would help alleviate the pressure on the module and also prolong operational time. During nominal usage, the tanks would be on standby as reserves. The scrubbers would do just fine.


    The walk back to the galley was like going to the market. The corridors were jam-packed with people in ahurry to be somewhere. Almost everybody had that disheveled look. We did just got attacked very late, shipboard time.


    The galley made it out unscathed. Nothing was damaged or out of place. We quickly started working on some quick meals. I pulled out some cold cuts and some cheese for some classic clubhouse sandwiches while Musaka was measuring some nutrients for the Barral drinks. I also laid out some flat bread to make some Inugorian burritos. One of the few dishes that humans and Inugorians could agree on as a culinary treasure. We didn¡¯t have some fresh tomatoes left so I had to get creative with it. I used some tomato sauce that we use for chili con carne and mixed it with a hardening agent. Using the food creator series 2, a very well-made appliance that I consider as a necessity in any kitchen, I had myself a small loaf of jellied tomato. I tweaked it a bit so it would have the same consistency of the cold cuts.


    It didn¡¯t take us too long to fill our work table full of finger foods. I took out the long serving cart and started loading food on it. I also grabbed some small fudge bars for the humans that want some dessert and a bag of dried sweet Inugorian fruits for our tailed friends.


    By the time the cart was fully loaded, I had to ramp up the grav repulsers due to the weight. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t affect how it could be moved. I slid some organic cleansing spray and a box of wet towels in a compartment so the crew wouldn¡¯t have to eat with grimy fingers.


    I left Musaka who still working on something then pushed the cart towards the central lift. The smell of food was also making me feel peckish but I ignored it. I work in a galley. I could grab a bite later.


    The people in the lift generously made space for me and the cart, smart move to be nice to the guy that serves you your meals. Flight deck was one deck above so I was pushing the cart out almost as soon as I got in.


    The flight deck got hit hard. I though the auxiliary hangar looked messed up but the expansive fighter deck looked like somebody made it a battleground. Pockmarks and scorches were everywhere. The launcher rails were all bent and warped, requiring a full replacement. Something must have exploded near the flight boss office because the windows had shattered. It would have taken more than small arms to destroy the specially-treated glass. I could also see some of the flight deck personnel sporting some bandages.


    I made way through the busy hangar. Repair crews were swarming over damaged areas, either repairing or replacing parts. A muti-crew operation was ongoing, trying to remove mangled launch rails.


    I made sure to not get in the way of the working people. I had no plans on getting screamed at by the miniboss, who was giving quick and precise instructions to the different crew leads. I approached the man during a lull and cleared my throat. The Inugorian turned to look at me.


    ¡°Yes?¡± The miniboss was a black and white striped Inugorian. I guessed that he was a member of the Forest Sentinels based on the red streaks on his cheeks. Only members of the Inugorian elite fighting force are allowed to have those.


    ¡°Assistant Cook Mayon, sir. I¡¯ve brought some refreshments from the galley. Finger foods and drinks are available for those who want it, sir.¡± I gestured at the loaded cart just behind me. I instinctually knew that the causal way we address each other in the galley would not fly with this officer so I tried to be more¡­ professional.


    The officer was busy perusing his pad so he didn¡¯t notice the cart. He looked at it and a wide smile appeared on his face. He had some very sharp teeth.


    ¡°Excellent! Our people would appreciate it. My compliments to your crew. If you could move over there, I would have those coming out of rotation to get something from you.¡± The miniboss touched a sensor on his throat and announced the arrival of food. There were some cheering from the haggard crew and people started drifting my way, just below the flight boss office overlooking the flight deck.


    I pulled out the cart¡¯s extenders, making it to a small table. I arranged the food to separate it by species. You don¡¯t want to have somebody getting sick because they were too tired to notice they were munching on something incompatible to their species. I handed out towels to those you preferred to use it and sprayed some cleansers on the hands of the others. The cleansers worked very well, the dirt and grime practically slid off their hands and dripped on the hangar deck. I asked a guy from a crew coming off rotation if he could check up on the flight boss office and ask if they want anything. I bribed him with a fudge bar. Chocolate worked wonders on the reluctant man.


    I assembled a plate of food for the air control crew then made for a quick delivery. I handed the Barral that greeted me by the door a two-liter bottle of nutrient drink and arranged the plate on a small side table beside the door. The flight boss thanked me and I made a hasty exit, back to my cart.


    The flight deck crews almost emptied out the cart. I was worried that there wouldn¡¯t be enough for everybody so I was happy everyone got something to eat. I returned to the galley but not before I got some appreciative shipmates thanking me for the snack.


    After I stowed the cart away, I entered the galley to find Musaka and T already working on breakfast. I checked the chronometer and could see that it was almost five in the morning, shipboard time. I grabbed my apron and manned my station.


    ***


    I was serving the people in line for breakfast when Franny made her appearance. From the looks of her, she had a less than ideal meeting. We greeted her but kept at it. We would probably get our briefing after the morning food rush was over.


    ¡°Hey, Albert! What¡¯s this thing?¡± A sweaty mechanic with the name ¡®O¡¯Connell¡¯ was eyeing the newest addition to our menu.


    ¡°That, my friend, is called Chow Mien. It¡¯s a popular dish in the L¨®ng Sector. Think of it as spaghetti just made out of egg noodles. It¡¯s good stuff.¡± I replied. Proud that my recommendation was added to the current menu cycle.


    ¡°¡­but I¡¯ve never had it before. Is this shit good?¡± The man was looking at me askance.


    ¡°It¡¯s good. In fact, I would say it¡¯s great. Think of it as an adventure for your taste buds. There are still two other dishes in your plate if don¡¯t like it.¡± I pointed with my ladle at the small loaf of garlic toasted bread and the sausages on his plate.


    ¡°Okay¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll like it, though.¡±


    ¡°You uncultured swine! Not everybody likes to eat potatoes and sheep all the time. That¡¯s probably why you can never keep a girlfriend. You keep on feeding her lamb stew. I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯t grown wool yet.¡± A lady at the back of the line was shouting at my doubtful conversation partner, making him turn red. The other people in the line guffawed at the remark. The embarrassed man spun back and raised his fist, shouting back in turn.


    ¡°I¡¯m not uncultured! I just like my food familiar. I¡¯m sorry if I don¡¯t like shoving unfamiliar things in my mouth, ¡®Becky¡¯¡±


    ¡°You bastard! I told you not to call me that!¡±


    ¡°Well, if you stop being a bitch then I wouldn¡¯t have to.¡±


    ¡°Why you pale little shit¡­¡±


    ¡°HEY! Knock it off! If both of you can¡¯t act like adults, then both of you can step the hell out of my galley. Don¡¯t make me go over there.¡± I didn¡¯t realize Franny was standing behind me before she made herself heard over the argument. She stared hard at both of the offending personnel and showed them her menacing axe. Like abashed children, both of the replied with an ¡®Yes, Franny.¡¯ O''Connell took his tray and left the line while the lady at the back tried to make herself inconspicuous. The crew generally was ecstatic about trying something new. I guess traditional Western European dishes had been the norm for quite a while.


    The line was moving quickly, now that Franny opened a new one. I glanced at the axe she leaned on a counter.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the axe?¡± I asked. Boarders are all gone so I can¡¯t think of anything else needing hacking. Aside from the chunks of meat in the freezer but we have tools for that.


    ¡°The knife that fanatic was wielding was using some kind of new alloy. The shaft of my axe has nicks on it. I had some people on production look at it and they¡¯re gonna craft me a new durasteel shaft. I can¡¯t imagine what can cut through hardened durasteel but the guy¡¯s knife did. Intelligence took hold of it and is running some test on the knife.¡± Franny explained. She splashed some soup on the shirt of the guy she was serving when she dropped a bowl on his tray extra hard.


    ¡°Hey!¡± the outraged man exclaimed.


    ¡°You¡¯re fine, sweetie. Here, have some brownies.¡± She gave him a small square then stroked his chiseled chin with her left hand. She even winked at the blushing dude. All the anger drained out of him and was now looking both pleased and embarrassed. He stammered a thank you and took a seat with his friends who were all relaying their envy.


    ¡°How come he gets some lovin¡¯? What about me?¡± One of him friends loudly asked Franny.


    ¡° Oh shut up, Brent. He¡¯s nice to me and doesn¡¯t look like he had been stomped on by a Sauropod. Maybe if you get a better hair cut than that sorry excuse you have on the top of your head, then maybe I would consider so sit down and eat your brownie.¡± The room exploded into laughter. The mood of the room suddenly got a lot lighter. I don¡¯t know if that was a calculated move from Franny but it worked wonders. There were a lot of pissed off people after the attack and the atmosphere was so heavy it was almost suffocating.


    ¡°It¡¯s like that, huh. You¡¯ll see. When we get to our next port, I¡¯ll show you what a real man looks like. I¡¯ll warn you now, I clean up good.¡± The man shot back. He angled his face to give Franny a good look of his ¡®good¡¯ side but it just made her laugh, hard.


    ¡°Thank heavens. I don¡¯t think you can get any uglier.¡± Came Franny¡¯s witty remark. The room laughed even harder, some egging Franny on and the others detailing the confident man¡¯s less impressive features.


    The galley became a more hospitable place after the injection of the much-needed levity. People were speaking to each other and cracking jokes. That was an impressive move and I said so to Franny. She just winked at me.


    ***


    Breakfast was finished and we finally had some down time for ourselves. I grabbed a mug of coffee, trying to stimulate my brain and to stave sleepiness away. My interrupted rest was giving me a hard time. I normally need six hours of good sleep for me to be functional. There is no chance for that today.


    ¡°Team meeting! Gather around people!¡± Franny clapped her hand and waved us to the preparation tables. We collected some chairs and took a seat around the head cook. She took her own seat and waited for us to get settled in.


    ¡°So, the meeting earlier, it was not pleasant. A lot of swearing and teeth gnashing. The admiral was not happy that we were surprised by a bunch of slavers and was asking for solutions for those stealth mines. Anyway, halfway through our meeting, we got a priority communication from Tyr, We¡¯re to make for home immediately. They didn¡¯t elaborate why, just that we don¡¯t dally. After we¡¯re done with emergency repairs, we¡¯ll be transiting out of this system.


    We have eight hours before we start our transition. The captain had approved of some channel time later if you have to say goodbye to anyone in Ceres. Keep in mind that you¡¯ll only have a twenty minute vidcall time allocation. Use it wisely. Albert, I know you have some friends down there so plan your calls ahead. I¡¯ve reserved you a slot at eleven hundred hours. Don¡¯t waste it.¡±


    T was about to say something when Franny raised her hand, stopping him with a gesture.


    ¡°I know you guys have some questions but I don¡¯t have any answers. I don¡¯t know why we were recalled and I¡¯m not in the loop in terms of our current slaver situation. I¡¯ll share more once I know more. For the moment, just keep at your jobs and make sure we have everything we could need. I¡¯ve been approved for one more shipment for food stores. T, check our gasses. I know we need a recharge for some of them. Work on a requisition form for me to send to production. I¡¯ll let them know what you need. Musaka, make a list of fresh consumables that we¡¯re low on so we could compare it to market prices. Albert, work with Musaka. You know the markets in Ceres better than we do. We might get better prices. The more we save the more we have to spend elsewhere.¡±


    I rubbed my chin in thought. That¡¯s a good idea.


    ¡°I know some suppliers that could provide us some vegetables. Mostly root crops though. I¡¯m friendly with some micro farmers. There¡¯s this family-run fish farm just outside Illustratum that has some of the best crabs and shrimps you¡¯ll ever taste. I get in touch with them.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now, I¡¯m off to check on the other galleys and to get a nap. Wake me if anything happens. This interrupted sleep thing is ruining my skin.¡± Franny said while rubbing her forearms. She hefted her axe and strode out of the galley.


    ***


    ¡°So, this is it, huh? You¡¯re really leaving?¡± Flower asked. His worried face looked back at me through holo projector of my table communication console.


    ¡°Yeah. I dunno when I¡¯ll be back. Things have been real crazy lately. I¡¯ve never been so busy my entire life like I¡¯m now. Makes me wish I still had my eatery.¡±


    ¡°are you sure?¡±


    The question caught me off guard. I was ruminating on how I lost my eatery when Flower¡¯s question snapped me back to the present.


    ¡°What do you mean? Of course, I want my eatery back. I poured my life and soul on that small, cozy place.¡± I looked at him incredulously. How could he even ask that?


    ¡°Right. I know you. If you really wanted to, you would have fought, begged, and whined until you got your money back. You didn¡¯t even have to work on that ship. You could have moved to the next system and waited the storm out, minimizing the chance of getting shot at by slavers. You like your new job.¡± His face became bigger as he slowly moved closer to his projector.


    I spluttered, trying to push words out coherently but I might as well be speaking gibberish. Flower smiled and sat back, staring at me with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°For all of your talk about how you love having an eatery, you¡¯re an adventurer at heart.¡± His sing-song voice was irritating me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± I shouted back.


    ¡°Right. You¡¯re not. Whatever you say. Anyway, listen, I¡¯ve some family living in Tyr. If you¡¯re ever in a jam and your friends can¡¯t bail you out, give this ID a call. My cousin will lend you ahand. Don¡¯t bother him with the small stuff. Okay? Only if you¡¯re in real dire straits. I¡¯m not exactly in favor at the moment.¡± A standard comm. ID was sent to my ArmComm. I saved it and attached an emergency code to it.


    ¡°Your family? You¡¯ve never really talked about them before. I don¡¯t know any of them. You sure he¡¯ll pick up a strange call?¡± I asked doubtfully.


    ¡°He¡¯ll pick up alright. That ID comes with my personal signature. He¡¯ll know that I endorsed you to him.¡±


    ¡°¡®You personal signature¡¯? What are you, some kind of rich kid? I thought those things only happen in vids?¡± I laughed at the thought. The guy that mucks around in the mud with his sabre having a personal ID tag. That¡¯s hilarious!


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up space cook. Just don¡¯t forget that ID. Anyway, I have to get back to the hunt, I don¡¯t want some old rich guy getting mauled by the local wildlife. Shoot me a message when you have the time. I¡¯ll be here. And baby too.¡± The sabre¡¯s large head pushed Flower away and yawned at the holo. She tried pawing on my image, hoping for some contact. I smiled at the cat and made some soothing noises. Flower pushed aside the big cat to get the holo back.


    ¡°Keep safe man.¡± He said with sincerity.


    ¡°You too. Keep safe.¡± I replied. Flower cut the connection and I sat back on my chair. I swiveled it to face the hastily-patched bulkhead of my room and wondered what Tyr held for my future.

 Fresh Air and Flying Knives

    Tyr. An interesting world and a serious case of contrasts. Tyr was settled about a hundred and fifty years ago by retiredInugorian war veterans looking for a home, away from judging eyes of those who have never experienced war. The greenish yellow planet presented them the opportunity to have a fresh start, surrounding themselves with the bountiful nature of the rich world and people who understood the horrors of combat.


    In the decades that followed, the Tyrian leadership had allowed the immigration of other species. Human, Barral, and the aquatic Vellager also found their way to Tyr. They have formed the backbone to the development of the world into the military power it is now.


    For first time visitors, most would find the world confusing. The Tyrian government bills itself as leisure planet, not without cause since it is fourth place in The Galactic Tourism Guide. The locals had made the environment the main feature of the world. Environmentalism is the main ideology and they molded everything around it. Walking down the main streets of the Tyrian capital Sheer Alkan, you will be surrounded my massive trees scattered at regular intervals. The city architects cleverly contoured the streets as if the trees were grown there organically while in factif you take a bird¡¯s eye view, the city is laid out in a very organized manner.


    Cobbled avenues and tent shops dot the myriad commercial centers giving the city a very rustic aesthetic. Walking around with a close-quarter weapon is also allowed and encouraged, building up the look of a pre-industrial age. Most of the natives also love wearing period appropriate clothing, though made from modern materials as to not lose the convenience of modern technology.


    Under the veneer of the beautiful and quaint lifestyle, Tyr is also known as the mercenary world. The newest of military hardware and personnel could be found, bought, and or hired here. The different mercenary companies that originated from Tyr are some of the highest paid experts in the field. The Red Tiger Mercenaries are actually reputed to have the best ground pounders, able to match themselves with galactic marines. Aquila, SpeckTech Securities, and Red Tiger Mercenaries are the three biggest and well-regarded mercenaries of Tyr. They are also members of the Tyrian committee. These three groups alone generate a quarter of the yearly revenue of the world from government contracts.


    Another thing that most people don¡¯t know is that mercenary companies are the ones that keep the space lanes clear of piracy. The various governments scattered about this sector of space do not have enough ships or money to safeguard both worlds and space lanes. The economic impact if they would do so would be crushing. Nobody would have enough money to support long range patrols and station ships around galactic systems. It¡¯s much better (and cheaper) to pay somebody else to scour the space lanes for pirates.


    As a result, Tyr space is probably one of the most heavily-fortified systems, and that is even including the core worlds. Tyr¡¯s two moons have been converted to stationary defense fortresses, able to house three hundred fighters each. The fortresses have a massive main rail cannon that can fire ship-sized smart slugs, able to adjust trajectory mid-flight. The cannons¡¯ range far outstrips any mobile weapons platform so a ship couldn¡¯t just sit back and bombard it from afar. They would either have to send in fighters to neutralize themor get in close and slug it out. That would be a bad decision.


    The gate is also saturated with mines and multi-shot energy platforms arranged in a security net. The energy platforms are small, plasma lancers connected to a power bank. They pack a wallop and are good for three shots. Once they burn out their banks, the small engine of the platforms fires up and makes for the nearest identified threat. The depleted lancers are loaded with high explosives that detonate on impact, allowing for one more chance to do damage.


    If any potential hostiles still manage to get through those, they would then have to face the combined might of the mercenary world. The Tyrian home fleet has the same fire power as any galactic core world. Some say that the mercenaries have a stronger force considering that Tyr is always guarded by a Behemoth-class ship. These ships are considered as world enders since they, by themselves, could give battle to a heavy task force and come out winning. They¡¯re like mobile military bases. Tyr has two of them that rotate duties protecting the world. T.S. Lam-Ang is currently sitting like a squat frog above Eddas Sation, the main space docks of the planet while T.S. Ines is nowhere to be found. I suspect that it¡¯s probably busy terrifying the shit out of somebody.


    I was so busy engrossed in learning more about the world when I got startled by a thud. Somebody was pounding on my door. I activated the door sensor and saw T outside. I allowed access and the door slid open. There was still some jitter on its movement and I could also hear a slight squealing sound from its rushed repairs. Nothing for it.


    ¡°Ready?¡± T asked. He was wearing something fashionable today. Aside from the light gray shirt, T has also donned his leather jacket with a Red Tiger emblazoned on the back. His tight pants and high cut leather boots perfectly accentuate his well-toned body. A holster with a laser pistol and an extender sword was strapped to his waist, completing his ensemble.


    ¡°Just about. Let me put my jacket on.¡± Franny presented me with my own jacket. I was damn proud of the red stripe on the left shoulder marking me as a combat vet but I still felt slightly guilty about it. I didn¡¯t really help that much but Franny insisted that I¡¯ve earned it. Not only did I not run in the face of combat, I also saved the admiral back in Ceres.


    I wore a simple white shirt and a pair of pants the crew has retrieved for me from my apartment before leaving Ceres. I don¡¯t follow fashion trends but I manage to buy some good clothes.


    ¡°I¡¯m good. Let¡¯s go.¡± I said. I was excited to explore Tyr. The leisure planet boasts a number of popular attractions that I was keen to try and this will be my first liberty after almost a month.


    It took the Woglinde two weeks and a half to get back to Tyr and from what I heard, the head engineer routinely got into a shouting match with the captain, complaining how much abuse the engines were being subjected to. We are currently hard-docked in one of the main repair yards. The mines did a number on the ship, enough to warrant space dock repairs. While the ship is getting worked on, the crew is released on liberty. T took it upon himself to show me around Sheer Alkan.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your pistol? You can¡¯t go down there unarmed. People will never take us seriously.¡± T crossed his arms, waiting for an explanation.


    ¡°Look, I suck at it. Sure, I passed the certification course but that is with a stationary target and I barely hit the minimum score. I¡¯ve checked the handbook and it doesn¡¯t say that I have to be an expert shooter to keep my place here. I¡¯ve got a plan for that.¡±


    ¡°Well, that better be a good plan because I can¡¯t think of how you are going to qualify for support duties if you can¡¯t even handle a gun. Nobody¡¯s gonna carry dead weight, man.¡±


    ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I said I checked the handbook. It said that ¡®any potential recruit needs to be proficient with a ranged weapon.¡¯ It did not specifically say that it had to be an energy weapon.¡±


    ¡°Alright, how are you gonna fight back when people start shooting then?¡± T asked.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, follow me. Let me show you something.¡± I replied. I picked up a small bundle wrapped in cloth and we made our way towards the armory. I could see that T was slipping glances at the package and was burning with curiosity but he kept his peace.


    Once we were in the firing range, I picked the closest stall and laid the package on the table. I pressed the target button on the screen then unwrapped the covered bundle. T looked over my shoulder to see a small leather pouch filled with daggers. He held one up for inspection. It was a thin piece of metal, molded to the shape of a conventional knife. It was perfectly balanced and felt comfortable to grip.


    T replaced it on the table and gave me a stare.


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding.¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°The hell, man. That¡¯s not even funny. How are going to fight with those dinky little things.¡± T asked with incredulity. I could understand. Throwing knives aren¡¯t really weapons that inspire caution.


    ¡°Like this.¡±


    I grabbed a bunch of them with my left hand and with a flick of wrist, threw the one T just recently placed on the table towards the holographic target. The knife clattered to the deck with a soft plinking sound. I pointed at the screen showing the target silhouette and it was displaying a mark on the target¡¯s throat, a killing hit.


    ¡°Nice, so you have a good throw. What about-¡±


    I didn¡¯t T a chance to finish what he was going to say and snapped three more in rapid succession towards the target. All three hit within centimeters from each other, center mass.


    ¡°Wooo! That¡¯s awe-¡±


    I wasn¡¯t listening to what he was saying because I was concentrating on my last throw set. Since my dismal performance during the boarding action, I¡¯ve thought about how I could at least keep heads down for my team. The next day after the fight, I was early in the galley preparing lunch. I¡¯ve been thinking about what kind of training could fix my shooting problem when out of the corner of my eye, I saw a newly-cleaned apron starting to slip off one of the preparation tables. I was cutting some vegetables and unconsciously threw the knife I was holding. It pinned the apron on the table, preventing it from falling on the deck and getting soiled. It was a perfect throw. The knife hooked the neck strap of the apron and missed cutting the fabric. What¡¯s more, it was exactly what I was hoping to happen. A light went off my head and I immediately met some guys from production and bribed them with chocolate to fabricate me some practice knives. I then took to the information net to look for vids on how to properly throw. Overhand, underhand, sideways, I did it all. The training went amazingly well. It took me a short while to get the hang of throwing the knives and was able to do snap throws in just five days. The armorer snorted when I first came in with the practice knives. He was not snorting now.


    Using both hands, I quickly threw knives in quick succession. I threw using all the different throwing methods and I did it fast. The staccato of knives hitting the back plate downrange rang in a quick beat. In three seconds, I¡¯ve thrown six knives, walking it along the torso of the target.


    ¡°Hot. DAMN!¡± T shouted. His eyes were huge as saucers as he quickly enlarged the target on the screen. He could see how well each knife penetrated the target like it was magnetized into the proper position. He whistled his satisfaction.


    ¡°Not bad, eh? I can¡¯t hit anything with the pistols. I figured I better take advantage of what I¡¯m good at. I didn¡¯t even know I had some talent in throwing. Problem is, throwing ain¡¯t exactly long ranged. I need to be pretty close to nail somebody.¡± It was also something that I¡¯ve thought about. I¡¯ve considered building up my wrist, arm, and back muscles to improve my range but a gun would always shoot farther than I could possibly throw.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, man. I know just the perfect thing for you. Let¡¯s get planetside and I¡¯ll introduce you to a friend of mine.¡± T winked at me then led me out of the armory. The armorer called my name then pointed at the scattered practice knives on the deck then gave me a hard stare. I hurriedly collected them, abashed that I forgot to retrieve them. I was about to apologize to the man but he dropped the security screen on my face. A glowing closed sign illuminating my face.


    ¡°Crusty old man¡­¡± I mumbled. T was tapping his foot impatiently so I got a move on. There was a lot of people excited to be off the ship and I could see the exit tube flowing with off duty sailors. We joined the crowd and found ourselves on the receiving deck of Eddas Station.


    Eddas Station is a palisade-class modular habitat. The station is made up of six nodes arranged in a pentagon with the main node in the middle. It has a score of decks, catering to the needs of the very busy world. Hundreds of ships dock and leave the station carrying goods or personnel. Half of the station is off-limits to tourists and is restricted to mercenary outfits. Every outfit rents a number of docks and pays a quarterly bill for usage.


    The space station does not have any form of weaponry. The idea behind it is that the station would be the impenetrable shield that enemies would crush themselves on. The shield emitters installed along the different nodes is powered by a specialized power plant. The power plant harnesses dark matter and converts it to energy that is fed to the emitters. It is self-sustaining and easily maintained. The exact specifications and blueprints of this technology have been developed and kept confidential by the Tyrian government. It would take a tremendous amount of firepower to crack this nut.


    T and I joined the line to the security screen. A combat-armored security personnel wielding a plasma rifle was standing beside the entrance portal. His partner was checking the IDs of each person in the slowly-moving line. The checker pointed his scanner on the left collar bone of each person and cross-checked the information on his screen with the manifest showing on his pad. He then waved the cleared sailor through as another man took his place.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    The area of the station reserved for the disparate merc outfits was very utilitarian. Cat walkways run through the tall bulkheads. Overhead pipe and wiring crisscrossed overhead. Everything was colored in different shades of gray, making for a very drab place to be in. It¡¯s clean, though. Everything was in good condition and security is tight. The mercs were behaving themselves so it was very apparent that the station doesn¡¯t brook trouble. A squad of foot mechs led by another security personnel breezed by the line, reminding everybody that they should behave.


    Once we passed the security screen, T and I walked through a long passage that terminated to the main taxi port. This area is for general use so it was leaps and bounds different from where they just came from. The entire hall was full of lights and sounds. The bulkheads were covered with stores selling a variety of goods. Food, personal equipment, novelties, the list goes on. Holo projectors were set up in staggered intervals, feeding the mass of people transiting to and fro the station with advertisement. A small open garden was placed in the middle of the receiving deck and was surrounded with tastefully designed benches. Aeric could see a large group of Inugorian tourists being led by their guide towards the bus ports. The small, spherical drone floating above his head monitored the group to ensure none gets lost.


    T and I threaded our way amongst the crowd to reach the taxi bays. I was almost splashed with a bright blue drink a crying human child spilled when she tripped. Her harassed mother was busy corralling her siblings while the father hurried towards them holding a tray of food.


    One more example why I¡¯m not yet ready for fatherhood.


    We eventually found our way to the bays and got in the nearest available taxi. The taxi was actually a small civilian drop ship that has an atmospheric configuration feature. It proved too costly to use shuttles to deliver people planetside. It was a product that resulted from the need to economize.


    ¡°So, what are we doing? I¡¯ve never been here before.¡± I asked T as he was fiddling with his ArmComm.


    ¡°First thing is we get you some custom weapons. It¡¯s just too embarrassing to walk with you unarmed. Then, we need to check in with mama-san. She¡¯s the landlord of the hostel we will be staying in. We get company rates for our rooms. They¡¯re nothing fancy but better than paying a stupid amount of creds for somewhere downtown.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not into fancy anyway. As long as it¡¯s clean and safe, you¡¯ll get no complaints from me.¡±


    ¡°Good. It¡¯s still pretty early in the afternoon so we could check out the market before we join the others at Horny Sam¡¯s. What do you need from the market anyway? Franny has been talking to our suppliers already.¡± T ask curiously.


    ¡°Remember that horrible ration bar? Yeah, I¡¯m fixing that. I¡¯m also going to introduce the ship to a specialty of mine. Have you ever heard of something called ¡®ale¡¯? ¡±


    ¡°Ale? Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t think so. Wazzat?¡±


    ¡°Your new favorite drink. Trust me, you¡¯ll love it. I just need a few things to make it.¡± I said with a smirk.


    ¡°Whatever you say, man. You¡¯re the guy that used to do this for a living.¡±


    ¡°Technically, you do too.¡± I reminded him.


    ¡°Cutting vegetables is not the same as owning and operating an eatery.¡±


    ¡°You have a point there.¡± I agreed after a pause.


    Looking out of the viewing port, I could see we were gently gliding over the outskirts of Sheer Alkan. The city looked majestic from my view. The giant trees with their slightly purple pigmentation were full of life. Large birds could be seen resting on the high branches while others were flapping about in flying formation. I could also see the multitude of rivers and streams that serpents its way across thewide land. There were few tall buildings in the capital, from what I could observe. The general aesthetic of the architecture focuses more on keeping buildings as low to the ground as possible so the buildings that I could see were pretty expansive.


    The taxi parked itself on an open landing pad. T paid for our fare then we stepped outside. I was immediately greeted by the humid heat. I could almost feel myself starting to sweat. There was a slight, sweet scent wafting in the air and I was not sure if that was normal or it was coming from something. My skin felt a little tight due to the minute atmospheric pressure difference than I was used to but I only noticed because I was trying hard too. I took a deep breath and felt my lungs filled with clean air. A smile blossomed on my face as this was the first time I was able to breathe fresh air in a while. The local star was beaming down on us and it felt good on the skin. I looked at T and I could see that he was observing me. He gave me a knowing grin.


    ¡°Good, eh?¡±


    ¡°So good. Damn, I didn¡¯t know I missed being planetside so much. I¡¯m gonna enjoy our stroll later.¡±


    ¡°Me too. I like ship life and all but nothing beats having actual sunlight on your skin.¡± T looked up and let the sun warm his face.


    We had to move along as another taxi took the recently vacated pad. T led me on a brisk pace towards a grav car rental place. There were some nice ones displayed outside in the parking lot but T decided on a more practical one. He did make me pay for it since I¡¯m the one that had to pick up some stuff from the market.


    Driving along the streets of Sheer Alkan was an interesting experience. There were not a lot of grav vehicles on the streets. Most of the natives were using a bipedal animal to go places. They call it a ¡®Saguk.¡¯ It¡¯s a large, grounded bird with short bright green feathers. The bird has a big, plumed head and a long beak that makes it stand out. The birds move at an impressive clip and based on what I could see, their gait was somewhat smooth. I didn¡¯t see anybody bouncing around but that might be because I don¡¯t know anything about riding.


    It took us about ten minutes to reach the heart of the market district. It took us ten minutes more to find a place to park. Most of the free spaces were privately owned. We found a spot near a park, a few blocks away from the market. T and I leisurely walked along the sidewalk, enjoying the great weather. I was also looking at everything. I tried to be discreet about it and not look like a total tourist.


    Right before we entered the market square, T led me to a brown, adobe building with a sword and shield shingle hanging prominently on a post in front of it. It was a single floor building with an impressive iron-wrought door. I looked closely at the design as we got near and could make out figures of Inugorians in different poses holding traditional weapons. It was very well crafted.


    I was wondering how we would open the heavy looking door when it opened by itself. T strode confidently inside and I hurried to follow him.


    Inside, we found an honest to goodness weapon¡¯s shop. The walls were covered with racked weaponry from simple daggers all the way to the latest molecular sword models. The rustic design was complemented with wood shelving and furniture that dominated the shop. Though everything looked primitive, I could still see force emitters and vid sensors poking out from discreet areas. The place just looks like a burglar¡¯s dream. I suspect that anybody that tries to rob this place would find dealing with a M.Y.K. HomeDefender Mech not fun.


    We stepped up to the counter as the attendant stopped waving around his feather duster.


    ¡°How¡¯s my favorite dealer of handheld death!?¡± T loudly asked as he leaned over the counter, holding his left hand up for a high-five. The attendant assented to allow one of his tentacles to slap the waiting hand. The attendant¡¯s tanks slightly glowed orange, the color of moderate happiness.


    ¡°Hello, kind beings. Welcome back Titus of Woglinde. This Vellager is known as Bopi. How can this honored Vellager help you today?¡± The pleasant Vellager¡¯s monotone voice asked. It was mostly for my benefit because T gave the attendant a wink and the gun fingers.


    The Vellager are an aquatic species that most people have little contact with. Due to their environmental requirements, most council worlds are impossible for them to visit for an extended amount of time.


    The Vellager are most commonly compared by humans to an octopus. They have eight tentacles that they use to manipulate things around them and to move around in the water. Instead of the bulbous mass of an octopus, the main body of the species is like that of a lion fish. They are a very intelligent race that followed a very different technological evolution compared to the other space-faring species.


    Most races have developed their technology starting from the discovery of fire. The Vellager has taken a different route by the discovery of soft stone. Soft stone is the layman term for a specialized semi-organic rock found in the Vellager homeworld. In its unprocessed state, it has the same hardness as of bronze. The ancient Vellagers had discovered that by using a harder rock, they were able to bash the soft stone into any form.


    From there, the Vellager was able to tame the dangerous oceans of their homeworld and rise to prominence by being the preeminent leaders in organic tech.


    ¡°Yeah. My friend here needs some throwing knives. I know it¡¯s a very unusual thing to look for but we¡¯re kinda hoping you got something in the back.¡± T said, almost apologetically. Bopi flashed a pink hue of contentment and just waved T¡¯s concern away with one of his tentacles.


    ¡°Do not feel any distress. Bopi has some excellent throwing knives in his inventory. The street performers regularly have a knife throwing act and this humble Vellager supply them with their equipment. Is there any kind of throwing knives the honored customer needs?¡± Bopi¡¯s tank glowed a soft baby blue this time. The Vellager was housed inside an environmental platform. It¡¯s basically a grav plate with a sealed and armored tank filled with the prepared water the Vellager would need. The tank is full of sensors so that the Vellager could operate the mechanical arms attached to it. Each suit comes with a comm box that uses a color spectrum analyzer to translate the color language of the Vellager to galactic standard. Conversely, there is a small screen inside the tank that converts spoken words into light flashes.


    T gestured for me to speak up.


    ¡°Yes. I need something that could penetrate armor. Molecular knives if you have some. About thirty would do. I would also need a force multiplier band. If you have one of those lighter ones, I would appreciate it. Oh, I¡¯m also going to need a harness for them. A pouch? A holster thing? I don¡¯t really know how I¡¯ll carry them. Do you have any recommendations?¡± I rattled off. T told me about the force multiplier bands on our way down here. Apparently, it was commonly used by those who like swinging blunt weapons. It increases the strength of your strikes exponentially. T warned me that it would be expensive but I¡¯m more concerned with my continued existence rather than my wallet.


    ¡°Ah, yes. We have those in stock. Bopi will be back momentarily. If it pleases you, feel free to peruse our other products. You might find something to your liking.¡± With that, Bopi flitted off towards the back. T and I circled the shop, gazing at the different melee weapons on display.


    The return of melee weapons back to the forefront of battle was unexpected for a lot of people. The arms race to build the most powerful weapon to match the hardest of armor had resulted into something like a stalemate. Dissipators made energy-based weapons next to useless and duraplating could stop most kinetic weapons. Oddly enough, stabbing somebody with a molecular knife proved to be more effective than shooting him. Scientists are still unable to use the same technology on ammunition so melee weapons took center stage. Dying schools of historical martial arts found their second wind and now become necessary schooling for any who wish to get into a fight. An entire marital period from the history of the different galactic cultures was revived. It was now more common to find somebody carrying a molecular weapon than a gun.


    Bopi came back after a few minutes carrying a small box. I put down the retractable flanged mace back on its display and eagerly watched as the Vellager placed the box on the counter. One of his tentacles dipped in the box and took out a thin throwing dagger. It was nothing special in terms of design but this was no fabbed metal practice knife. He handed it to me and I tested how it felt like on my grip. It was perfectly balanced and very light. It was so light that I was worried that it would not have enough mass for me to throw it effectively. Bopi assuaged my concerns by pressing a button from under his counter. A practice dummy slid out of the wall on the far side of the shop. We were wondering why there was a blank area in such premium space. The dummy was armored with a heavily-damaged combat armor. I could see that Bopi was ready to stand behind the quality of his weapons if he allows them to be used on combat armor.


    Bopi encouraged me to throw one so I walked to the other end of the shop and snapped the knife towards the dummy. The knife flew perfectly and lodged itself on the left breastplate of the armor. All three of us checked out the damage and could see that the knife went respectably deep. Bopi escorted me back to the counter and had me put on a force multiplier band. It was not the newest model since it was more like a bracer than a band but it fitted snugly on my wrist. I powered it on and again walked across the room to make another throw. This time, the knife flew from my hand like an arrow fired from a heavy bow. The knife completely sliced through the dummy like it was not there then continued to bury itself in the adobe wall. It almost completely penetrated the wall but got wedged in an angle.


    ¡°Woah! I really didn¡¯t expect that. I¡¯m sorry about the wall! I¡¯ve never tried one of these things before. I¡¯ll pay for the damages.¡± I quickly reassured the store attendant. Bopi just flashed pink and laughed. His laugh was weird because it was canned laughter. The Vellager don¡¯t laugh so they use recordings of it for cases of amusement.


    ¡°Bopi has expected such results. Worry not, that wall has stood abuse for years and is constantly being repaired. This Vellager is pleased that you are impressed by our product. Would you like to purchase said products, honored customer?¡±


    ¡°Hell, yeah! Uh¡­ I mean, yes. I do.¡±


    ¡°Excellent! Bopi is most happy. I will gladly prepare your purchase. While Bopi handles your purchase with care, please choose the design for your knife holster from our design catalogue. We could also accommodate custom designs if you, honored customer, have something specific in mind.¡± A holo tab blinked on the counter, showing the different designs and material options. I was not really well-versed on what is practical so T helped me out. We decided on a worked leather bandolier. It looked like something out of those two-dimensional period vids from 20th-century earth. I was feeling embarrassed about it but T was getting a kick out it. It took the AutoStitch about three minutes to make my bandolier. Bopi used some kind of treated leather so that the mol knives don¡¯t just cut through their holder. Other than it looking fashionable, the knives will be kept high on my chest, lending itself better for a throw. With practice, I could see myself being able to draw and throw in one motion. Bopi handed me the Mol knives and I slotted them on the pouches running along my new rig. I had to pay extra to get a copy of the blueprint so that I could have production back in Woglinde make me some when I run out. The metal used was not as important as the process of honing the edge for it to qualify as a molecular weapon.


    I checked myself out on the mirror and I admit that it was not as campy as I thought it would be. T made a running commentary about how I could pick up chicks with my new look but I ignored him. Bopi patiently waited until I was satisfied and was about to take them off when T stopped me.


    ¡°Keep them on. You need to be armed here. It¡¯s cool. Besides, if you¡¯re gonna walk with a handsome bastard like me, you need to look smart.¡± T boasted.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah Mr. Fantastic. Try not to love yourself too much. You might get yourself pregnant.¡±


    I was about to settle accounts but Bopi glowed a yellow color.


    ¡°Bopi?¡± I asked curiously.


    ¡°Yes, honored customer. Bopi had a thought that you might be interested in one more item. Please, if you could look at this?¡± Bopi laid out a plain, black undershirt on the counter. I didn¡¯t know what I was expecting but it was not definitely this.


    ¡°Nice shirt?¡± I said with a questioning tone.


    ¡°Thank you, dear customer. Bopi aims to please. This shirt, other than being of current fashion trend, is also made of a special material that would help safeguard its wearer. Please observe.¡± Bopi grabbed one of the swords displayed behind him and forcefully stabbed the shirt. The shirt suddenly went rigid upon contact with the sharp point, repelling the weapon with a bounce. Bopi¡¯s platform slid a bit, attesting to how much power he put on that strike yet the shirt was undamaged. I lifted it up to look at it closely and could honestly say I couldn¡¯t find any trace of damage. I was duly impressed.


    ¡°This shirt is made for proprietary Vellager technology that is unavailable for most customers. Due to certain galactic laws applicable to Tyr and your current employment with the honorable Red Tiger Mercenaries, you are legally allowed to purchase and own one. Just a word of caution, honorable customer, the kinetic shirt will stop most physical attacks categorized as small arms but it will not prevent the transfer of energy. Honored customer may still be injured by blunt force.¡±


    ¡°Somebody can still smash your chest in, man.¡± T ¡®helpfully¡¯ added. He was listening with one ear while he was checking out some knives on the display rack.


    I placed the shirt back on the counter and thought. I could surmise that the shirt would be expensive. It was not on display and based on what Bopi said, hard to get. I really didn¡¯t want to break my savings too much but I can¡¯t really say that I wouldn¡¯t need it. I¡¯m not trained like the other guys in the ship. I barely know how not to shoot myself in the face. I got lucky that I didn¡¯t get shot or stabbed the last time.


    ¡°Alright, Bopi. I¡¯ll take it too. Hopefully, I will never need it.¡± I said. I reluctantly allowed my ArmComm to pay the billed amount. The Vellager attendant was very happy to take my creds and gave me a complementary duckbill hat. T and Bopi were talking about the on goings in Sheer Alkan while I tried not to cry about the sad state of my bank account. Just like that, I spent three months worth of profits if I was still running my eatery.


    Eventually, we made our goodbyes to Bopi with a promise to send over anybody else we know who was looking for some quality weapons.


    We stepped out of the store and the door closed with a soft click. I fiddled a bit with the straps of my bandolier. I was not used to the feeling of something strapped to my shoulder but it was not uncomfortable.


    ¡°Where to now?¡± T asked.


    ¡°The cooking appliance center. Let¡¯s do some shopping.¡± I replied.


    T groaned but readily walked beside me towards the colorful tents in the distance. I wore my new hat as we made our way towards the market under the bright afternoon sun.

 Better Drinks and Better Food

    ¡°That smells heavenly, darling. What in the world is it?¡± Mama-san asked as she leaned over the counter, wafting some of the rising steam to her nose.


    ¡°It¡¯s originally called as a ¡®trail mix.¡¯ A lot of hikers in the olden times used to make these when going up mountains. They¡¯re nutritious and easy to transport. They didn¡¯t have the ration bars or instant food packages we take for granted now. The recipe is a bit dated so I¡¯ve put my own spin on it. Wanna try?¡± I held out one bar that came out of the earlier batch. The golden brown bar was glistening enticingly at my curious observer.


    ¡°Why thank you! Of course, I would like to try one.¡± Mama-san produced a kerchief from her voluminous dress and delicately plucked the bar from my hand. She took a moment to appreciate the aesthetics of the bar then took a good bite.


    ¡°Oh, this is wonderful! Is this what you normally eat on that ship of yours? If I knew you eat this well, I would have learned how to fight myself.¡± I blushed at the compliment but quickly quashed her assumption.


    ¡°No, no. Not really. This actually a test item that I¡¯ll be presenting to some of our people. The ration bars they eat¡­ I dunno, mama-san. I wouldn¡¯t even want to inflict the horror of feeding it to an animal. I don¡¯t understand why they even have something so horrible. It¡¯s not like the chance of dying is bad enough, they have to eat something so disgusting too.¡± I shook my head in confusion. I¡¯d never be willing to stick something so vile in my mouth if I had a choice.


    ¡°Darling, you are missing the fundamental reasoning behind the ration bar. You are a cook. You¡¯ve grown to appreciate the nuisances of cooking and how it affects the people that eat your food. Ration bars are there to provide the necessary nutrient for the soldier. It doesn¡¯t matter if it tasted like cultured algae. It just needs to keep the soldier healthy. Also, those bars are extremely cheap and easy to produce. You could buy a small box of one hundred wrapped pieces for twenty GalCreds.¡± Mama-san succinctly explained. She continued to nibble at the slowly disappearing trail mix.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not eating any more company-approved ration bar, that¡¯s for sure. Once is enough. I¡¯m going to run down a couple of the guys from the ship and let them have a taste, we¡¯ll see what they think. I¡¯m hoping management approves of my version of it.¡±


    ¡°Not to rain on your parade but you do know that money talks, right? How much is all of this going to cost? Not to mention how much effort does it require to make these?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about those too. I¡¯ve made a small presentation that I¡¯ll be showing the management guys if they want to take about making more of these.¡± I waved grandly at the cooling goodies on the counter.


    ¡°Why are you so set on this anyway? Do you have to make for everybody?¡± Mama-san asked.


    ¡°To be honest with you, I¡¯m really doing this for me. I¡¯ve seen what¡¯s out on the market and I just knew I could make something just as good at a cheaper price. I¡¯m planning to sell the idea to Red Tiger and if they like it, we¡¯ll go into production. I¡¯m angling for a cut of the profits for it. I¡¯ve already patented the recipe for this a long time ago, when I was still running my eatery. Ceres has a lot of good hiking spots and I wanted to get into the portable food business before but I didn¡¯t have the time nor the financial backing to do so. I figured that Red Tiger would be more amenable to feeding their people better if the price is just right. I have a vested interest in keeping costs down. These are my people I¡¯m planning to profit from here.¡± I expounded. Mama-san nodded along during my explanation while she finished her bar.


    ¡°Such as sensible man you are, darling. Best of luck to you then. I have to go now. Some of the girls are probably awake. They¡¯re useless in the mornings with direction.¡±


    ¡°Sure, see you later. Oh, thanks for letting me use the kitchen. I¡¯ve also made you some peach crumble pie. It¡¯s that thing cooling off beside the stove.¡± I pointed at the wonderfully made pastry. Mama-san shrieked in delight and went around the counter to give me a big kiss on the cheek.


    ¡°You lovely, lovely man! Thank you. That would make for a fine dessert for later. Anyway, see you!¡± She patted me on the cheek the sauntered out of the kitchen, dabbing her mouth clean with her kerchief.


    ***


    Mama-san is quite the character. T introduced her to me after our shopping trip the first day. T pulled over and parked the rented grav car in a parking lot beside a homey looking building.


    Like most of the building in Sheer Alkan, It was a wide building. It was only three floors but it looked a lot bigger once you get close to it. The fa?ade of the building was paneled with local wood but T told me that underneath the paneling is ceracrete. The building itself was decorated with simple wood engravings, giving it that country-style cottage look. I looked about and saw the sign proclaiming it as ¡®The Tiger¡¯s Den¡¯


    We entered the main parlor and found a middle-aged Asian woman supervising a cleaning crew that was working on the receiving area. She was elegantly attired, the stout woman was wearing a beautiful light blue floral dress. She was slowly fanning herself with a long, feathered fan that complemented her outfit.


    The woman turned to face us when she heard the manual door open. The woman was sturdy looking and I felt a sense of brightness that she seemed to exude. Her hair was done in a long braid, accentuating her slightly angular face. She has puffy cheeks and bright red, luscious lips that forced you to focus on them. Her deep brown eyes that sparkled with mirth made me feel real comfortable.


    ¡°Titus! It¡¯s good to see you again, love. Now, who is this good-looking man you have beside you? Did I say that I¡¯m single? Because I think I forgot to tell you I¡¯m single. Yes, I¡¯m single.¡± I was a little thrown off by the woman¡¯s aggressiveness but it didn¡¯t last long. She just reminded me too damn much of my auntie.


    ¡°Kon¡¯nichiwa, mama-san. Good to be home. This ugly bastard right here is the newest member of our galley crew. Careful, man. She¡¯s been known to steal hearts. A real heartbreaker our mama-san is.¡±


    ¡°How awful of you to say that! I¡¯m merely a very discerning woman. I can¡¯t help it if I want to test the merchandise first before I decide on purchasing it.¡± Mama-san said in an outraged voice. She slapped T on the shoulder with her fan. T made a show of rubbing his shoulders though the grin on his face was spoiling the effect.


    ¡°See how she calls us ¡®merchandise¡¯? that¡¯s cold, mama-san. Real cold. I tell you, you¡¯ll find your match some day. I¡¯m not gonna be surprised if you suddenly got married.¡± T said. Mama-san¡¯s laugh was an unrestrained belly laugh. She filled the room with her laughter.


    ¡°That will be the day. Anyway, come here so I have a good look at you.¡± The woman waved me to approach her. I obliged while feeling I was twelve again.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Albert Mayon. Like what T said, I¡¯m a cook on Woglinde. Nice to meet you.¡± I stuck my hand out for a handshake and she just looked at my outstretched arm. Using her fan, she gently shoved it away and gave me a hearty hug. She smelled nice.


    ¡°No handshakes for family, dear. Once you¡¯re Red Tiger, you become family. This is our family home. One of them, actually. There are a few more hostels around Sheer Alkan and the planet but this is the best one, if you ask me. I¡¯m the building administrator and your house mother so don¡¯t piss me off or I¡¯ll turn off your water. My name is Aoi Tanaka but that¡¯s a mouthful and I¡¯m more comfortable being called mama-san. Now, you can bunk in a shared room or if you¡¯re willingto pay more, you could get a smaller room with fewer roommates. Heavily discounted of course.¡± She explained. I thought about it a bit then decided that Ididn¡¯t really mind sharing a room with more people. It would give me a chance to get to know the other crews better.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with the larger rooms, mama-san. I just spent a whole lot of creds earlier and I¡¯m gonna have to stretch it out for them time we are here.¡± I said with a bit of embarrassment. I did spend quite a bit on my knives and on the Vellager shirt so I was just trying to be careful not to bankrupt myself. Mama-san tsked and gave me a look of pity.


    ¡°You spacers. I swear It¡¯s a miracle anyone of you is able to scrape enough credits for retirement. I¡¯ve yet to meet a spacer with a responsible bank account, officers excluded, of course.


    Here, let me send you the door code. Please remember to clean after yourself. The staff will not mop up your vomit. If you throw up on our beds, you¡¯ll pay for the sanitation cost. Yes, sanitation. Not just cleaning. Lord knows how rancid you spacers get when drunk.¡± I would have been insulted if she wasn¡¯t so practical and businesslike about it. It also kinda makes sense. If some of the crew that gets hammered during their off time in Punch Drunk is anything to go by, it was a very reasonable rule.


    ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll keep a bucket beside me.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now, Titus, come here, give me a hug. It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve seen you. Genki datta?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, mama-san. I¡¯m doing good. Ship¡¯s been roughed up a bit but we¡¯re fine. Gonna be staying here for a couple of weeks though so we¡¯ll be hanging about for quite a while. By the way, I got you this.¡± T unwrapped the gift that he was carrying and raised it up so mama-san could see. I was wondering what he bought from the market while I was shopping around for things. Mama-san giggled in delight as she gently took a box of very expensive-looking chocolate. Judging from the label, it was made by a chocolatier rather than a mass produced one. Must be one of those delicacy shops around.


    Mama-san gave T another hug. She went on talking about how she loved the shop that makes the chocolates she got and how much she appreciate it. It took a while and some more small talk before T and I got away to find out room. The layout was pretty simple so it wasn¡¯t really that hard to find it.


    Our room was spacious yet homely. There were four beds with a bio-locked dresser each. T and I grabbed the open two beds on the far side of the room and dumped our stuff inside the trunks on the foot of the bed. They¡¯re also bio-locked. We sat around to rest a bit and chatted about what we¡¯ll be doing for our liberty. T was gracious enough to show me around for the next two days then he had to leave for the eastern continent of Tyr. I didn¡¯t really have any plans nor enough cash to go crazy so I¡¯ll be sightseeing and try to visit as many of the tourist areas as much as I can. I declined an invitation to go with some of the maintenance crew that I was friendly with because they were a rowdy lot and I just want to do touristy shit like taking still images and eating unusual food. I did promise to meet them at Red Tiger¡¯s regular haunt, Horny Sam¡¯s, whenever I can. I was intent on getting the most of my time planetside.


    ***


    That was four days ago. I¡¯ve been checking out some of the historical sights on Sheer Alkan and I got to say, there are some pretty nice places here. I particularly enjoyed the tour at the nearby Vellager settlement. We were bundled in a commercial submersible and took a slow cruise around the underwater town. It was like any other town but with people swimming around rather than walking. I watched some humans and Inugorians in sealed dive suits chatting with Vellagers. It was asurreal experience that I would never forget.


    I also spent the time to work on the various projects that I had planned. Now that I''m at the mercy of an employment contract, there was no way I would be able to scrape enough galcreds to build another eatery in Ceres. The land values had changed drastically over the years and the credits that I paid for the land title before would cover only half of the market price now.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    I''ve no plans to leave it at that.


    The admiral made good on his promise and paid me back for the destruction of my eatery. I also earned a tidy sum after selling my spot in the entertainment district. I had hopes of keeping ownership of the land but Ceres law does not allow for undeveloped land in the city. I would have been forced to sell it at fair market value in three months as per city laws so I put it up for sale. It didn''t even take three days before I bio signed the transfer of titles. My bank account sathappy with the credits readily available for use.


    This new venture that I came up with is my ticket in earning enough money to build a new eatery. Granted, it''s a high risk, high reward sort of thing but I''ve got nothing to lose other than, well, credits.


    I''ve two projects in mind and the first one mama-san already had tasted. Ration bars production was not the sort of business I''ve ever even considered entering before but research suggested that I could find my niche here. Most of the ration bars that most mercenary companies buy are uniform with what we have on Woglinde. I''ve bought samples from all available ration bar retailers, from the cheapest to the most expensive, and they are not drastically different. The cheapest ones taste like crushed rocks while the most expensive bars are more like synthesized candies. Pleasant to the taste buds but not really filling. I''m confident that my trail mix would do a better job than what''s available. It surprised me that nobody even bothered to improve the quality of the things. It''s not like it was difficult to do.


    The second project was a little bit more involved. After packaging my homemade bars in baggies, I drove my rental to a small storage unit that I''ve rented. It''s the size of a large bedroom and I got it for cheap. Most people that need storage units need a bigger space. I parked my car and carried my stuff to my unit. It was located at the end of a warehouse strip near a marina. My ArmComm automatically released the locks on the personnel door to let me in.


    The storage unit was mostly empty, the ceracrete floor bare and the walls unadorned. I dumped my belongings in a crate sitting on the corner of the room then approached my workspace.


    I''ve converted a small area into a brewing floor. A couple of large fermenter buckets were on a stand beside a work table. A simple thermal stove sat at one end of the table. A large box under it was filled with the ingredients needed to make my cherry ale. It wasn''t really hard to brew ale, it just takes precision and patience.


    I learned how to brew from my uncle who worked in a large brewery. He taught me the basics and my imagination took over. I found that ale was more to my taste than the more common lager. Most drinkers are concerned how their alcohol look, smell, and taste. It just needs to be good then you''re set. The appeal of ale is that it has a rich history and vibrant. Since ancient times, humans had been drinking ale. Lager was invented hundreds of years later. In the time since, ale slowly had become less and less known until it was completely forgotten in most planets. People attributed it to the popularity of lager. It''s known as the party drink. If you want to have a good time, drink lager. Companies ran with that and it has become the defacto beverage of choice of humans. Second, people couldn''t differentiate ale from lager. In general, they have almost the same ingredients but ale uses different yeast strains and fermenting process. Ale brewers gave up too quickly, in my opinion since I could make some pretty good ale.


    It was time to reintroduce it to the masses.


    The thought made me smile as I as adjusted the parameters on the fermenters. I had let the ale sit for two days before I planned on accelerating the process. I''ve tried hurrying up the fermenting process before using the accelerators but it never really tasted right. I found out that letting the ale ferment a bit naturally before applying the accelerators would keep the ale from becoming wonky.


    I checked the readout on the screen one more time before hitting the begin button. The fermentors hummed softly as they did their work. It took about half an hour to finish. In the meantime, I cleaned sixty custom bottles that I''ve had made. I made sure they were as sterile as I could make them and prepared the sealing caps. The fermenters dinged not long after I was done. I opened the buckets to check if everything went well and was rewarded by a sweet-smelling fragrance. I eyed the ale critically and was satisfied with the color. The deep red ale was already making my mouth water.


    Using a hose with an automatic cut off, I filled each bottle with the properly fermented ale. There was a little bit more left when I ran out of bottles so I went back outside to grab the water bottle I was drinking from earlier. It was made with edible plastic but it was a good enough container. I cleaned it out and topped it off with ale.


    Bottling done, I placed the bottles in the refrigerator that I''ve rented. It was old school tech. It would take a couple of hours to chill the ale properly so I closed up and notified the owners of the equipment that I''ll be returning them tomorrow. I was driving back home to relax when I saw an advertisement for Ri''sta Undar and The Star Dreamers Band. They were performing in a few minutes in a park near where I''m right now. Best part is that it was a free concert so I diverted to catch the show.


    ***


    "Mayon, you better have a damn good reason for making me wait. I was planning to see a lady friend of mine." The irritated man said to me. He was glaring at me with his arms crossed as he sat on one of the comfy living room chairs in the sitting room of The Tiger¡¯s Den.


    ¡°Keep your shirt on, this won¡¯t take long. You might even enjoy it. Let me just get some things from my carrier.¡± I placed my small food carrier on the wooden coffee table with a thump. I had to rush back to The Den after I got confirmation that First Sergeant Sokolov would indeed meet me. I¡¯ve talked to him before in passing, normally during meal times so this is the first time I was able to converse with him outside the confines of the galley.


    I opened the carrier and itscover unlatched with a hiss. I dug inside and took out a bottle of chilled cherry ale. I also retrieved a bar of wrapped trail mix and laid it on the table beside the ale. I slowly pushed both items in front of the first sergeant. The man tracked the items and looked up at me with a raised eyebrow. I gestured grandly at my creations with a flick of my hand.


    ¡°Try it.¡± I grabbed a bottle myself since I didn¡¯t get a chance to taste it fully earlier. I twisted the cap and a satisfying pop indicated that my bottling went well. I took a whiff of the fruity aroma as bubbles started to build up. I took a large swig and felt the welcoming burn as the reddish nectar of the gods slid down my throat. I smacked my lips and let out a loud ¡®ahhh¡¯ in satisfaction. I think I outdid myself. Usually, when I make a batch of these, I was either pretty tired after a day of work or was in a hurry to do something. This was the first time I was able to really concentrate on what I was brewing. Water hardness, temperature, quality of wort, all of those things were taken with careful consideration.


    ¡°Well, shit. If you¡¯re going to drink it like that, lemme have a taste then.¡± I didn¡¯t notice that the first sergeant was watching me closely. In a quick and efficient manner, my taster opened his bottle and took a slower and more moderate first swallow of my ale. He took a moment as he stared at the bottle then took another sip. He then sat back and looked at me.


    ¡°That was some good beer. Real fruity. Those were cherries, weren¡¯t they? Had some kick in it but it¡¯s gonna take a hell lot more than a bottle to get me real buzzed. Very different, though. I really like it. What brand is this? There¡¯s no label on the bottle.¡± Sokolov asked. I was very happy that he liked it.


    ¡°That, my friend, is an original. I made that myself. That¡¯s not beer like you know it, by the way, that¡¯s cherry ale.¡± I said, tipping my bottle at him. He was mildly surprised then he took another mouthful of my creation. He swirled it a bit in his mouth then swallowed. He just gave me shrug.


    ¡°Looks like beer, taste like beer. It¡¯s beer to me. Good job anyway. You should make more of these. The crew is gonna love them.¡± He said as he eyed the bottle. I just smiled and pointed at the wrapped trail mix.


    ¡°Why the hell do you want me to eat a ration bar? It¡¯s enough that I have to eat that shit when I¡¯m humping through some truly nasty terrain or hiding out in the sticks and you want me to stick that in my mouth?¡± The first sergeant said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not feeding you those horrible things. Like that ale you¡¯re drinking, I made that too. C¡¯mon, give it a try. I promise you that it would be way better.¡± Sokolov thought about it for a moment before he snorted and picked up the trail mix. He unwrapped it took a good look at the bar. He commented about how at least it looked appetizing before taking a large bite. I couldn''t really tell if he liked it as he just sat there chewing on it until he placed the bar back on the table. He took another swig of the ale before making a comment about it.


    "You''re right. This shit is way better. A lot better. So much better. Them nuts help in thetexture department. It''s nice to be able to chew on something that''s a little denser. Chewing on hardened sponge gets old real fast. This taste like chocolate caramel, am I right?"


    "Yep. I''ve two more flavors I want to try."


    "It''s damn good. If you''re selling these, I''ll buy everything you have." The first sergeant said. He was dead serious about it too. He was already messing around with his ArmComm to transfer payment to me. I hastily waved it away.


    "Wait, I just made a test batch. I got about sixty of the things. You''re the first one to get a taste of my creations. I''m going to pitch the idea of producing them in-house to the brass. I figured that if the common trooper likes it, it goes to say that a lot of the others would." I explained.


    "Well, I like it. I suppose that would count as one but I hope that you''re not just counting on my take on it."


    "No. That''s another reason why you''re the first one. Now that you got a taste of it, how about you introduce me to one of the squads? I''ll let them try these too. That is, if you could find them. They''re probably on vacation somewhere or something." I frowned in thought. I really want to get some feedback from the troopers.


    "That wouldn''t be a problem. A number of them are planning to meet up at Horny Sam''s later. I''ll send them a message to pass by here first. I''ll tell them they''re for a free beer. That''ll make them come." The first sergeant started fiddling with his Arm Comm


    "Ale."


    "What?"


    "It''s ale. It''s a kind of beer."


    "Sure. Ale beer then." He didn''t even pause from working with his ArmComm


    "Ugh. Savage." I said in frustration. Sokolov took just a moment to send the message then he stood up.


    "I gotta go. Nice work. I hope your proposal pushes through. If you need a recommendation, hit me up. I''ll gladly explain to them why I would rather kill a fucker than to swallow those damn ration bars again. See ya." And with that, he strode away. Mama-san was coming in and gave the man kiss on the cheeks before he left. I could see Sokolov blushing.


    "Darling, it''s such a nice night out. Why are you here?" Mama-san inquired. She was wearing a beautiful, shimmering silver Yukata. It was tastefully embroidered with leaves and flowers. She even has a matching fan.


    "Oh, hello mama-san. I just needed something from the first sergeant. Since you''re here. How would you like to try some ale?" I opened the carrier and took out the last bottle inside. I handed it to the curious proprietress. She delicately plucked it from my hands and eyed the bottle as she slowly turned it on her hand.


    "Ale?"


    "It''s alcohol. Kinda like the lager that''s popular now but it''s not." She nodded and twisted open the cap. She took a small sip at first to gauge if she would like it before she took a bigger mouthful.


    "This is wonderful. I''m really loving the cherry aftertaste. Did you make this?"


    "Yes."


    "Are you going to make more?"


    "Hopefully. I''m trying my hand in entering the beverage industry. I got some cash but nowhere near enough to fund even a micro-brewery business. I''m letting people taste it first before approaching the admiral. I''m hoping that if I impress Admiral Chander, I could get a loan or even their financial backing to make something of it."


    "Darling, that is a very ambitious plan. Are you sure you know what you''re doing?" Mama-san meant well but I could hear the doubt in her voice.


    "Yes. I did my research and I know what I''m doing. I actually just finished my presentation earlier. How about you listen to my proposal? Kinda like a practice run before I bring this to the admiral?"


    "Sure. I have the time." mama-san took the seat the first sergeant occupied earlier and looked at me expectantly. Mentally organizing myself, I took out a holotab and placed it in the middle of the coffee table. I accessed my presentation file and threw it on the tab. I cleared my throat and started with my presentation.


    After thirty minutes of talking, figures, and graphs, I ended my presentation with some numbers of predicted profits results. I finished off my ale and sat back to relax. I waited while mama-san digested the whole mess of information she got. I was thankful that she was a good listener. She was attentive during the entire thing and even asked a couple of really good question.


    "You really did your research, didn''t you?" mama-san said as she also finished her bottle.


    "It was a lot of legwork getting all that data collated. I don''t want to go up to the admiral and not be prepared." I explained.


    "Good point. I''m impressed. Yes, this is a really good idea and I think I can help you." mama-san softly said. I sat up and stared at her.


    "You can!?"


    "Yes. Darling, you must have forgotten who you are talking to. I''m not just the manager of this hostel, I''m also very good with people. I normally accompany the admiral and the other officers during official engagements that require an escort. You know how delightful I am." mama-san covered her mouth with her fan and fluttered her eyes at me. It made me laugh. her fan snapped closed and she reached over to swat me playfully with it.


    "Stop laughing! it''s true. I''m an amazing people person."


    "I''m not disagreeing. I could see you being the life of a party, mama-san. Thanks, I could really use some help but how are going to do it?" I was curious as to how her help is going to manifest. If she''s going to need me to do something, it''s better if I know about it early.


    "Oh, don''t worry your cute butt about it. Have some fun. I''ll send you a message when I''ve set up everything for your presentation. I''ll also be there. I do have a request though, if your, what do you call it, ''ale'' gets the backing you need, I hope you would not forget the Tiger''s Den."


    "Mama-san, If I get the money I need, The Den would have regular shipment of ale at production cost. I can promise you that. You''ll have regular deliveries for free if the business proves marketable." I said with confidence.


    "Thank you. Now, if I''m to help you, I have to make a few calls. I''ll see you soon, darling." Mama-san stood up and gave me apeck on the cheek. She then made her way out of the room.


    The squad the first sergeant messaged earlier came in some time later. They arrived as a group and were asking about the free beer. I didn''t correct them as I''m starting to feel that it would be a lost cause.


    The troopers collectively approved of it. There were some that were ambivalent to the taste and some asked if it could be made less sweet. I took note of their complaints and suggestions, thinking about making another batch with some changes to the recipe. Still, they were pretty happy about it and all agreed that they would willingly pay good creds for a bottle of it.


    They were less than enthusiastic in trying the trail mix. I had to carefully explain to them that this was not standard-issue ration bars but in fact something I would be suggesting to replace that. They all took a wrapped bar and tried it. The three Inugorians in the squad were really pumped up when they saw the outer coating of nuts. Inugorians are great fans of nuts.


    Everybody, and I mean every single one of them, loved it. I was happy and relieved but I was privately expecting that they would be. The ration bars set the satisfaction meter very low. I explained to them that there would be more flavors available if Red Tiger supports the production of it. The troops were all voicing their support and even suggested rallying the other ground pounders to petition for it. I calmed them down when they started plotting in how to buy and deliver the necessary ingredients and appliances to the ship. I did make a promise to make some for them even if the idea getsshut down. I think Franny would allow me to make some for the Woglinde troops at least.


    After the troopers left for their party, I sat back and contemplated on the past few days. Though I had some fun, It was still a very busy three days. It was really an audacious and ambitious plan but this was something I could see myself succeeding in. I might have lost my eatery but it doesn''t mean I''m not planning on getting back into the restaurant business.


    Oh no, my friends. I''m not done yet...

 Early Mornings and Angry Cooks

    The thumping and scraping sounds around me eventually woke me up. I blearily lifted my head, trying to find what was creating the racket. It would have gone better if I could actually see anything. My eyes were gummy and everything was out of focus in my morning-impaired brain.


    ¡°Wazzapenin¡¯?¡± was my very eloquent greeting to the general environs of my bed. I could see two black outlines moving about. They stopped when I mumbled the question with my cracked voice.


    ¡°Oh, sorry, mate. We¡¯re almost done. We just need to get a few things together and we¡¯ll let you get back to sleep. That is, if I can just find my bloody sights. I know I placed it here somewhere.¡± The one near the door said. He dropped down on the floor and started searching under a bed.


    ¡°You sure you left it there? We were all kind of messed up from last night. I could still taste the blood in my mouth. Damn, I might have bitten my tongue. It feels really swollen. It¡¯s hard to use it. Tell me if I¡¯m saying it right; Blue. Blueeee. BLUE! Yep, no tongue action for the moment.¡± The other black blob was a woman, judging from her voice. She has an interesting timbre on her voice, kinda like she was on the verge of singing, almost.


    All of those thoughts didn¡¯t register to me. I was still floating in between wakefulness and sleep so I just laid my head down and let the comfortable bed allow me to drift back to unconsciousness.


    People have said that I was not a morning person and I agree. I¡¯ve long accepted the fact that I was an asshole when woken up when I didn¡¯t have anything planned for the morning so it was not a surprise to me that I got mad when the guy looking for his sights suddenly went ¡°Oh bugger!¡± and slammed on my side, throwing me off my bed. I dropped on the ground in an ungraceful heap, the air knocked out of me. I rolled on my back and let the momentary pain run its course. I could hear some cussing coming from on top of my bed.


    ¡°Gah! Bugger me, Who put that shoe there. Mate, I¡¯m really sorry. I-¡±


    ¡°GADDEMMIT!!!¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what came over me but I jump up roaring from beside the bed. I was madder that I¡¯ve ever been before. At the back of mind, I was thinking about how it was probably not a good idea that I took a shared room. Knowing my morning tantrums, it was stupid of me to expect that I wouldn¡¯t be disturbed.


    Anyway, that single moment of thought didn¡¯t stop the primitive part of my brain from taking action. I grabbed the closest things within touching distance and threw them with as much force and anger as I could. I just kept throwing at the offending people when a terrified scream finally snapped me out of my rage. I stood there, crouched with knives in my hands. The woman whose scream turned me lucid has ducked behind abed, knives imbedded very close to her head and legs that were sticking out. The man on my bed was in a similar situation. He rolled off the bed just in time as my throwing knives stitched towards him at regular intervals until he was pinned to the ground by a knife that caught my blanket he was entangled in. His eyes were huge and his arms were splayed in front of him.


    ¡°Stop! Fuck me, I¡¯m sorry mate. Please, drop the knife. No need for that.¡± He was trying to keep calm but his voice trembled badly. I was also trembling but mostly from adrenaline. The anger slowly bled out, giving my foggy brain a chance to come into full lucidity. I dropped the knives I was holding in each hand on top of my side table and rubbed my face. My hands were shaking but I could feel myself starting to calm down. The woman was peeking from behind the bed while theman just slumped on the floor.


    ¡°Sorry. Not a morning person.¡± I said. The woman got up and slowly moved her way towards the pistol I could see hanging by the bed she was hiding behind. The man pulled out my knife with an effort and extricated himself from the twisted blanket.


    ¡°Bloody hell, you could have just said so, mate. Jesus, I thought I was going to cark it. Fuck me, you¡¯re a hell of a thrower.¡± The man stood up and took a respectable distance from me. The man was a tall and lithe, sinewy muscles running cords visible on his bare forearms. His skin was sun-baked, well browned and cracking in some places. His face also evidenced his time under harsh environments. He has gray steel eyes and a long pointy nose. His long, black, burnished hair was tied into a ponytail. He has a thin mouth the complemented his squinty eyes, giving the image of the man always frowning. He turned to look at the woman who was now holding on an energy pistol.


    ¡°¡¯Ow ya goin¡¯? You good?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good but I¡¯m now thinking about shooting somebody.¡± Her face was hardening and I could see anger simmering behind it. I looked at the man, helpless in not being able to articulate why I suddenly turned psychotic. I think he understood because he waved the woman to reholster the gun. She reluctantly did so but she kept eyes on me, standing beside the holstered weapon.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be right. No worries. I got tripped by that shoe. I was bent down looking for my sights so I didn¡¯t see it. Are we good, mate? I didn¡¯t know you were mad as cut snake.¡± The man said. He has a very strong accent and it was hard for me to completely understand what he saying but I got that he was very concerned about my sanity. I was starting to blush with embarrassment and mortification. That has never happened before.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what came over me. I swear, this was the first time that that happened. My god, I almost skewered somebody. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll transfer rooms as soon as I can. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± I wanted to dig a hole and die in it. What the hell was going on with me? I collected my clothes and started putting them on. I continued babbling, thinking about how horrible the morning would have been if I¡¯ve killed someone.


    ¡°It has been a stressful week. I¡¯ve been running around Sheer Alkan, testing the alcohol market. I¡¯ve got a meeting with the brass and I¡¯m still working on the sourcing of the trail mix I¡¯m working on for the men of Woglinde. Those had me zipping around in a rental, driving all over-¡±


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re that bloke the other troopers were talkin¡¯ about? The one that gave them a coldie?¡± The man interrupted my incessant stream. The woman also was surprised with the question.


    ¡°Uh, if you¡¯re talking about the ale, yeah, that¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s ale? They were saying something about getting some free beer.¡± He clarified.


    ¡°Ah. Ale is a kind of beer but apparently, that doesn¡¯t matter. Listen, I don¡¯t know if it would make it up for you but how about both of you try some of my ale? They¡¯re pretty good. Take it as my apology. What do you say?¡± I grasped at the notion of me being known by troopers and tried to capitalize on it. The woman cursed then put her hands on her waist.


    ¡°I guess I can¡¯t kill you now. It¡¯s hardto find a good brewer.¡± She said. The anger was gone from her face as a small smile replaced it.


    She is a very pale woman. Her blonde hair was almost silvery white. One thing you immediately notice is how symmetrical her face is. It¡¯s true that symmetry is very pleasing to the eyes. She has bright blue eyes and a cute button of a nose. Her thick lips were unpainted but were still a good shade of red. Her skin was freckled here and there but it didn¡¯t detract from her beauty. Her petite, shapely stature gave off a vibe of vulnerability. It was easy for people to miss how deftly she handled the pistol earlier if they were too focused on looking at her face. She definitely didn¡¯t fit the mercenary stereotype.


    ¡°Kinda early for that, isn¡¯t it?¡± The man commented as he looked at the chronometer on the wall.


    ¡°Oh, get off it. This is not going to be the first time you had a morning brew. C¡¯mon, I wanna have a taste of it. I¡¯m Aoife Byrne by the way. I¡¯m with the Flosshilde.¡±Aoife came forward to give a handshake.


    ¡°Name¡¯s Ethan Jones. Also of the Flosshilde.¡± Ethan also shook my hand. I was relieved that they quickly dismissed the morning excitement. I also introduced mylself.


    ¡°Albert Mayon. Cook in the Woglinde.¡±


    ¡°A cook, are you? And from our sister ship nonetheless. I keep on running in on you buggers. Even those wankers in the Wellgunde are stomping around. What the bloody hell is goin¡¯ on? You know anything?¡± Both of them were now looking at me with interest, hoping for an answer.


    ¡°Sorry. I have no idea on what¡¯s happening. We just got called back home but they didn¡¯t tell us anything. I probably know less than you guys. I¡¯m just a cook. I¡¯m normally stuck behind a counter. I don¡¯t normally rate operational information.¡± I said.


    ¡°Typical. Again, we know nothing. Let¡¯s not think about that anymore. How about that beer?¡± I could see Aoife almost drooling from the prospect.


    ¡°You sure you can afford to get pissed? We still have to hunt today. I don¡¯t know if you can even taste anything with that fat tongue of yours. That tree swinger got a good hook, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Ethan asked with a chortle. Now that I was looking closely, I could see that Aoife has a split lip. There was some bruising on her lower right jaw. It seems that they got in a fight last night.


    ¡°Thank god that he was drunk. He could have probably knocked a couple of teeth off if he wasn¡¯t too busy trying to stay upright. I didn¡¯t know that they could drink that much!¡± Aoife said in wonder.


    ¡°They got some good grog, them Inugorians. If they could get pissed and expect to not fall off a tree then they better have superior alcohol tolerance limits.¡± Ethan added sagely.


    ¡°Will you stop with the tree swinger shit!? You know they hate that.¡±


    ¡°Well, they could get stuffed. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m lying.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Next time, you say that in front of their faces. Let¡¯s see you try taking a punch from a sober one, you racist asshole.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve no problem with the bastards. They¡¯re good fighters and excellent mates. They just need to be taken down a peg or two. Doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m suicidal.¡±


    ¡°Thought so. Well, let¡¯s have that beer then.¡± I was listening to their banter and jumped a bit when the attention suddenly shifted to me. I asked for a moment as I collected the knives scattered about the room. I surprised myself on how many where thrown. I had to pull out eight of them, five on my bed. I grimaced as I thought about how I am going to explain the damage to mama-san. I filed that for later and waved for both of them to follow me. We tromped our way to the kitchen. We passed mama-san who was talking with some people in the sitting room. We didn¡¯t bother her as she looked to be in a serious conversation.


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.The kitchen was buzzing with staff working on breakfast. I asked the head cook if we could enter his domain. Most people think nothing about entering a kitchen but I know better. The head cook admonished us to keep out of the way. We kept far away from the preparation tables and made our way to the freezer units. I moved over to the beverage refrigerator and took out a bio locked plasticrate. I opened it up and took out two chilled bottles of ale. I handed them to the eagerly waiting hands of Ethan and Aoife. They quickly opened them up and clinked their bottles with a ¡®cheers!¡¯ and both downed half of the contents of the bottles in one long pull.


    ¡°Ah. Nothing like good beer, eh?¡± Aoife said as she smacked her lips.


    ¡°Top drop, mate. A bit weak and too fruity for my taste but good on ya.¡± Ethan said. He winked at me then emptied his bottle. Aiofe did the same. We talked about the ale for a while. I took notes of their critique and added it to the collated observations of my other tasters.


    ¡°Listen, mate. We have to get a move on. The morning¡¯s burnin¡¯ and we have to get out of here. You ready, Aoife?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°Oh okay. Sorry again for the knives¡­and all.¡± I lamely added.


    ¡°No worries. Almost made me slash my pants, tell you that.¡±


    ¡°What were you looking for anyway?¡± I asked. It was curious as to what was damn important that he was making such a racket so early in the morning.


    ¡°Oh, my crossbow sights. I cleaned it yesterday but I somehow misplaced it. Bloody hard hitting anything at a distance without it especially being out in the whoop whoop.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going hiking?¡±


    ¡°Hunting, mate. Hunting. You don¡¯t need sights to hike up a mountain.¡± Ethan said with a laugh. That made sense.


    ¡°Oh, right. What are you hunting anyway? I didn¡¯t know you could do that here.¡± In Ceres, Flower made some side cash guiding hunting groups. They always had to be careful in controlling the sabre population. Left unchecked, they would decimate the transplanted fauna. There were a number of sabres that are allowed to be hunted every year but that is strictly regulated.


    ¡°Antuana. They¡¯re kinda like wild boars except a lot bigger and more aggressive. Tyr has an open bounty on the things. They¡¯re not endemic here. They speculated that some merchanter brought down some in the past and let some lose. They¡¯re considered as a pest since they ravage farmlands and chew on crops. There seems to always be a lot of them. Hunters like to bag a few every mating season. They¡¯re good eating.¡± Aoife explained. She finished her ale and gave the bottle back. I digitally tagged it with my ArmComm and returned the bottle in the crate. I tag the bottles with the corresponding drinker so that I could have a clear record of who drank it and what they like or didn¡¯t like about it. Their opinions would be included in my spreadsheet.


    ¡°Good to know. Well, good luck on your hunt.¡±


    ¡°You ever hunted before?¡± Ethan suddenly asked.


    ¡°Yes. Um, to be specific, I¡¯ve joined a hunting party before. Never actually shot anything before. My aim is¡­ something left to be desired.¡±


    ¡°You busy right now? Got anything to do?¡± Ethan pressed. I think I know where this was going but I let it play out.


    ¡°Not really. I was just planning on checking out some sights by the sea. They say there are some good fishing spots there.¡± Ethan looked at Aoife and she nodded.


    ¡°How about you join us? A little Red Tiger bonding experience. It would be fun.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a bad shot though. I¡¯m also not used in moving through the forest. I might scare the game away.¡±


    ¡°No worries, mate. You could be our offsider. We have an extended hunting license that covers other members of our party. You could bag yourself some good tucker. What do you say?¡± Ethan said. Aoife agreed and added her voice in the mix.


    I thought about and considered that if I could bring done some game, I could have it delivered to the Woglinde. It would spice our menu up. The more I thought about it, the more appealing it got. I decided it was a good idea but I wanted to bring somebody with me.


    ¡°Would it be okay to invite another person? She¡¯s the head cook of the Woglinde. She just got off the ship yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Franny¡¯s here? Hell, that¡¯ll be fun. Sure, call her up. We¡¯ll get our equipment. Meet us by the front door.¡± Ethan thumped me on the shoulder and swigged his bottle, emptying it. He tossed it to me and I almost dropped the thing. Taking a second to tag the bottle, I then called Franny on my ArmComm. It was early but she picked up. She had her communicator or audio only.


    ¡°What? Do you know how early it is?¡± Her cracking voice oddly clear even in her interrupted sleep.


    "Sorry, sorry. I just wanted to ask you if you want to come with me on a hunt. Some of the guys from Flosshilde invited me to join them on anAntuana hunt. Figured that we could use the meat for our meat culture vats. Beef and chicken are getting a bit old." I explained. I could hear some rusltling and a thump or two. Franny yawned before answering.


    "Antuana hunt? You''re right. I''m getting tired of beef stroganoff myself. Sure, I''ll come. Give me a couple of minutes then swing by to pick me up." She dropped the call without waiting for me to talk back. I just shrugged and went back to my shared room to get some stuff.


    I''ve been on hunts before, mostly as an assistant to Flower whenever he''s out taking some rich guys for sabre culling. At first, I felt kinda queasy about it and not a bit disturbed since baby was with us all the time. I had the unreasonable thought that baby might not take well to us murdering her bretheren. Of course, she''s an animal but an intelligent animal nontheless. It took me a while to get used to the idea and started to actually enjoy it. Flower did explain how important it is to the ecosystem that the population balance among the predators and prey be maintained. It threw me off the first time Flower invited me on a hunt. The idea of a zoo keeper hunting down animals was totally not something I imagined.


    I changed into something a little bit more practical for the hunt. I had the opportunity to expand my wardrobe so I was not worried about proper clothing. I decided to wear the Vellager shirt under my vest since it was light enough and it breathes. My vest was a simple leather one with breast and side pockets but it does come with a color control. I dialed the color to something that would not look out of place in the Tyrian countryside then pulled on a pair of sturdy pants.


    I wasn''t really planning on shooting anything during the hunt so I just strapped on my bandolier and a small sling bag. If this hunt is like the others I had before, there''s going to be some outdoor cooking to be done later. I had a small spice box that I always keep for this kind of situation. I grabbed a hat that I got for free during one of the group tours I joined when I was gawking at the different sights around Tyr then made a mental check that I have everything. Satisfied, I left the room and briskly made my way to the front door. Mama-san was still talking with people so I just waved at her as I pass her by. She smiled at me but her attention was to the people she was having such a serious talk with.


    "Ready?" Ethan asked. He has his crossbow case on hand. Aoife also has one and was also carrying a large bag with her.


    "Yeah. Franny said to pick her up at her hotel." I replied. We made our way to the parking lot and walked along the parked cars. We stopped in front of a green grav truck. Ethan had us load our stuff in the back then hurried us inside. He didn''t want to waste daylight as much as possible. I gave him the address to Franny''s hotel as we pulled out of the parking lot. The hotel was not that far from the Tiger''s Den so we got there in less than five minutes. I sent Franny a message that we were on the way when we left to pick her up and she was already waiting when we arrived. She looks disturbingly perky after complaining how early it is. She was waving at us with her hat as we pulled up beside her. She got in beside me at the back after judiciously shoving me farther to the other side.


    "Move, I don''t like being crowded." she instructed.


    "But I''m already squashed here. There''s a lot of space, Franny." I complained, pointing at the obvious seating space between us.


    "Well, it''s not enough. Don''t crowd me or I''ll punch you in the dick. Hey, I know you. You''re Ethan, right? You''re that guy that fell off the stage after getting drunk and tried singing and dancing during sing-a-long night, right?" Ethan frowned at the memory while Aoife slapped her knee and howled in laughter.


    "Bugger. I was hoping people have forgotten about that. Yeah, I''m Ethan. This here is Aoife. We''re both from Flosshilde. You''re that bluey that Garron tried hitting on, right? Let''s just say that man is... not the full quid." Again, the man''s dialect was making it difficult for me to understand what the hell he was saying. What is a quid? and did he just call Franny a ''bluey''?


    "Sometimes, people just need to learn the hard way." Franny sagely answered. We were pulling out of the hotel''s driveway and were going south. Both Ethan and Aoife chuckled at Franny''s advice.


    "Yeah, a broken nose will get your attention." Aoife commented. The road trip lasted almost an hour. I spent the time getting to know the other Red Tiger mercs and found them an agreeable lot. Aoife, particularly, is quite the chatterbox. She has no compunctions in sharing gossip. Man, the amount of sex they have in Flosshilde sounds exhausting.


    We were way out of any inhabited areas when we came upon a ranger outpost. It''s a squat building that looks very utilitarian. It was made of local wood though so it still looks nice. Ethan parked the truck and we spilled out onto the grassy ground. We collected our belonging and made our way to enter the building.


    The reciveing area of the ranger station was a pretty spartan affair. There was an information holo terminal on the left side of the largish room and a printed map of the area on the wall on top of it. Some comfortable looking sofas were scattered around the room and some living room chairs were placed around a coffee table. A receptionist counter at the end of the room was the object of our attention. An older Barral was standing behind it, fiddling with something out of view.


    "Greetings. Welcome to station 15. How can I help you?" The ranger rumbled.


    "We''re going out for an Antuana hunt. What''s the current rate?" Aoife answered for the group. The ranger and Aoife got into the details for the hunt while Ethan waved us towards the nearest table. He placed his crossbow case on the table and opened it up.


    "Let''s get geared up. No use waiting for later when we need it." Ethan advised. He took out his crossbow and it was massive. The arms on the thing were thick. I don''t know much about crossbows but I could definitely say that this particular one would do some damage.


    "Woah. That thing''s huge! Wait, how big is this Antuana?" It never occurred to me to ask earlier.


    "No worries, mate. We got it covered."


    "But how big is it?"


    "Big enough."


    "But how big!? Ethan? Franny?" The man just chuckled and walked out the station shouldering his crossbow. Franny gave me apitying look then patted me on the cheeks. She was also packing a crossbow. She followed Ethan out. I got irritated and made my way to the information terminal. I made a local search on Antuana and the image of the animal was projected in front of me.


    "Well, shit."


    The Antuana is essentially an oversized armored wild boar. It stands about a meter and a quarter but it is almost three meters in length. The average weight of observed Antuanas is about 180-220 kilograms. Only a small percentage of that is fat. The animal is also fast. It runs on six stumpy and powerful legs and when charging, it could reach speeds up to sixty kilometers per hour. The boar is armed with long, curving tusks that, combined with its weight, could gore you and throw you over its head. Its leathery skin is way harder than it looks. The hunting guide suggested to use armor piercing rounds, or in our case quarrel tips, to penetrate it. The guide also warns the prospective hunter that though the boar is almost blind, it''s nose is very sensitive. It could also hear from quite a distance. Caution is advised.


    Of course caution is well and truly advised.


    I left the terminal and joined Ethan and Franny outside. The two hunter were excitedly talking about how we were going to work together during the hunt. I paid close attention to what they were saying and came to the conclusion that I was way over my head.


    "Uh, guys? I''m not exactly a good shot so, how about I take a seat back and let you guys do your thing?" I suggested when there was abreak in their conversation.


    "What, and miss out on all the fun? Nah, no worries. Tell you what, we''ll bag a couple and you watch us on how we do it. Franny told me about your aim. C''mere, I''ve something for you." Ethan walked back to the truck and opened the utility trunk. He pressed a recessed button on the side and a panel popped out. He opened the hidden compartment and took out a rod, about half a meter long. He waved me back as he closed the trunk. He faced me and held out the rod horizontally. He pressed a button and the rod extended to full length. A spear head also slid out of one end.


    "Here. Franny talked about how good your throwing arm is. Show me." I took the proffered spear and held it in my hand. I jiggled it a bit, checking for balance. I looked around the area and decided to try it on a nearby tree. The extremely large tree that was shading our truck from the bright sun was perfect. I eyed the distance and took a throwing position at about a hundred meters away from it. I hefted the spear for a throw but was interrupted by Ethan.


    "Hang on, mate. That''s a bit far, ain''t it?" He asked while looking at the distance I was about to throw dubiously. I lifted my right arm and showed him my force multiplier. He wasn''t familiar with it so I just told him to watch. I again took my stance and taking a moment to check that the multiplier was activated, I threw the spear with a grunt. The projectile zoomed towards the tree like it was shot from a bow and embedded itself deeply on the trunk with a loud thwack.


    "Fair suck of the sav! I didn''t expect that!" Ethan exclaimed. We walked together to check my throw and it went in deep. I pouted at the result.


    "What? That was bloody good, mate."


    "Ah, it was alright. Could have been better."


    "What do you mean?"


    "I was aiming at the knot." I pointed at the middle of the knot. The spear was about a dozen centimeters from the center. It was not a bad throw, considering. Maybe I was expecting too much. After all, it was my first time throwing a spear.


    "Believe me, that''s good enough. How about you practice on it while we wait on Aoife?" I nodded and pulled out the spear. It has a molecular spear point so it took some doing to pull it out. I was able to throw a couple more times until I felt that I was getting better at it. I could hit a stationary target at a hundred meters dead center. I felt comfortable with the spear and more confident on my future participation in the hunt.


    "You''re really good at that. Good move in getting those knives. It still doesn''t mean you won''t be working on your shooting scores, okay?" Franny reminded me as I sat on a bench in front of the building.


    "I''m working hard at that. I think I''m getting a bit better but those are stationary targets. I don''t know how will that translate to combat." I admitted.


    "You got your knives now. Your pistol is going to be your backup. It sounds insane, now that I''m thinking about it. Still, what matters is that you are now a bonafide threat during boarding engagements."


    "Wait, you got boarded? I''ve got to hear this. Franny, spill." Ethan excitedly requested. Franny gave an abridged version of our engagement in Ceres space. Ethan was surprised at the boldness shown by the slavers.


    "What the bloody hell is going on!? Slavers taking on Red Tiger merc ships is just stupid. The Woglinde isn''t exactly a tramp freighter." Ethan was mystified by the whole thing. We talked a little bit more about it until Aoife finally made her appearance. The ranger followed her out and they went to around to the back of the building. They came back after a couple of minutes but this time, they were leading a bunch of saddled Saguk. The birds were walking placidly behind the ranger who was holding the reins. Aoife has a large smile on her face then gestured at the green feathered birds.


    "Our noble steeds." She grandly announced.


    Looks like I''m going to be learning a lot of things today.

 The Hunt

    CHAPTER 14


    The hunting party made good time. The Saguk were perfectly suited to threading among the giant trees of Tyr. They were also an oddly smooth ride. I¡¯ve never ridden anything before that hasn¡¯t been equipped with a grav engine so I was expecting that there would have been some bucking around involved. It took me just a couple of minutes to get used to the running motion of our mounts. Mostly, I was trying to keep the hard, boney back of the bird from scraping my butt.


    ¡°Are we supposed to be riding? I was expecting, I dunno, a lot more stalking and shooting from behind the bushes.¡± I asked Franny who was riding beside me. She has a smile on her face and was obviously enjoying her day out in nature.


    ¡°Antuanas got smart and tend to avoid populated areas. They might raid a farm or two in the outskirts of the city but they do it at night. They tend to stick to the deeper parts of the woods.¡± Franny explained.


    ¡°Okay, I got that but what about these birds then? Or that crossbow? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to use a grav bike and a rifle? Grav bikes are silent and a rifle is a lot more accurate compared to a crossbow.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right, of course, but you¡¯re forgetting the most important part of hunting. It¡¯s not about the efficiency of the hunt, it¡¯s the challenge of it. If we wanted to, we could use a drone to search for the boar and use a long range rifle from the rooftop of the ranger station. This here, the bird and the crossbow has been the favorite of hunters since Tyr was settled. Forget about the higher level tech for the moment. This is what hunting is all about.¡±


    ¡°Never took you as a purist.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve never really talked to me outside of work, you know.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Right. Forgot about that.¡±


    Franny just made some cute grunting noises and focused on looking around. We were following Ethan and Aoife as they¡¯re the ones who knew where the best hunting grounds were. The drone following slightly behind Ethan was jarring as it was really out of place. Ethan said that he always documents his hunts.


    The surroundings were getting darker as we move deeper in the forest. The large, purple leaves of the trees were forming a canopy, limiting the amount of light. It was strange that everything has a slight tinge of purple. The leaves seem to throw its colors when hit by light.


    Eventually, Ethan slowed down and had us look for a camp. According to the ranger, this particular area of the woods had yet to be graced by hunting groups. It was only last season that the area has been surveyed and cleared for hunting.


    The group searched around until we found a relatively small clearing. I was in charge of the grav pallet so I had to wrestle with the thing. The thickening forest was giving me hell in ensuring that the pallet doesn¡¯t get snagged on something.


    We hobbled the Sugaks on some stakes while Aoife gave them some feed. We unloaded the pallet and deployed the folding tent. We were only here for a day trip so it was an open air tent. Ethan waved us to join him on the table wherein he had a holo of the surrounding area.


    ¡°Right, we¡¯ll be doing a slow sweep of the area. Aoife and I will be leading since we¡¯ve doing this thing for quite a while and are experienced in moving silently. Franny, if you could, give our mate here a hand in moving through the forest. We can¡¯t have him scaring our game. Albert, we¡¯ll try to get you as close as practical to an Antuana so you can try that spear on them. You get first kill.¡±


    ¡°Is that a good idea? I mean, me getting the first shot at it? This is my first real hunt after all.¡± I asked.


    ¡°Exactly, mate. It¡¯s your first real hunt to let¡¯s make it a bloody good one.¡± Ethan grinned at me and winked. Aoife gave a thumbs up when I looked at her for confirmation.


    ¡°Now, in case Albert misses or injures the animal, it¡¯s going to be as mad as a cut snake. We¡¯ll be positioning ourselves so we could take it out before it does some damage. Aim for the heart, people. It¡¯s got a big one.¡± Ethan was probably saying that for my benefit. Possibly, Franny¡¯s too. The holo was projecting a picture of a typical Antuana with the area where the heart should be pulsing a shade of red. I stared at it closer and agreed with Ethan, it was a big heart.


    I spent a couple of minutes getting last minute instructions from Aoife on how to move in the forest. There were a couple of things that made moving in the Tyrian wilds different from earth based flora. Tyrian trees are large, rubbery trees that also have large, rubbery branches. You are more in danger of tripping on them rather than cracking on one when stepped upon. It was also made extensively clear to me that most of the plant life is poisonous to humans. Tyr was colonized by Inugorians hence Inugorian compatible plants. The last bit of instruction I got was not to shoot any creature not an Antuana. There are a few ground-dwelling animals around, mostly herbivores, so confirm your target before shooting.


    When Aoife was satisfied that I was properly educated with the necessities, we moved out with Ethan leading the hunt. Aoife was trailing behind with me and Franny in the middle. Ethan decided that having Aoife as read guard might be a better idea than having both of them at the front.


    The forests of Tyr are very different from your earthlike ones. The large, springy trees actually breaths. If you place your hand on one, you can actually feel air being sucked in by the trunk. The deadfall is also a pain in the ass. Rather than small branches and dried leaves you have car-sized branches and wet, gooey purple splotches that used to be leaves. It didn¡¯t take long for my shoes to be a mess. The biggest difference that I¡¯ve noticed is that the forest was cooler. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because of the trees or some other reason but it was a couple degrees cooler compared to the open spaces.


    It still didn¡¯t stop me from sweating.


    Since the boarding action on the Woglinde, I¡¯ve made good with my promise to work on my stamina. I¡¯ve been visiting the gym regularly, working out about an hour every other day. It was hard the first week but gradually, I was starting to feel more energized by my exercises. My holo coach program did a great job in guiding me in my workouts and I¡¯ve already lost half a dozen kilos. There is still a long road ahead of me but I¡¯m off to a good start.


    Ethan was methodically moving through the forest, examining his surroundings for traces of the armored boar. It did not take him long to drop down on his knees as he stared at the spoor left by the animal. We continued to follow him as he moved deeper in the forest. I noticed that the drone took a higher vantage point and it was constantly recording.


    I just jumped over a large branch when Aoife held up her left palm. She and Ethan conferred for a bit then she looked at us. She pointed to her eyes then towards the far right. She then waved for us to join her quietly. I don¡¯t know if I was quiet but I tried to step lightly.


    We came to a stop beside her as she passed her binoculars to me. She pointed to a specific direction to direct my vision. I lifted the binoculars to see what she was pointing at and after a bit of searching, I found the target of today¡¯s hunt.


    An Antuana was rooting about just below a tree. It was good sized one too. Now that we have stopped, I could faintly hear the loud snorting of the animal. I observed the Antuana as it pulled something from the ground and started chewing on it. I checked the binoculars and it was telling me that it was about a hundred and twenty meters away. It was way over my maximum throwing range, not that I was planning to try anyway. Ethan sidled up to us as I passed the binos to Franny.


    ¡°Right, our big boy over there hasn¡¯t noticed us yet so let¡¯s keep it that way. Albert, you¡¯re with me. Aoife and Franny, if you could get into position over there, you¡¯d have a great shot if the Antuana makes a break for it. Good?¡± Ethan whispered to the group. I could see that he¡¯s excited. Everybody nodded and Aoife and Franny made their way towards a small rise that was overlooking the rooting Antuana. There was no tree blocking their line of sight so they could react very quickly if needed.


    Ethan had me crouched over as we carefully moved closer to the armored boar. I was not used to moving in a crouch so my back started complaining. I ignored it and focused on not tripping. I looked with envy on how easy Ethan was moving through nature. He wasn¡¯t jumping over obstacles rather, he looked like was flowing over them.


    I was focusing too much on watching my feet that I almost bumped into Ethan when he stopped. He grabbed me by the arms to prevent me from stumbling.


    ¡°Whoa. Don¡¯t want to scare our prey now, don¡¯t we? Alright, slowly raise your head up and see if we¡¯re close enough for a throw. You have a good view of its sides from here.¡± We were behind a rock outcropping. I slowly peeked over our cover and took a good look at my target. The Antuana was perfectly profiled for a throw. It was still digging around, no care in the world.


    Now that we were closer to it, I got a better understanding of how large it is. It didn¡¯t look too imposing from a distance but its muscular and wide body really is intimidating up close. I haven¡¯t a range finder but I judge that it¡¯s probably close enough.


    ¡°Yeah, I think we¡¯re good here.¡± I informed Ethan when I ducked back down. He grinned and loaded his crossbow.


    ¡°Good. Let me get my sights on it and you can throw at your pace. Fun, eh?¡± Ethan rested his arm over the rock then used it as a stabilizer for his crossbow. He gave me the thumbs up and just waited, concentrating on keeping the Antuana in his crosshairs.


    I unclipped the spear from my belt and extended it. I checked to make sure that it was not damaged, however unlikely that is, then slid my right hand to where I felt most comfortable with. I took a couple of deep breaths to calm down.


    When I felt I was ready, I activated my force multiplier then peeked over again to make sure that we haven¡¯t been spotted by the animal. Reassured by the calm scene, I stood up slowly then raised the spear for a throw. I pulled as far back as I can then, after a moment to adjust my aim, threw with as much force as I could muster. I judged that we were as close as I was when I practiced on the tree at the ranger station parking lot but I have been wrong before so some extra muscle wouldn¡¯t go amiss here.


    The spear sailed through the air with some faint swishing sound. My forceful throw compounded with the assistance of my multiplier had the spear streaking through the air at amazing speed with a lot of force behind it.


    The spear punched through the Antuana¡¯s hardened exterior. The spear went in almost halfway through the pole. The Antuana let out a high pitched squeal that was astonishingly loud. It bucked from the hit then tried to run. Its six, powerful legs were trying to get it moving but four of its legs collapsed under it. I could see that I made a very good throw. With the size of its heart, It was possible that I hit it or even nicked it badly. The Antuana finally rested on its side and stopped moving. Ethan and I scrambled from behind our rock and jogged towards my kill. I was about to approach to get a good look at it when he grabbed my arm.


    ¡°Wait a minute, there. It might still be alive. Check first before you try approaching a dead dangerous animal. That thing could still gore you if it has some fight left in ¡®im.¡± Ethan warned. I immediately stopped and let Ethan poke the Antuana to make sure it wasn¡¯t playing dead before getting up close.


    The armored boar was lying on its side with the spear sticking out. I grabbed it and pulled it out. I was worried that it would get lodged in the animal but the molecular spearhead made short work of any resistance. The hole started bleeding out as soon as I cleared the spear. Looking closely, I could see that the Antuana is actually covered by fine, coarse fur. It was prickly on the hand when I tried running my palm on it.


    ¡°Great shot, mate. That¡¯s a good-sized one right there. Of course, we can¡¯t leave it like that now can¡¯t we?¡± Ethan called the drone to come closer. The lev pallet was slaved to the drone so that it wouldn¡¯t interfere with our hunt. Ethan had the pallet park itself beside the downed game. Franny and Aoife hitched a ride on it as it passed them by.


    ¡°You really should have told me how good you are at throwing.¡± Franny reprimanded with a pout. She also tried rubbing the hide of the Antuana but quickly pulled back when she felt the coarse strands of fur.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t put two and two together until late into the game. I seriously thought that I was just lucky the first couple of times I actually hit something with my throwing arm.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°You¡¯re a natural, if I am to judge. The Tyrian Spear Society would probably want a word with you.¡± Aoife added. She opened the utility box on the pallet and retrieved a knife. It was a good quality one with a small hook on the side. It was an unusual gutting knife compared to what I¡¯ve used before.


    Aoife placed the knife on my hand.


    ¡°You killed it, you dress it. Here, let us help you string this big bastard up. That¡¯s why we have this pallet here. We tie up the boar then the pallet would lift it up. No dragging around required. Franny, a hand?¡± The four of us had a heck of a time getting the ropes around the ponderous animal. After a lot of shoving and pulling, we finally had it properly roped. Ethan had the pallet hover higher and it lifted the weight of the Antuana without any difficulty. We had the animal strung up by its back leg. The pallet had to hover pretty damn high to get it to stretch out. I consulted the hunting guide and found a video on how the dress this particular animal. Though they are almost the same in terms of shape, their innards are a bit different. For one, Antuana blood is more viscous compared to its earthen brethren. It really stinks and goes bad so fast so it was advised to dress the animal as soon as possible. You also had to string it up due to the weight of its innards. It is a lot easier to let gravity do the hard work of pulling out the nasty parts. It is no fun pulling out a fifty-kilogram intestine. Franny offered to help me but I declined. I didn¡¯t want to take her away from her relaxing spot on the ground. She was having a good time chatting with our two guides and I wanted her to really not worry about a thing. She already helped me out quite a lot at work.


    After half an hour, Ethan declared the boar well prepared. I was very confident about being able to do it properly. Whenever I go with Flower for his hunting trips, it always fell to me to prepare the meat that the hunters bring back. Rich guys don¡¯t exactly want to get elbows deep in blood and guts. I¡¯ve learned to dress and butcher a lot of different kinds of game animals and it was kind of interesting dressing the Antuana. I had to be more forceful with the knife since the animal was all muscle. There was a thin layer of fat on the belly but nothing compared to an earth hog. I tried to make sure that I strip the animal as cleanly as possible. The stripping didn¡¯t take long, actually. The sharp knife and judicial application of modern technology helped me strip it before lunch time.


    ¡°Hey guys, how about we roast a couple of slab of this?¡± I suggested.


    ¡°A good, old-fashioned barbie? I love it! We have to get our containment shield first, though. We don¡¯t want the rangers coming down hard on us for starting an open flame.¡± Rather than going back ourselves, Ethan sent his drone back to pick up the unit. While we were waiting for it, Franny and I prepared two different dishes. I rubbed some rosemary, basil, salt and pepper on mine while Franny had made a quick marinade that she dipped a couple slices on the meat into. She added a special chemical that hastened the absorption process. We grinned at each other as both of us thought about the same thing.


    ¡°Damn. Those are looking good! You guys are officially my favorite hunting buddies.¡± Aoife said as she was looking over Franny¡¯s shoulder, staring as she flipped the slices of meat she had on a folding pan.


    ¡°Why have we never thought about bringing somebody that can actually cook is beyond me.¡± Ethan enthusiastically agreed. I taught him a simple meat rub recipe that works for a lot of different kind of game meats. Ethan listened while he was helping out in rubbing spices on the slices I prepared.


    We didn¡¯t wait for long before the drone came back lugging the containment unit. It essentially is a monitoring pylon that has a sensor attached to a dry fire suppressor. You plant it on the ground and set the parameters for fire usage. If the fire goes beyond the designated area or has risen above the expected temperature range, it would automatically warn people in the vicinity through ArmComm, light, sound, and vibration. It will then deploy the suppressor unit that will extinguish the fire using dry chemical retardants. It¡¯s cheap, portable, and infinitely useful.


    The drone also picked up a small portable grill. Ethan set it up but Franny was our grill master. I¡¯m pretty good as a griller but Franny has a proud family history of great grillers, well, that is according to Musaka. I was a bit worried that the herb meat I prepared would turn out strange since I was not exactly sure about the gaminess of the meat, if it was even that. This is will be my first time eating it but according to the hunting guide, it should work.


    When the synthetic charcoals were hot enough, Franny carefully placed the meat on the grill. It was a simple one without a cover so she was a bit limited on the grilling styles she could use. I did wonder how long it would take for the meat to cook considering that it was tough muscle but was surprised when Franny started flipping a lot earlier that I expected. I looked closer and could see that the thin layer of fat was boiling just under the outer layer of meat and was cooking it from the inside. Rather than browning, the meat actually cooks purple. Ethan explained that it was due to their diet. Franny has done this before so was not fazed by it. A pleasant aroma started wafting in the air.


    ¡°Oh god, that smells delicious! Okay, you guys are welcome in all of our hunts. We¡¯ll even pay you for bigger hunting trips.¡± Aoife said.


    ¡°Like what the lady said. Top notch cooking, that.¡± Ethan agreed.


    It is always nice to get complimented on your work. We just stood there, watching as Franny meticulously worked the grill. When she was satisfied that the barbecued meat was ready, Ethan took out some bread. Franny slapped the cooked meat on top of the slices of bread and passed it around. We didn¡¯t really have extra vegetables with us to make a sandwich or anything but we were not complaining.


    I took a large bite out of my sandwich. Franny gave me a slice of her marinated meat and it was scrumptious. The texture threw me off when I sank my teeth on it. I was expecting to encounter hard meat and almost rattled my teeth when I cut right through it. I asked Aoife if it was the same for her because we were both snacking on Franny''s dish and she explained that fire does that to Antuana meat. That''s why it''s so popular as a game animal. It was also not gamey at all. It was completely different from whatever my expectations were. I stopped analyzing the meat when I saw Ethan reaching for another slice. I focused on eating and grabbing another slice for myself. Franny served me some of mine and it was also good. Not as good as Franny''s, but also good.


    We spent our lunch laughing and chatting around while we filled ourselves up. We took care to clean the area we used when we were done and made sure that the fire was properly extinguished. We drank some tea that Aoife packed on a thermal jug to settle our stomachs. Ithas been a while since I had a cup of earl gray and Ithanked Aoife for it.


    "So, you guys up for more hunting? You guys said something about bringing down a few more for your ship." Aoife asked.


    "Yeah, we''re good for more. We don''t have an extensive meat stock so this will give us an opportunity to update our menu. I''ll be teaching Albert here a couple of popular dishes we have served in the past. How about you guys?" Franny inquired.


    "This big boy here is probably enough for us but, what the hell. The boys in Flosshilde would probably want to try that marinade you just taught us." Ethan replied. Aoife grinned and rubbed her hands, thinking about future meals with it.


    The rest of the afternoon was spent going around the area, hunting down Antuana when we can find them. We were able to bring in four more before we called it day. I was exhausted from all the stalking and walking we did. Franny was breathing heavy too but the other two hunters were acting like we just went for a stroll in the park.


    We took turns dressing the Antuanas that we killed and I was able to compare my work with an expert. Ethan''s knife work was amazing. He stripped his Antuana so efficiently. There was hardly any wasted meat. Aoife was not as good but still pretty damn exceptional. Franny and I asked for their supervision when we worked on ours and we learned how much we don''t know about the intricacies of dressing the animal.


    The sun was pretty low in the sky and the pallet was already heavily loaded. The others were busy making sure everything was properly stored before we make for camp so I took the opportunity to answer the call of nature. That''s one inconvenience when out in the woods. No toilets but hey, look at that. A tree.


    I moved a bit further since it was a bit embarrassing to let them hear me tinkle. When I was satisfied that I was far enough, I stepped up to the nearest tree to drench its thirst with my life giving fluids.


    I was feeling relaxed from the pressure slowly leaving my bladder when I heard a snort from behind. I looked over my shoulder when I saw an Antuana, not ten meters away from me. Looking at me.


    Shit.


    I slowly turned, making sure not to make any quick movements that could be interpreted as hostile. I faced the snorting Antuanaas it stared at the puddle I was making in front of me. I finally stopped pissing and buttoned up my pants slowly.


    "It''s alright. It''s okay. I''m going away now. Juusssttt backing away slowly..." I chanted softly as I kept my body facing the Antuana. It stopped snorting but it was still watching me. I''ve taken maybe a half a dozen steps when it suddenly let out a loud squeal. The Antuanareared up on its mid and back legs then slammed both front legs on the ground. With one more loud snort, it dug its powerful legs and charged at me.


    Once it let out that squeal, I knew I was in trouble. As quick as I could, I drew a throwing knife and had it in the air by the time the Antuanaslammed its forelegs on the ground. The knife buried itself on its muscular left shoulder but the animal didn''t show any kind of reaction to it. I didn''t have time for another throw before it was already upon me. It''s unbelievable how fast the fucker was given how big it is. I threw myself to the side, rolling on the ground. I popped back up and the enraged animal was already turning for another go. I grabbed the retracted spear from my belt as I ran behind the tree I was pissing on. The Anutana is great in straight lines but corners are a problem for its bulky frame. I was able to buy myself a couple of seconds so I extended my spear and tried to look for somewhere I could escape to. The branches of the large trees of Tyrare too high up for me to grab on to and the trees themselves are too wide for me to climb. Again, the Antuana didn''t give me time as it made its way around the tree squealing and snorting, picking up speed. I threw another knife at it in hopes of distracting it and was marginally successful. The knife deflected on the creature''s tusks, missing its face but the knife took off the top half of its left ear when it ricocheted. The animal screamed in rage and again reared. This time, I didn''t wait for it to charge me.


    I''ve heard about how for some people, time seems to slow down during times of extreme duress. Combat, accidents, even sporting events were constant examples of those who have experienced this phenomenon.


    Using the short opening that was presented, I took two steps forward then stabbed forward with the spear. I leaned on it, putting as much weight as I could behind the thrust.


    In what must have been just a moment, it felt like I was moving in slow motion. I watched at the spear on my hands traversed the distance between the Antuana and me. The injured armored boar was on its way back on all six legs and I could see spittle flying all over the place. I dug my leading left foot on the ground harder, trying to put as much momentum as I could generate.


    Midway on the way down, the spear tip neatly sliced through the creature''s chest. I didn''t particularly aim at that area but it was the largest and closest target I could find.


    As the spearhead sank into the Antuana''sbroad chest, time snapped back. I could not stop myself. I actually headbutted the left eye of the animal, barely missing its tusk. The spear went all the way in until my gripping hand stopped it from continuing on. I slammed on the Antuana then rebounded, violently throwing my body back. The added force of the animal''s landing had me rolling back before landing flat. I heard a loud squeal as I flew but I couldn''t do anything about it as I was tryingto catch my breath. I could also hear shouts coming from behind the Antuana as I feebly flipped myself on my stomach. I got my wobbly feet under me and almost fell again before a pair of arms caught me.


    "Relax, mate. You''ll be alright. Bloody hell, you''re one crazy son of a bitch, ain''t ya? Didn''t you know that you are NOT supposed to leave your hunting party?" Ethan reprimanded. He was keeping me vertical for the moment since I was having trouble standing up. I tried shaking my head to clear it but that just made it worse. Now I wanted to barf too.


    "I needed to take a piss." I mumbled.


    "Not an excuse. Nobody goes around the forest alone. Understand? nobody." Ethan forcefully added.


    "Albert!" Franny''s voice cut through my haze. She cursed as she went over a large branch obstructing her.


    "Are you hurt? Do we need medical?" Franny skidded beside me and her hands started exploring my body. I tried shoving her hands away but she swatted my arms. Satisfied that I was whole, she helped Ethan sit me down on a rock.


    "What the hell were you doing!? disappearing like that!" She yelled.


    "That''s what I said..." Ethan said under her breath. My world was starting to make sense so I was able to look at Franny''s face and, oh boy, she''s pissed.


    "I was just taking a tinkle..." I lamely answered.


    "A tinkle!? And did you say anything before you decided to go off on your own!?"


    "...no..."


    "DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH ADMISITRATIVE WORK I WOULD HAVE HAD TO DO IF YOU HAD DIED!?!" Wow, I didn''t know she could scream that loudly. I made the smart decision of keeping my trap shut.


    "I SWEAR, IF YOU MAKE ME FILE ONE MORE DAMNED REPORT, I''LL BRING YOU BACK TO LIFE SO THAT I COULD TAKE AN AXE TO YOUR STUPID FACE!!!" She''s terrifyingly angry. The veins on her neck were popping out and she had was opening and closing her free hand. I think I would rather take a bolt than to let her get her hands on me right about now. Ethan was making a tactical retreat due to overwhelming odds but I could see hope. Aoife was now standing behind Franny and was talking to her. Franny was still staring holes at me but her nose was no longer flaring.


    By some magic, maybe it was through the powers of the cosmos, but Aoife was actually talking Franny down. She turned her away from me and had Franny follow her to check on the Antuana to make sure it''s really dead. The boar was on its side, spear deep in its chest. Aoife poked it with her crossbow just to make sure.


    "If she had her way, you''ll be dead as a maggot." Ethan commented. I breathed a sigh of relief now that Franny''s ire was no longer directed at me and nodded at what he said.


    "Why is she so angry, though? It''s not like I did it on purpose." I asked.


    "Mate, you could have died. This was supposed to be a fun excursion. Getting gored by an Antuana was not in the plans."


    "It''s not like I wanted this to happen."


    "Still, you done fucked up. You left the group without notifying anybody. We would be responsible if you had been seriously injured." Ethan explained. He made sure to look in my eyes when he said that to drive the point.


    "I''m sorry. You''re right. I was not thinking." I said sincerely. I really didn''t think about it and it almost killed me.


    "You learned your lesson. Can''t ask anything more than that. C''mon, let''s look at your kill." Ethan slapped me on the back then waited to see if I could stand up by myself. The dizziness was gone and other than some fatigue, I was okay.


    We joined the ladies and I apologized again, making damn sure that Franny knew I was sincere in my apology. She calmed down some and there was some redness on her cheeks due to her embarrassment of being so angry. This might have been a taste of that famous anger the people on the ship were warning me about. Suffice to say, I would never want to see her really mad.


    I extracted the spear after some hard yanking and saw that it was undamaged. It was covered by the animal''s blood and pieces of its large heart were clinging on the thing. We took some time to appreciate the size of the creature. I didn''t really take the time to measure it when it was chasing me but now that it was lying on the ground, we could see that it was easily the largest out of the ones we hunted today.


    "Hey, let''s take a commemorative image of our hunt." Aoife suggested. We posed beside the Antuanaand they had me place a foot on it and raise the bloody spear with both hands. I felt ridiculous but everybody was grinning. The drone took our image and a couple more before I started dressing the Antuana. Aoife helped me out to hasten the process since it was getting late while Ethan and Franny went back for our things and the loaded lev pallet.


    All in all, it was a very productive and fun day, besides the excitement during the later bit. I was satisfied with how I was able to contribute today and would gladly go on another one. Next time, I would be better prepared and informed.


    Franny and Ethan came back with our stuff and we loaded our latest kill on it. We hoofed it back to our campsite then packed everything on the waiting Saguks. I was still in charge of the lev pallet but I have to extra careful this time because now it''s fully loaded.


    The birds were fully rested and had no problems in making their way back to the station. Aoife called ahead and the Barral ranger was waiting for us. He took back the birds then we loaded everything on the back of Ethan''s truck.


    "Good hunt, yeah?" Aoife asked us.


    Yeah. I really had a great time. Thanks for inviting us." I said.


    "Hey, it was fun for us too. How about a beer before we call it a day?"


    "Sure! I''d love too. Tell you what, my treat." Franny offered.


    "Well then, that''s a good thing to hear, if I may say so myself. Let''s get going then." Ethan slapped the hood of the truck and we piled in. It was starting to get fully dark when we finally made it back to the city. Franny had some of our people pick up our kills to get it secured in the Woglinde and Ethan made the same call to his Flosshilde friends.


    We dropped Franny off at her hotel and we went back to the Den. We freshened up and changed into something more appropriate for a night out then we were back on the streets. Franny told us to go ahead and she''ll just meet us at Horny Sam''s.


    It is always a great end of the day when you find yourself holding a cold one with friends around you.

 Happy Reunions and Great Sandwiches

    "...fruits were locally sourced. There are quite a few farms, a combination of traditional open-air farms and indoor production farming, that could provide us with the necessary variety of fruits. The ale could cater to multiple species but it would be predominantly be catered to humans and Inugorians. The Barral digestive system would not have problems handling the alcohol but it would require a different brewing process to make it potent enough for it to have the same effect for the Barral physiology." I explained.


    It has been four days since my hunting trip with Ethan and Aoife and I was in the middle of my pitch for funding a brewery business. Mama-san really pulled through and I was making a presentation in front of a surprisingly large group. The admiral, of course, was sitting in the middle of the conference table. On his left was an older Inugorian. The Inugorian has a dark brown and black stripe pattern on his fur. One of his eyes is biomechanical but it was made to look natural. I only noticed that it was inorganic when it started glowing at points. The Ingurioan is the chief purser of the company. He was flanked by two assistants, one a human and the other an Inugorian, who was constantly feeding him data and messages.


    On the right-hand side of the admiral is an extremely skinny human. The woman was seated beside mama-san who has arranged for her to sit beside the woman and from what I gather, she''s the head of marketing for the company. I don''t know what products Red Tiger sells but I guess that''s to be expected. The company probably have other businesses that makethem money. You can''t expect to always have contracts lying about.


    The lady looks almost emaciated but her face is a work of art. She''s like a porcelain goddess. Skin as white as milk, her heart-shaped face is complemented by a high, pointy nose and pair of large, lucid blue eyes. Her wide, luscious lips were painted bright red, making it really stand out. She was wearing a smartly-cut dark blue power suit. She kinda reminds me one of those severe educators that I always see on holovids. She''s also being assisted by a Barral and an augmented human.


    The last of the people sitting on the table was mama-san. She went full Japanese today. She was wearing a silver yukata and her hair was made up something amazing. She had the artwork that is her hair secured by a couple of decorative hair needles. Her ever present fan was also slowly cooling her attentive face.


    It was interesting that she brought the same people she was talking to last time when I passed her by when I went out for my first hunt. There were five people, two humans, an Inugorian, and two Vellager who were seated just behind her.


    "What about the equipment this venture would need? If we do start a brewery, how much would the capitalization go to the equipment?" The skinny woman asked. She just finished off a bottle of ale that I gave each one of the people that could drink it early on before I started the presentation.


    "If you check your holo tabs, I''ve sent you the estimated cost of everything that a small-scale brewery would need. I have included there possible alternatives for certain equipment if we want to do a more modern production process. Traditional fermenter tanks are a lot cheaper than those that comes with fermenting accelerators. Initial costing would also be affected if we are to use a drone workforce." I answered. Everybody was scrolling through their tab projectors, checking the numbers. I could see the lady''s left eyebrow rising then looking at me.


    "How different would the brewing process be between Inguorian and human ale? Would it require additional equipment? I have checked this ''pineapple'' fruit and the pH level of this fruit is too acidic for our species." The purser asked. He was right to inquire. It is a common problem a lot of business owners face. Catering to multiple species tend to be more expensive that just serving one. Different species, different needs.


    "I have taken that in consideration, gentle being. The equipment you have there are not only modular but also specifically designed for multi-species usage. We would need to have separate fermenting tanks and Inugorian fruits would be added in the flavoring. As of the moment, Apple and cherry are two of the brewing fruits that are bio-compatible for both species. I would not presume to tell you what to do but I would recommend that we find out if the market is amenable to both flavors before we expand. Of course, we could expand the taste profile of the product if the company should desire."


    "No, you are correct. We are yet to decide if we would invest in such a venture so expanding the initial plan is impractical." The agedInugorianagreed. He conferred with his assistants while the other seated members of the company took a moment to talk among themselves. A privacy bubble was erected so I couldn''t hear what they were talking about. I looked by the door and I could see Franny leaning on it. She gave me a thumbs up which made me feel less nervous.


    I was very thankful that Franny was able to accompany me for my presentation. I talked to her about my business proposition and she had a good taste of both the ale and trail mix. She agreed that it would be wrong not to capitalize on the opportunity. She''s was the last push I needed to completely make my mind up on it. I was considering making a small closet brewery in the Woglinde but Franny wouldn''t hear of it. She wanted me to make a go at presenting it first and if that didn''t pan out, we''ll be making our own ship specialty.


    After a couple of minutes the screen went down and the company officers asked a few more questions. They didn''t really ask anything I haven''t thought about. I had thought about this for a long time. Way before working for Red Tiger.


    "Thank you, Mr. Mayon. That was an interesting business proposition. For the first matter you have brought us, I could confidently say that we are interested and will be looking at producing the trail mix we have sampled in mass quantities. We agree that the three percent increase in the production expense of it compared to the current market standard is negligible and will not be considered as a factor. Just a clarification, Mr. Mayon, this is not the finished product, correct?" The admiral asked, waving his unfinished bar.


    "No sir, it''s not. That''s for sampling purposes. The finished product will have an organic expander for its inner core. Depending on the nutritional requirement of the customer, we could increase or decrease the nutrient content of the expander. A discussion of how much the expander will bloat will also have to be decided upon. As of the moment, the expander is set to bloat at three times its size and would completely break down in four hours. That could easily be changed."


    The trail mix by itself is not very filling, even if it was healthy. I used an organic expander which is a type of edible that when it makes contact with gastric acid, it would balloon to a set size. Abar of trail mix would make the consumer feel like they ate a light meal. Not heavy enough that it would make them feel stuffed and not too light that they would feel hungry again after a while. Given that the target market is soldiers, that''s a pretty damn important consideration.


    "Excellent. We did get some very pointed messages from First Sergeant Sokolov and his men. His squad even offered to help fund the production if was deemed necessary. Thankfully, we don''t need to dip in their pockets. We have a spare warehouse that is currently not housing anything important. I don''t think it would take much to convert it into a production one.


    For your proposition for this ''ale'' you have us sampled, we would deliberate on it and would inform you in a couple of days. Personally, I think that it is worth to test the market with a limited production batch but that is yet to be decided on.


    It that all, Mr. Mayon?"


    "Yes, sir. Thank you gentle beings for allowing me some of your valuable time." I said then bowing to towards the table. The group upped and chatted while they made their way out of the room. I took a deep breath of relief. I was not that confident about what reception I was going to get and was gratified that I got a serious meeting with those who actually can make things happen. I was dreading that they would point me to a mid-level administrator.


    "Mr. Mayon?"


    I snapped from my reverie to see the admiral striding towards me. He was being followed by mother''s shell. She was using the same body when I first met her. Apparently, she had her arm replaced. Her coat is spotless too.


    "Yes, Admiral? Thank you again for your time. I was not expecting that the top beings to be present in my presentation." I honestly admitted.


    "You can thank mama-san for that. She was very convincing in having us judge your presentation." the admiral replied with an amused look. I could see mama-san conferring with the gaggle of people that followed her around. She looked decidedly different when talking business. It was jarring to see the serious side of my hostel manager''s persona.


    "Anyway, do you have any plans for the moment?"


    "Uh... no sir. I don''t. I suppose I would go catch a holovid or something after this presentation but nothing concrete." I was confused as to why he was asking me about my itinerary. You would think that he has better things to do than to inquire about my plans.


    "Good. I would like to invite you to accompany me to a nearby park. Somebody wants to meet you." The admiral mysteriously said. I wanted to ask who but if wanted to tell me, he would have.


    "Oh, okay. I mean, of course. I would be glad to." The admiral didn''t wait. He just waved me to follow then walked briskly out of the conference room. I hurried to catch up with him. I fired a quick message to Franny telling her of my sudden departure. We were supposed to meet Musaka later and goof around some.


    We stepped out of the Red Tiger head office and into the bright sunlight. The head office is a massive affair. It was located just outside of Tyr. Architecturally, it''s very different from what you see downtown. The building it wholly modern. Straight lines, metal panelings, automated systems, the works. The building itself is three floors high. I asked Franny why it only has three floors and she explained that it was all it needs. Most of the personnel work on ships. Only the administrative side of the company works in Tyr.


    We made our way towards the reserved parking spaces. There were some very expensive lev cars on display and the admiral''s didn''t disappoint. It was a sleek, black car. It probably costs as much as a shuttle. Maybe even more expensive.


    We piled inside the car with me sitting beside mom. The interior of the vehicle was even more luxurious. Leather padded seats and every kind of convenience you could pack inside a car. Like before, mom started passing out drinks. The admiral took a glass of whiskey and I accepted a small bottle of beer. The expensive kind.


    "How are you fitting in the Woglinde? quite exciting first month for you, isn''t it?"


    "I''m fitting in well. Franny and the other guys in the galley have been super. They''ve helped me out and are training me right. They kept me alive during the boarding action." I answered truthfully. I was really thankful for my crew.


    "It is good to hear that. I was a little concerned that you would not be able to adjust during combat but according to the reports I''ve read, you did well. I am impressed but I shouldn''t have been. You''ve been under fire before and you were still able to keep your wits about you. Not a lot of people can say that, more so those that don''t expect to be under such duress."Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    "I''m kinda surprised too. I''ve knocked around some like any teenager but dodging laserfire is very different from getting socked in the face."


    "Very true yet you''ve acquitted yourself well. Granted, your shooting scores are abysmal. I expect that you have done something to remedy that, hm?" I blushed at the question. I didn''t know that he got a copy of my scores.


    "Oh... ah, yes. I still suck at shooting but I got this now." I opened my jacket wider so he could see my bandolier. He squinted at it then gestured to give him a knife. I obliged and drew one and handed it to him. He lifted it to his face to look at it closely, slowly turning it around. I''m not sure what he was expecting. It''s a throwing knife. There was nothing special about it.


    After perusing it for a short time, he handed it back to me. I resheathed it one motion, almost unconsciously. I was really getting good at that.


    We talked a little bit more but I was awkward the entire time. I was not comfortable talking to the admiral like I was talking to, let''s say, T. He doesn''t really give that gregarious vibe.


    Thankfully, we got to our destination before I ran out of conversational staples. I had a set of questions that I''ve saved for the very thing.


    The car parked itself on an open parking space. We got out to find ourselves in a very well-maintained children''s park. There were multiple species of juveniles running around, playing. I could see the kids swinging from the play ropes and some were playing break the fortress. The park attendants were all attentive, making sure none of the children were doing something that could injure them.


    I followed the admiral as he threaded his way through the grounds, towards the picnic tables. There were a few families there eating or playing around. It was all very relaxing, really.


    The admiral approached a table with a woman and child. A petite woman wearing a blue and gold sari stood up to receive the hug of the smiling admiral. The woman has high cheekbones and a hawking nose, making her look regal. Her smooth brown skin matches the color of eyes.


    "Mr. Mayon, this is my wife, Lakshmi." He said while holding his wife''s hand. I bowed towards the lady.


    "and this is my daughter, Anaya. She''s the one who wanted to meet you." A girl was peeking from behind her mother. Lakshmi said something softly to her then pushed her towards me.


    The little girl looks about five or six years old. Like her parents, she has soft brown skin. Her rounded face was a bit dirty, probably from playing around. Her deep brown eyes were looking everywhere except me. She was also playing with long chestnut hair which was braided. She was squirming but she didn''t hide.


    "Hullo."


    I immediately dropped down to her level and smiled.


    "Hello to you too little lady. How can I be of service?" I haven''t much experience with kids but I''m a great people person and a kid is a person. I spoke softly and gave all my attention to her. she squirmed some more but then looked directly in my eyes.


    "Thank you for saving me."


    All of the pain that I have endured until this moment from the time all this craziness started, it was worth it. That look of genuine gratitude belied the mumbled utterance that came with it. I softly laid my hands on her cheeks, looking at her face. The last time I saw her, fear disfigured her. She had a bruised eye and she was trembling all over. This happy, albeit embarrassed, child in front of me is safe from pain and danger. If I could go back during that time, I wouldn''t change anything. Those five words she said meant more to me than she could possibly ever imagine.


    "Anytime, princess." I answered. She beamed a wide smile at me then ran to her father. I was left feeling emotional. Ever since I lost my eatery, I¡¯ve been focusing too much on how much I have lost. I¡¯ve been moaning and griping internally on how could the universe do this to me. Me! The guy who pays his taxes properly and early. I should have been rewarded, not punished. Seeing the little girl that I¡¯ve somehow saved made me feel that maybe I wasn¡¯t being punished at all.


    ¡°You¡¯re her hero, you know. She¡¯s been asking about you since her rescue. I would confess that had you not lost your eatery, I would still have asked my husband to offer you a position, just to make my daughter happy. I was afraid that her experience would traumatize her, even after getting help from an Inugorian mentalist. She has been somewhat downhearted after her rescue but she is strong, she was back to her happy ways after a week. Seeing you just helps her erase any lingering ghosts of her abduction. I thank you for that.¡± Lakshmi said to me. I didn¡¯t see her sidle up to me while I was talking with her daughter. She dabbed a kerchief on the corner of her eyes. It must have weighed down on her, knowing that her daughter had been through so much at such a young age. We watched as her daughter monopolized her father¡¯s attention, gesturing wildly while sharing her day to her smiling dad. I felt sorry for the admiral. It was obvious that he deeply cared for his family yet his job takes him far away from them.


    ¡°I¡¯m just happy that she¡¯s okay. I didn¡¯t think I was going to survive the encounter. I¡¯ve no experience fighting for my life. I¡¯ve always been good at talking my way out of a confrontation. Right time at the right place, I guess.¡± I explained. Lakshmi took a seat on a nearby bench and I sat beside her.


    ¡°It has always been my fear that my daughter would get caught up in Shyam¡¯s work. We have tried to keep that violent world from intruding into our daughter¡¯s life but it was not enough. She was almost taken from us. We have learned from that experience. Painfully so.¡± Lakshmi softly narrated. I felt bad for her. Nobody wants to see their children hurt.


    We talked for a while, Lakshmi sharing a little about Anaya. I found out the kid is some kind of artistic genius. She plays multiple instruments and could paint better than somebody that graduated from art school. I was surprised and not a little embarrassed when she told me that Anaya made a painting of me. Lakshmi invited me to come back tomorrow here in the park so that Anaya could present me her painting. I readily agreed and felt a little proud that somebody found me worthy of a painting.


    I spent a couple of hours just talking with the admiral and his wife and also playing with young Anaya. She was bashful at first but warmed up to me the more we played together. I showed her how to make a good sandwich from the cooler that they brought. She was hopping up and down with excitement, wanting to make the sandwich herself. We decorated a plate with some fruit cutouts. I know how to make a few so we had some apple swans floating majestically in front of a coleslaw hedge. Anaya didn¡¯t want to eat the browning slice of swan apple and ran around showing it to her playground friends.


    Eventually, it got late enough that the family decided to call it a day. I promised both Lakshmi and Anaya that I would visit them again here for the next two days before I have to report back to the Woglinde. It seems that I¡¯ve sparked an interest in cooking in Anaya and told them that for thepicnic tomorrow, I¡¯ll be bringing something special for them. Anaya was excited and couldn¡¯t wait for tomorrow.


    Two people, whom I would assume as bodyguards, appeared out of nowhere to escort the family back to the admiral¡¯s luxurious car. I couldn¡¯t understand how I could miss the bodyguards especially since one of them was a Barral.


    I decline a trip back to the hostel and shook the admiral¡¯s hand. I gave Anaya a peck on the cheek and bowed to her mother.


    I checked my chronometer then called my rental car to pick me up. I think I still have enough time to catch tonight¡¯s feature vid, Maximus against the Overlords. Taggan Alsta is a freakin¡¯ good actor and I was looking forward to seeing his newest work.


    ***


    ¡°No, you have to spread it evenly. Good! That¡¯s it. Looks great, eh?¡± I was teaching Anaya how to properly make Cubano sandwiches. She was sloppily slathering mustard on her sandwich so I had to correct her.


    It was a sunny day and the park was full of life. As usual, there were gaggles of kids running around, finding mischief everywhere. I think there were more attendants today. I brought a food crate with a portable sandwich grill. I thought that it would be a great idea to show Anaya how to make my favorite sandwich though I didn¡¯t let her touch the grill without my supervision. I was afraid she was going to burn a finger. Lakshmi also participated in our small cooking class by making her own sandwich alongside her daughter. Anaya was bragging how much better looking her sandwich is.


    After toasting the sandwiches, we dug in. Pork shoulder was not available when I visited the market earlier today so I tried Antuana meat and it worked just as well, if not better. I marinated the meat for a few hours and the meat turned out perfectly savory.


    ¡°It¡¯s yummy! Can I make some more!?¡± Anaya shouted. Her mouth was covered with mustard but she was busy eyeing the bread and meat.


    ¡°Of course, you can have as much as you want.¡± I was a bit surprised at how fast she worked through the large piece she made but Lakshmi just smiled and wiped her mouth. I helped her use the grill and made a couple of sandwiches. I asked if it was possible for Lakshmi to call the bodyguardsbecause, for the life of me, I couldn¡¯t find them. A Barral. A three meter giant of a being and I can¡¯t find him. Unbelievable.


    Like yesterday, they came into being from out of nowhere when I was not looking. I thought my heart was going to leap out of my throat when I turned back with the wrapped sandwiches to find them a step or two away from me.


    I gave them a steaming sandwich each with the one for the Barral a heck a lot larger. I got nods for thanks. I had to look at Anaya to make sure that she was not messing around with the grill and when I turned back, the bodyguards were again gone. I was resigned with them doing that appearing and disappearing act.


    When we were done eating, I played fortress with Anaya and some of the other kids in the park. I was always the monster besieging the fortress and Anaya was always the heroic forest sentinel, defending her people from the Inugorian-eating alien. I didn¡¯t mind and I was having some fun playing around with children. It was a very different experience for me.


    Eventually, it was starting to get dark and the parents of the children in the park were popping one after another to pick up their brood. Lakshmi bundled up the takeaway sandwiches I made for them then we made out goodbyes. The pouting Anaya didn¡¯t want to leave yet but her mother was firm.


    I waved them goodbye from the corner as they levitated away, almost getting squashed by the Barral¡¯s lev cycle. I think the bodyguards were messing with me.


    I sigh in contentment and took a look again at the small painting the Anaya made me. It was remarkable how well she had done it. She had one good look at me before I was turned into road pancake. There were a few flattering features in the likeness she made, a sharper chin, a well-styled hair, and a better-contoured nose but it was still me. Damn, I look good in this. I¡¯m going to have it vac-framed then mounted in my cabin. I bought a rug and some other decorative knick knacks but this would be my centerpiece.


    I slid the painting back into its case then grabbed the crate. There was still enough for a few slices. I¡¯m going to make a few more and share it with mama-san. She always has agreat appreciation for good food.


    I was walking towards my rental in the parking lot when my ArmComm started going crazy. It was beeping loudly and flashing. I quickly set my crate down and pressed the transmit button. A small holo of mother was projected from my device.


    ¡°Emergency recall, emergency recall. All crew members are to report back to the ship immediately. Report to your department heads upon return. Emergency recall.¡±


    Fuck! I¡¯ve been taught about how this situation may happen and I was supposed to be ready to drop everything I¡¯m doing and report back to Woglinde at best possible speed. I slung the crate¡¯s strap on then ran towards my car as fast as I can. I threw everything in the backseat then had the car rush me towards the space taxi ports. I was pulling out the parking lot when I saw a couple of guys talking animatedly, one was screaming at his ArmComm. I could see all three had the Woglinde insignia on the back of their jackets. I had the lev car make a hard stop in front of the group. I was surprised to see that it was first sergeant Sokolov and two other guys.


    ¡°Get in!¡± I shouted from the front. The three troopers didn¡¯t wait and jumped in the car. We were already speeding down the highway by the time the mercenaries were properly restrained.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re the trail mix guy, right? They told us they¡¯re going to be replacing our normal load outs with that. Great job man.¡± Sokolov said once he got a good look at me. Of all the things I was expecting to hear him say, that was the last thing I would have thought to hear.


    ¡°Uh, yeah, thanks. Anyway, what the hell is going on?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No idea. You guys know anything?¡± Sokolov asked the other two.


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°I never know anything, remember?¡±


    ¡°There you have it, we know squat.¡± Sokolov said with confidence. He sat back then started fiddling with his ArmComm. The two others were rummaging through my food crate.


    ¡°You seemed to be awfully relaxed about this.¡± I commented. I was amped with adrenaline, ready to do¡­ well, anything .


    ¡°It¡¯s always the same shit. Hurry up and wait. They want us back like yesterday but I doubt that we¡¯re going do anything soon. You¡¯ll get used to it.¡± The first sergeant replied. He didn¡¯t even bother looking up from his ArmComm.


    The other two guys were munching on the Antuana meat, making quick work of it. I thought about saying something but decided against it. It¡¯s not like I could finish them myself.


    I was going to ask something to Sokolov when my ArmComm beeped. Franny was calling me.I hit the projector.


    ¡°Where are you now?¡± Franny was in her serious mode. It would be a bad idea to crack a joke for the moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way. We¡¯re about six minutes away from the taxi bays. The rental is refusing my commands to break speed limits.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine but don¡¯t take a taxi. The Woglinde has a shuttle waiting. It was supposed to pick up a few things but that could wait. Who¡¯s with you?¡± Franny asked.


    ¡°First sergeant Sokolov and two of his guys. I figured that they needed a ride.¡± Sokolov leaned over to stick his face in front of my projector.


    ¡°Hey, beautiful. Miss me?¡± He winked at Franny¡¯s image. She snorted, not even looking at Sokolov. I think she¡¯s also in a car.


    ¡°You wish. Maybe if you take baths more often I would be more interested.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I resent that. I can¡¯t help it if my natural musk drives you crazy.¡±


    ¡°Stop now before I barf.¡±


    ¡°Yeah keep saying that. You know you can¡¯t resist me.¡±


    ¡°Would you get your mug off my holo!? I¡¯m trying to talk to my assistant here.¡± Franny huffed. Sokolov gave her one more wink before sitting back.


    ¡°Where were we? Oh yeah, assemble by the shuttle. We¡¯ll lift off as soon as we get the signal.¡± Franny instructed.


    ¡°What the hell is happening, Franny? You know what¡¯s going on?¡± I asked. Sokolov and the two other guys perked up at the question. They were also curious about the emergency recall.


    ¡°A New Worlder fleet just smashed through the Pegasi system defense force. A heavily damaged merchanter drone transitioned in system a few minutes ago. The New Worlders are corralling the local population. Galactic Council will throw a large liberation force to take it back as soon as they get word and you can be damn sure they¡¯ll be wanting us there. We¡¯re contractually obligated to. I¡¯m thinking that we¡¯re assembling a quick reaction fleet. It wouldn¡¯t take long before we get some communication via quantum entanglement so get your ass back in the galley.¡± Franny explained.


    ¡°Damn.¡± I said after a pause. We¡¯re going on a fleet engagement and possible planetary assault.


    ¡°See you soon.¡± Franny cut her comm. There was silence in the car as we contemplated on what she had shared.


    ¡°I was wrong.¡± Sokolov suddenly said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I said it was probably nothing to worry about. I was wrong. Those nutty New Worlders are bad news. I¡¯m gonna call my people.¡± Sokolov started messing with his ArmComm again. The two other guys at the back stopped eating and were also messaging people.


    Damn it. We¡¯re going to war.

 Assembling the Fleet

    After the initial rush to get back on the ship, I was expecting that we¡¯d be all running around, trying to get to our stations before the shooting started.


    The reality of it is what the first sergeant told me that day in the car. Hurry up and wait.


    It has been two days and we were still docked in thestation, waiting for the last few shipments slated for delivery. I was busy inventorying our stocks with our newest member of the dirty galley crew.


    ¡°Why do we have a hundred kilos of Hoaka seedpods? Are we eating Jappal stew for the next few months?¡± Nika¡¯s incredulous voice sounding faint from the other side of the storage racks. I snorted in amusement, remembering my own reaction when I found it on our inventory list.


    ¡°We have plans for that. Franny said that they got a good deal on it and they had the budget so the former head cook decided to buy the entire bulk on sale. From what I understood, the old head cook was some kind of snooty elitist. A great cook, just felt like that being a cook in a mercenary warship was beneath him.¡± I said back.


    ¡°They why work here in the first place!? Sometimes, I just don¡¯t understand people.¡± Nika grumbled. Nika has very little patience for people who complain about things that is within their power to change.


    ¡°I dunno but I¡¯m glad he''s gone. I like working with Franny. Are you almost done there?¡±


    ¡°Just give me a second. A can of mushrooms is missing¡­ ah, got it. It got shoved behind the sack of potatoes. I¡¯m good.¡± A few thumps and some scraping noises signaled Nika¡¯s completion of her work. She did a physical inspection of our foodstuff that was kept in the Galley¡¯s storage room. We only keep what we would need to use for the week and restock it regularly with our main stocks in a larger and environmentally-controlled storage bay.


    Nika appeared from around the racks, brushing dust from her shirt. Nika Kolettis was one of the three badly-needed new hires for the ¡®stoves and grills¡¯ division. Franny was finally able to do her job properly as a head cook. She has been covering for the dirty galley due to the lack of manpower but with the addition of Nika, she could now work on the stuff she had to put on the backburner and circulate among the ship¡¯s galleys, like a proper head cook should. Musaka has been promoted to kitchen boss. T has finally graduated from cutting up vegetables to being able to work the soup vats. Musaka and I still have to taste his work and make final adjustments when necessary but T has gotten better at his job.


    ¡°What next? Are we doing lunch now?¡± The energetic woman asked. She has a smile on her face and her clear, blue eyes were staring at me with expectation.


    Nika was a native of Tyr. Both of her parents were former mercenaries and were retired. As soon as she finished her primary and secondary education, she signed up with her father¡¯s old outfit. She always had a love for cooking and was also interested in visiting new worlds. She served as one of the ship¡¯s three rotating cooks. It was a small frigate that had about sixty people on board. She served her contract time with them of three years before she left. She was disappointed that the ship was relegated to working contracts within a few transitions and most of theplaces they¡¯ve been was small colonies that needed anti-piracy patrols or raid protection. The opening in the Woglinde came at the right time after her mother, who was a former Red Tiger, suggested to check the company¡¯s GalNet. There were some good offers from the other outfits but Red Tiger was the only one that she felt reasonably confident that would guarantee that she would be able to see what¡¯s beyond the three transition points that she had been circling the past three years.


    ¡°Yup. We¡¯re making some Samosa. We¡¯ll be using some of those Hoaka seedpods. That¡¯ll give it a kick. C¡¯mon, let¡¯s get out of here.¡± I gestured at her to follow me out. We secured the door then cleaned up. I made sure to grab a pod or two to add to the Samosa for later. I brought a small pill canister so I wouldn¡¯t misplace it.


    ¡°All is well?¡± Musaka asked when he found us at the sink. He was working on the meat vats, cultivating the Antuana meat that Franny and I brought back. It only takes a little bit to grow them into fifty-kilogram chunks.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s there. We could use more green curry but looking at the local prices, I¡¯d rather wait until we get somewhere else where they locally produce it then buy some. We have enough for a variety of dishes anyway. The prices in Tyr are nothing less than robbery.¡± It was almost a four hundred percent price hike from the previous registered market value. They could take that curry and shove it up their assholes.


    ¡°Indeed, the merchants are being unreasonable. It is expected, the Pegasi system supplies most of the curry within the sector and with the system now under New World control, the trade has been shifted to only a few worlds, Tyr not being one of them.¡± Musaka calmly agreed. It doesn¡¯t really matter for the moment. We have stocked up on a lot of food stuff so it¡¯s not like we were hurting for spices. Still, I love curry.


    ¡°It is time for us to prepare for lunch. Nika, you will be helping me make Gas¡¯teka. I assume that your file is correct in informing me that you have training in Inugorian cuisine?¡± Musaka looked inquiringly at the woman.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m still working on my two-tone tasting skills but I do alright.¡± Though not particularly difficult to practice, being able to taste two dominant flavors at the same time and make it taste good takes some skill.


    ¡°Excellent. Albert, I have Titus preparing a pair of vegetable soup, One cabbage based for the humans and a Hamali one for the Inugorians. Please observe him and give him advice when necessary but let him make them on his own. He has improved since he started working in the galley and frankly speaking, chopping vegetables is beneath him. I suspect that Franny had him doing so to focus his attention on the importance of consistency and patience. He has already created very edible dishes before. I would like for him to be more productive.¡± Musaka instructed. I¡¯ve noticed that too. T was not actually a bad cook. He was just lazy and would rather throw a large potato in the stock rather than properly chopping it up. It didnt meanthat he was bad at it. He made some awesome grilled fish before that I could remember.


    Once his instructions were given, we broke up to attend to our own tasks. T was already at the large vats, keeping an eye on the mixer controls. He didn¡¯t want it to mash the vegetables. He gave me a high five when I passed him to get my apron.


    I started working on the samosa for lunch by making the dough from scratch. We actually have some ready-made ones but they¡¯re more for baking sweet desserts. I started scooping out flour and throwing it in the dough mixer. Once I decided it was enough, I added salt, butter, and the Hoaka seedpod instead of using carom seeds. I crushed the grain-sized seedpod by placing it on the center of my palm then crushing it with my right-hand thumb. The pod made an audible soft pop and then the pungent smell of the seedpod wafted throughout the galley. It was almost too strong for me so I quickly ground it, ensuring that it felt powdery before sprinkling it on the flour. I ran my hands on the flour to ensure that none of the Hoaka remained on me before adding water then running the mixer.


    ¡°Wooo! That smells nice! Is that the Hoaka seedpod? I¡¯ve never smelled that thing fresh. We always had to use the synthesized ones.¡± Nika yelled from the other side of the preparation area. She was carving out a large, blue, cylindrical fruit. She was dumping the slimy innards of it in a bio-recycler. It was interesting to watch her work. She was clearly enjoying what she was doing. She was humming while she carved and was doing some dance moves whenever she thought nobody was looking. She was definitely one quirky lady.


    ¡°Those synthesized spices do the job but they pale in comparison with the real thing. There must be something more to it than just the proper combination of chemical compounds.¡±


    ¡°You got that right else we wouldn¡¯t have paid for a truckload of those things.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a hundred kilos, Nika.¡±


    ¡°That hundred kilos could have paid for a new car.¡± She pointed out. I paused to consider then agreed with her argument.


    ¡°We must have had a larger budget before.¡± I hazarded to guess. The former head cook probably had a lot of interesting dishes that he had in mind.


    We finished preparing lunch surprisingly quickly. Nika has proven herself invaluable. Given her experience in working in a ship¡¯s galley before, It didn¡¯t take her long to get into the groove of things. She was zipping around the preparation area in less than an hour, throwing dance moves here and there. It was amusing to watch her while she worked.


    We were manning the counter by the time the first wave of hungry people came tromping in for lunch. We had to increase our normal food quantity since the ship was carrying an extra one thousand mercs along with their equipment. The oversized battalion came streaming in, one shuttle after another, yesterday. The ship was as busy as a dockyard the night before with people running around, trying to get their equipment and themselves properly situated. This morning was also different because the formerly open bays were converted into an impromptu training field. You could hear all the banging and clanging of armored troopers going through drills, working on keeping themselves sharp. Franny had us break out the food carts to deliver some snacks to the sweating troopers. Nika and I were like celebrities when we appeared bringing some sandwiches and dried sweet fruits. Nika made a special liquid blend for the Barrals and they loved it. We knew that they loved it because they made sure to say so. It made Nika¡¯s day. It¡¯s not often that a Barral would make the effort to compliment somebody unless they really thought it was worth saying.


    The first production batch of the trail mix I had proposed and was recently approved just got distributed to the troops. They were initially wary of it, it looked very different from the regular ration bar, so it was understandable that there was some trepidation in replacing something that was already a standard. Sokolov and his people were like damned evangelists, spreading the good word about the ¡®Red Tiger Action Bar.¡¯ I don¡¯t know who made up the name, so cheesy, but it stuck.


    It went into production last night and already the people that have tried it was already feeling a proprietary affection towards the ration bar. In their minds, this is a Red Tiger product. This was made for them by one of them. Well, they were not wrong but I honestly made it because I refuse to shove that shite that they call a ration bar in my mouth anymore if I can possibly do so. It dawned on me that I changed a company standard just because I didn¡¯t want to eat something. Like a petulant child.


    Nika and I were busy serving lunch and as usual, people were interested about the new gal. She was getting a lot of questions and people were slow to move off her line. She was doing a lot better that I did the first time I met the crowd. She was laughing and making jokes. She was even winking at some of the guys that were staring too much.


    Nika was the complete opposite of the Franny, the crowned beauty. She¡¯s about a bit shorter than me but her puffy, brunette hair made her look taller. She normally had it in a ponytail to keep it away from being a bother when working but when she lets it down, her thick, healthy hair explodes into unruliness. Nika confessed that she had given up on trying to tame it. It was just too much work but she didn¡¯t want to cut it either.


    The experienced cook also has a well-defined body. She has the same healthy vibe that reminded me of Nabila but rather than hulking muscles, hers were more of a fitness expert. She was leaner but not sinewy and still has some muscles visible when she flexed. Her tanned skin indicated that she spent a lot of time outdoors. Her blocky face could be said to be more handsome than beautiful. She has a crooked nose that was never corrected. It looked like it got mashed during a fight but that was just me thinking. Her deep brown eyes were always full of life, always making you feel comfortable every time she made eye contact.


    We were serving the second wave of lunch goers when Franny made an appearance. She greeted the people in the dining room while she looked around, ensuring that the galley kitchen was working like the well-lubricated machine that she left it to be. She now has the time to make her rounds since the new hires were able to take up the slack. Franny let us finish serving before she had us move near the store room to have an impromptu meeting.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Just so you guys know, we¡¯ll be moving out in an hour. We finally got the go signal from the council through QE communication. We¡¯ll be attached to an Inugorian battle group since they have the most experience working with us closely. Galactic military still thinks we¡¯re an undisciplined bunch of nutters that happened to have guns so they don¡¯t really trust us to do our part. Bastards.


    We will rendezvous with Task Force 2.1 a few transitions from the Pegasi system. What that means for us it that we have less than a week to get our performance times up. Albert, I want to see you at the range every day after your shift here. Do you hear me? Every day. We¡¯ll also be running team drills until I¡¯m satisfied. We¡¯ll be coordinating our exercises with ShipSec. Let¡¯s see if we could work on our teamwork a bit. Yes, Nika?¡± Franny noticed that Nika wanted to ask a question but she was uncomfortable about voicing it out.


    ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with the procedures yet.¡±


    ¡°I was about to go into that. You¡¯ll be reporting to Musaka after dinner duty. You¡¯ll be fitted for your environmental suit and you¡¯ll be going over your responsibilities as damage control. You¡¯ll be pulling extra hours until you get all caught up. Sorry, but we¡¯re at war footing. We don¡¯t have the luxury of time. Understand?¡± Nika just nodded in agreement. I was lucky that my circumstances of joining didn¡¯t necessitate a rushed training scheme. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to cope. Nika has done this before so she probably would not find it too much of a challenge.


    We hardly noticed until Musaka informed the galley crew that we were underway. We were preparing the ingredients for dinner and there was no feeling of movement. T also got some updates from his trooper friends. Apparently, T.S. Ines would meet us halfway through with her battle group. The behemoth-class ship was being escorted by two light carriers and half a dozen destroyers. It was a sizable group that could make any potential enemy pause.


    Aquila, SpeckTech, and Red Tiger formed the main fighting body of the mercenary fleet. The Woglinde was reunited with its sister ships, the Wellgunde and the Flosshilde. Their function for the upcoming battle will be twofold, they were to act as the last line of defense for the three, massive trooper transports that were carrying a combined total of fifteen thousand troopers and their equipment. The transports were unarmed ships, they cannot be left without escort. They are favorite targets of strike fighters.


    If a hole in the shield net happens, the three ships would form their own interlocking shield net to supplement the transports¡¯ own shield power. The ships¡¯ weaponry will be tied to a master data system that would coordinate weapons fire, enabling the ships to act as one therefore improving defensive fire.


    The sisters were also to act as reserves for the troopers, once the action on the ground started. Each ship has a thousand troopers that could be called upon to action, a brigade of troopers with air and Risast¨®r mech support. That¡¯s an impressive force that is powerful enough to handle almost anything.


    The admiral was sitting on his own ship, commanding the Red Tiger force. I didn¡¯t know that he had his own ship. I have always assumed that the Woglinde was his. I was wrong. The Red Tiger flagship was a heavy battleship named Hanuman, after the Indian god of the same namesake. The flagship was an impressive machine of destruction. A three-and-a-half kilometer hulking amalgamation of missile racks, rail cannons, and plasma turrets. It was no world ender but it was one destructive ship.


    Red Tiger was the core of the mercenary fleet. Aquila, with their carrier-centric ships acted as combat space patrol. Their fighters would be doing the main fighting before fleet engagement happens. SpeckTech would augmenting the entire force with drone fighters and their semi-autonomous centurion combat robots. These war machines will be the first wave that the fanatics would face, greatly lessening the casualties among the mercs. The council would be underwriting the expenses anyways so they have no qualms in the prospect of losing their entire mechanized force. SpeckTech was also an expert in espionage. Rumor was that a cloaked courier ship left yesterday for Pegasi. Nobody knows where the rumor started but everybody believed it.


    For the next week and a half, the fleet transitioned from one system to another, moving at a moderate pace. T.S. Ines joined the fleet a five days ago and was integrated in the formation seamlessly.


    The fleet finally blinked into existence in the Horatio system, Camella cluster. It was our staging area before we make our final push towards the Pegasi system. It was also the last system that has a military installation before entering conquered space. I was on the viewing deck, watching as the viewing window was filled with numerous ships from a multitude of species. The Inugorians, being the preeminent military power in council space was leading the combined fleet. The large, cylindrical battle cruisers that the Inugorians prefer hogged the majority of the window. The Humans, Barral, Parnesh, and Xentilla were also represented among the floating starships. The Parnesh and the Xentilla were the closest species to the Pegasi system. The mineral-like Parnesh wanted to address the problem immediately but they were forbidden by the council. They make very bad communicators. They have a shoot first-then shoot again mentality. They were liable to keep fighting until the invaders were repelled or they were destroyed to the last being. The Parnesh have little attachment to life. It was a miracle that their species continued to survive. It¡¯s probably good that the council heavily regulates their world.


    The Xentilla was the species that most closely associate with the Vellager in terms with their evolutionary tract. Their technology is heavily organic. Almost everything they made was grown. The insect-like Xentilla was the most peaceable of the council races. They inhabited only a few worlds and was following a very long term plan for the species. Their species espouses peace and cooperation. They abhor war but will fight fiercely when driven into a corner. The Xentilla are telepathic, allowing them to communicate instantaneously depending on the power of each individual. They normally work as negotiators between species.


    I was interrupted in gawking when a hand landed heavily on my shoulder. I flinched and jumped a little. I quickly looked over my shoulder so see a grinning T.


    ¡°Man, you almost scared the pants off me. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s going to be a war council on the Adanas, that¡¯s the Inugorian flagship. Forest Lord Islanni¡¯s liaison was asking around if the human contingent could provide some cooks for it. Guess what, the admiral has your name on the list.¡±


    ¡°What!? Sure, I¡¯m not bad as a cook but didn¡¯t Franny say that the head cook of the Hanuman is a real chef? Why am I the one going?¡± Not that I was against the idea. It was just strange.


    ¡°He¡¯s not certified in xeno-culinary. You forget that most people that carry that license tend to get snatched up quickly by restaurants. They pay a lot of money for a card-carrying xeno chef. You, my friend, are certified for Human, Inugorian, and Barral cuisine. You and two other people will be preparing dishes for our guys.¡± T explained. I sighed. I wish I was informed earlier.


    ¡°Alright. I gotta go if I gotta go. So, when am I suppose to be there?¡± I asked. T¡¯s smile widen that I thought he was going to split his face.


    ¡°In an hour. The shuttle pilot is warming up your ride. You better hurry.¡± I stared at the man incredulously for a moment before I exploded into movement but not before I shouted a curse at the grinning fool.


    I was running full tilt towards the shuttle bays when my ArmComm dinged. Good thing I was keeping up with my exercises. I could still talk.


    ¡°Ye...Yeah?¡± I puffed.


    ¡°Albert¡­ good, you¡¯re running. I left a package for you in the shuttle. Make good use of it. Call me if you have any problems. By the way, don¡¯t poison anybody! Clear?¡± Franny didn¡¯t wait for my reply and just cut the connection.


    I had to run quite a distance. I was two decks up and a few hundred meters away from the shuttle bays. I detoured to my room to change quickly. My current outfit smelled like lunch and it was also covered with food stains. I threw on a gray Red Tiger work shirt and a new pair of well-pressed pants then I was again out the door running.


    I got to the shuttle bay with the cargo master impatiently waiting for me. I puffed as I crossed the deck.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­here¡­ugh¡­¡± My hands were on my knees, keeping me from collapsing on the floor. My lungs were working like bellows as I sucked as much air as I can.


    ¡°You¡¯re late. I do not appreciate that. Enter the shuttle and secure yourself.¡± The glowering Barral was very unhappy with me. I wanted to breath more but it was probably more expedient to do that within the confines of the shuttle. I followed the cargo master as he tromped up the cargo door. The shuttle was loaded with just a few crates so there was a lot of room to move in. I flipped down one of the stowaway chairs and took a seat. Before I could strap myself in, the Barral made a noise that made me look up. He then pointed at a small crate just in front of me. I gave him a thumbs up then grabbed the handles of the small crate and pulled it to my feet. I opened it up and saw that Franny had thoughtfully packed me my cooking equipment. A set of kitchen knives, a full spice box, and a few other bits and bobs that you would need but not find in an Inugorian ship. The Inugorian military is homogenous. You would not find any other species working their ships so there would be no reason for them to have equipment for a human¡¯s convenience. They have special yachts that they use to accommodate other species. It suddenly made me aware that the ship might not have human-compatible food but that could be easily remedied. I suppose that I could request from any of the human ships but that would be a time-consuming hassle. I started mentally cataloging what Inugorian fruits and vegetables would be good for eating for humans. My main problem was that just because it was bio-compatible, it doesn¡¯t mean that it tasted good. That occupied my mind until I was distracted by the cargo master who was standing in front of me.


    ¡°Up. We¡¯re here. Get out.¡± The Barral pointed at the opening cargo door then moved back to check the crates. I unbuckled myself, frustrated that I didn¡¯t realize that we were already at our destination. I grabbed the small crate containing my tools then walked down the lowered cargo door.


    As soon as I passed the internal environmental field of the shuttle, I got smacked by the warm, humid air of the ship. The Inugorian homeworld is akin to a human tropical climate. I felt that I would break down in sweat in soon. I saw a couple of other shuttles landing in the bay and I just realized that I don¡¯t know who to report to and where to go. I was getting concerned when I saw two other humans scanning the crowd, looking for something. The shorter of the two spotted me eyeing them and let out a shout of relief. He was too far for me to hear but I could see him gesturing at me to come to them. Not having a better idea, I hustled towards the humans.


    I felt a little intimidated by the situation. Here I was, running in an unfamiliar ship amidst people I don¡¯t know being asked to cook for people who I also have no idea whom all without preparation. Oh, I was also the shortest guy in the hangar. Sure, Inugorians as a race are tall people but that didn¡¯t make me feel better. Even the two other guys I was hurrying to was taller than me, from what I could see.


    ¡°Hey, guy. You the cook from Woglinde?¡± asked the taller one once I was within a comfortable talking range. I placed the crate on the ground to stretch my back. I was not heavy but it was awkward to carry.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me. You guys the other cooks?¡± I hopefully asked.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m Amal from New Horizons and this is Frederick from Argent. Good that you could make it.¡± We shook hands, all of us feeling anxious from the situation.


    ¡°Do you guys know where we are suppose to work? Also, do they even load up on human food? I¡¯m certified for Barral and Inugorian cuisine so I¡¯ve thought about a couple of dishes but that¡¯s severely limiting what we could serve.¡±


    ¡°Got some good news for you, then. First, somebody is going to meet us here to bring us to the galley we¡¯re going to work in. Second, my captain had me load some foodstuff in our shuttle. He anticipated the issue. Here, let me pass you guys a list of what I brought along.¡± Amal used his ArmComm to share his list. Both of us scanned it and I found it to be a relief. Amal was able to bring a variety of meats and vegetables. It¡¯s not a lot but from what I gather from T, we were to serve just for one meal during the war council.


    ¡°You brought some good things along. That¡¯s great! I could imagine doing a couple of interesting dishes with some of the vegetables you have here. Where¡¯s our guide?¡± Frederick wondered. He again was scanning the crowd, looking for anybody looking for a bunch of humans. I also started looking around the busy hangar. My ride was gone and a new shuttle has replaced it. I felt very out of place. It''s not just that we were in an Inugorian ship, it was also a military one. I was more used to the more relaxed nature of the mercs. Here, everybody was walking around in uniform, saluting one another, and the sense of order was almost overpowering. I would not do well in the military.


    "I think I found our guide." Frederick said. I looked back to see that we were being approached by a rather short Inugorian. She was moving at a brisk pace and crossed the remaining space between us in a moment. The Inugorian officer was a longhair. A member of the species'' elite. Her golden yellow and silver diagonal striping was another clue. Only the highborn have that coloration.


    The officer halted abruptly in front of us. She took a moment to look us over and I have the feeling that she was not impressed. I could understand that I was not exactly military materials but the other two guys were both in council uniform. Both cooks came into attention and gave a very crisp salute. The highborn returned the salute with a small bow. I was not familiar with council military ranks but going by the actions of the two, she must be an officer.


    "Are the three of you the human cooks?" Her precise voice cutting through the noise of the hangar bay.


    "Yes sir." was the response of the two military men while I answered with a lame ''yeah.''


    "Excellent. Follow me." The Inugorian officer turned around and started walking back from where we saw her. She didn''t look to check if we were following. The other two guys were quick on their feet and were already on her heels. Amal tilted his head at me to hurry up. I cursed at the unexpected quickness of the event and almost fumbled my crate. I stopped to get a better grip on it then jogged to catch up with the fast-moving officer.


    "I apologize for the short warning. The Forest Lord is, well, a traditionalist. Normally, war councils are done via holo but the Forest Lord insists that we should have a feast to commemorate the start of a campaign. It is an old practice well before Inugorian space travel. The Forest Lord has invited the captains of each ship to participate. We had not been informed of his intentions until recently, hence the haste. The feast is to be held in three hours time. We have made the officer''s galley available to you and our galley staff available to assist. Let us know if you need anything." The officer explained. Three hours is not a lot of time and we were not yet sure of what kind of feast it is. Will this be a banquet? A buffet? Are we doing a full course dinner? I don''t know about the other two but I was not ready for it.


    We walked quickly through the ship. I noticed that the ship was heavy in wood. The deck and the bulkheads were paneled with it. I was not sure if that was just for the flagship or it was standard in all Inugorian ships. It seems to me like it was a waste.


    The officer must have divined my thoughts because she pointed at a maintenance worker holding a length of wood.


    "What you are seeing is not just paneling. The wood comes from a special kind of tree that can only be found in the Inugorian homeworld. It makes up for most of our inner hull and decks. Please watch." We paused to watch as the maintenance worker removed a section of the wooden deck that was darker in color that the rest. I was expecting to see metal underneath but it looked like he peeled out about six to seven centimeters deep of ship wood. he then took out some kind of tool that he loaded with a clear canister filled with cloudy white liquid. He carefully squirted it on the deep groove that he made. Nothing happened for a while and I was wondering if that was it. Suddenly, the wooden sides of the groove started flexing. It then slowly grew like wood soaked in water but at a much faster pace. In the minute that we watched it, the groove was entirely covered and looked like there was never even one in the first place. The maintenance worker took out some other tools then started shaving it to level it with the rest of the deck then polish it. We didn''t watch him finish as the officer, satisfied that we had enough of watching, continued our trip.


    "That always trip me out." Frederick said.


    "Our lives would be so much better if our ships could do that." Amal muttered back.


    "I didn''t even know that wood could do that." I wonderingly said.


    "We would be surprised if you do. That species of trees is strictly controlled. You would only find that in the Inugorian navy." Amal explained to me.


    We walked for about three more minutes before we entered what I assumed was the officer''s galley. It was a lot more expansive that the one I got used to in the Woglinde and it was bare of any decorations other than a tree growing in the middle of the dining room floor. The officer led us towards the kitchen. She opened the door and we entered to find also a larger-than-human-normal preparation area.


    "This is where you will work." The officer said with a wave.


    The galley kitchen was completely Inugorian. There was no fryer that I could see but that was understandable. The physiology of the species could not handle oil that way. Everything was placed higher and the counters were also at an awkward height. The ovens were galactic-standard but they don''t have stoves. The Inugorians prefer using a fire pit in cooking and they had a nook for it at the far end of the kitchen. I glanced at the two other cooks and I could see that they also have looks of concern.


    This is gonna be hard...

 Quick Food and Bad Servers

    ¡°The feast will be done in the traditional Inugorian communal style. Large tables will be placed in the middle of the dining room and it will be covered by large leaves from a generation tree. The leaves symbolize the soil that all Inugorians trod upon and the bluish yellow color of it symbolizes the defining color of our homeworld.


    The food is typically served by placing the food without any plating on the leaf, using large leafy vegetables as the base for the other prepared dishes. The practice has been changed somewhat when we started socializing with the other space-faring species. We now use earthen bowls to serve dishes to avoid it mixing with the other food that might not be bio-compatible to the other diners.


    We have tried our best to seat the officers beside the species that are bio-compatible with them but we could not guarantee the same for the Forest Lord¡¯s table. It would be your job to ensure that none of our officers would suddenly find themselves in the healing ward due to food poisoning. I understand that this is a tall order for the short amount of time given for you but we don¡¯t have a choice. Are there any questions?¡± The officer explained the situation precisely but it did nothing to assuage my fears.


    ¡°Yes sir. Does the ship carry any human food?¡± Amal asked. He was peering around, probably trying to see if he could spot a carrot or something.


    ¡°We have requested some of the human ships to part with some of their foodstuffs and you could expect it to arrive in a few more minutes. Here is a listing of what will be made available.¡± The officer pressed a couple of commands on her ArmComm then sent the information package to the three of us.


    ¡°Sir, do any of the ship¡¯s cooks have any experience in xenoculinary?¡± Frederick inquired as he scanned the list scrolling on his holo.


    ¡°One or two of them might have assisted in some form in serving our Barral allies but I doubt that they have any relevant experience preparing meals for humans. This task force is primarily formed from ships serving the border of the Inugorian coreworlds and the Barral frontier. Very few humans in those sectors.¡± I could see a frown flashed on Amal¡¯s face but it was gone so quickly I was not sure it was even there at all.


    ¡°Again, We apologize for the short notice but I am sure you would do flawlessly. Now, if there are no other questions, I have a number of things I have to attend to with very little time to do it.¡± The officer paused just to make sure that there were no questions before she nodded in goodbye. The two military men snapped to attention and saluted the departing officer.


    Once she was gone, both relaxed and walked around the galley. I did the same to check our workspace.


    ¡°Not too bad. Shame we don¡¯t have a stove, though. It¡¯ll be hard to work on that fire pit.¡± Frederick said. He was checking the pots and pans, making sure of what we could use.


    ¡°Could have been worse, I¡¯ll tell you that. I was given a tour of a Barral ship once and would you believe it, they just have a flash oven and a Barral distillation unit. Talk about limiting factors.¡± Amal laid out a rolled up leather pouch, revealing his knives. It was of good quality from what I could see. I decided it that I should do the same. I placed my crate on top of preparation table and started taking things out.


    ¡°Hey¡­ Come to think of it, we don¡¯t know your name.¡± Amal asked. He looked over to scrutinize me. Both of them were wearing standard galactic council navy uniform while I was there in my shirt and pants and bandolier of knives. Not exactly military proper.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. Name¡¯s Albert Mayon from the Woglinde. I¡¯m with Red Tiger.¡±


    ¡°Red Tiger, huh. I heard about you guys.¡± Frederick¡¯s tone suggests that he was not fond of mercenaries even if he did try not to sound too dismissive of my current employer. I did not take it personally. I don¡¯t know how well Red Tiger stacked up against council forces but I do know how mercs are generally not looked at in a good light by service personnel.


    ¡°So what are your cooking backgrounds? We need to get that sorted out.¡± Amal asked quickly. I think he might have done that to prevent Frederick from needling me too much about being a merc.


    We shared our various experiences behind the counter and it turned out that Amal was astonishingly overqualified as a navyman cook. Petty Officer Amal Hussein was not just papered in preparing dishes for human, Inugorian, and Barral species, he¡¯s also a graduate of Le Ponse Culinary School of Hestia. He¡¯s a genuine chef. Amal used to serve politicians and other worthies before he enlisted.


    ¡°Why in the void are you here, then? You could be living the life now. You could have a cooking show or make food for the high and mighty.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe that the man chose to be in the navy rather than working a kitchen in a world somewhere.


    ¡°It¡¯s not all that cracked out to be. Sure, I would be making hand over fist but I want more than serving those people who can afford what I make on a regular basis. Most people have never even tasted Fillet Mignon with Foie Gras or the Inugorian Savat Sumal or even the Kakker meat skewer native to Barral prepared with care and expertise. Most people get to eat something from the local neighborhood, that¡¯s not to say they¡¯re bad, it¡¯s just very limited, or they would spend tons of credits to taste what their local governor is eating. I want to give the regular working stiff a chance at eating fancy.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re cooking for the navy. We got a menu the chief cook approves. There¡¯s little deviation from that.¡± Frederick grunted. The food crates that the human ships have sent arrived on a lev pallet being pushed by an Inugorian assistant cook. We grabbed the crates and placed them on the ground, checking the ingredients against the list the officer gave us.


    ¡°My chief is a great guy, he listens to my suggestions and allows me to modify the menu somewhat. I¡¯m not planning on having a career in the navy. I just want to serve my time then open a small place back home.¡±


    The reminder of having a restaurant made me suddenly remember my eatery. It still hurts every time I remember it. I wish there would come a time that I could look back to it and not feel regret.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on with you? Something missing? Don¡¯t you worry, we¡¯ll take care of it. Just help us prepare the ingredients.¡± Frederick¡¯s not-so-snide remark brought me back to the present and I just looked at him with a raised eyebrow. He just smiled at me then continued sorting. I could see Amal shaking his head at the man. Frederick seems to have a chip on his shoulder. I decided to again let it pass.


    ¡°Alright, I would suggest that I take lead here. I¡¯ve got the most experience and I just know what we could do in the timeframe we have. Agreed?¡± Amal asked. He and Frederick were both petty officers and I was a merc so there was no clear chain of command.


    ¡°You¡¯re senior to me by a couple of months, and yeah, you know way more than I do.¡± Frederick easily agreed. I had a sneaking suspicion that if I tried to claim kitchen boss even if I was more qualified than the two, he would have given me problems.


    ¡°No problem, boss.¡± I said. Amal smiled in satisfaction then threw a tab on the prep table. A holo projected a few dishes that the petty officer probably has been thinking about ever since we got the list.


    ¡°Right, I was thinking of using rice as thebase for our dishes. All three species are good with it and there would be no negative physiological reaction from the Parnesh of Xentilla though if the Parnesh accidentally ingests some, they¡¯ll be walking with a slight blue pigmentation for a week.


    The feast, from what I understand, would have all the dishes served at the same time. I¡¯ve checked the cultural database of the ship and it says there that a normal Inugorian feast would have about four to six dishes served. I¡¯m planning to incorporate some of the Inugorian food stuff we have here to give it some twist. It would also give our hosts something to try if they¡¯re curious so here is what I¡¯m thinking¡­¡±


    Amal described the dishes he wanted to serve. He settled on serving five unique dishes that would use aPansel fish as the central ingredient and the venison we got to complement it. We were talking about the available spices when I remembered the Hoaka seedpod that I took out. I remember using only one. I quickly rummaged through my crate and with a shout of victory, I took out the small pillbox.


    ¡°What have you got there?¡± Amal paused to look at what got me excited.


    ¡°I was hoping they packed this for me. I have a hoaka seedpod in this thing here. We could use this.¡± I opened it up and displayed the grain-sized pod proudly.


    ¡°Nice work. We could use that.¡±


    We talked a bit more until we settled on preparing venison chili, using the hoaka seedpod to spice it up, pansel grilled then served with buttery wine and capers, a modified caesar salad using some of the pansel and Inugorian vegetables, venison and rice stuffed acorn squash, and lemon pie for dessert. There was some discussion about adding the pie. The acidity is not going to be a problem for an Inugorian but it could give them a slight stomach irritation for the very sensitive. Since we were serving humans, we ultimately decided that we would go with it.


    Amal started directing us as we started working on the menu. The Inugorian cooks also made their entrance during our menu discussions and were directed to assist us in preparing the ingredients.


    I was grilling some venison when Frederick passed me by. He just finished chopping the vegetables for the salad and has placed the ingredients in a large bowl.


    ¡°Are you sure you know what you¡¯re doing? Do you need help? Do you even have grills on your ship or just use a food dispenser?¡± I don¡¯t know if he was really asking or not but his tone suggests that he was most probably disparaging my ship. I flipped the meat then turned to face the smirking navyman.


    ¡°Oh, we have a grill. Nice model too. By the way, you¡¯re chopping those vegetables too chunky. You might want to be more careful with that.¡± I said. The man started to rebut but I interrupted him.


    ¡°I was just giving you advice since you¡¯re the only one here who never actually worked as a cook for a living.¡± Well, that¡¯s pushing it a bit since being a ship cook is cooking for a living but Frederick needed somebody to burst his bubble. We were back to being like secondary education students. Making hurtful remarks and snide comments.


    The man¡¯s face slightly colored red and he turned to fully address me. He was probably embarrassed since I was talking loudly, making sure that everybody in the galley could hear me. I didn¡¯t know if all the Inugorians could understand but since I was talking standard, everybody probably did.


    ¡°Now, see here. Just because you¡¯re used to making something passably edible doesn¡¯t make you an expert. The navy has standards, you see. A merc wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Right. Whatever makes you happy. Just don¡¯t try that when you take your certification test. They¡¯ll flunk you faster than you can say ¡®bon appetite.¡¯ Trust me, take it as a passer giving a test taker an advice.¡± I was not looking at the embarrassed man, I was focusing on making sure that the venison doesn¡¯t get charred. I could feel his humiliation on my back as some of the Inugorians were trying to stifle their laughter. Even in the short amount of timethat the ship¡¯s crew have worked with the man they already had an impression of him.


    I was waiting for him to make a comeback but Amal¡¯s voice rang from the other end of the galley.


    ¡°Frederick, what the hell is your problem, man? You¡¯re a damn navy officer, not a juvie student. What is your issue with the merc? I would have backed you since you¡¯re a brother in the service but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll help you be a dick.¡± Amal didn¡¯t really shout but he was definitely frustrated at our childish squabble. Frederick didn¡¯t answer and just turned back and continued working on his salad, chopping it better. He was grumbling the entire time.


    The workspace gave us a bit of a problem until we got used to it. We had some of the Inugorian cooks help us use the fire pit because the hanging pot required some practice in using it. Amal almost spilled the sauce he was making after trying to swirl it a bit. We were able to finish everything just on time with Amal giving the servers some last minute instructions. The dishes were not exactly high class but Amal was able to give them some flair by adding some spices that were made available. We had high hopes that it would be received well.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    We were thanking the Inugorian galley crew for their help and usage of their galley when the Inugorian officer made an appearance. She gestured for us to follow her.


    ¡°Thank you for your work. As part of the ceremony, those who prepared the food for the feast are to be lauded publicly. I will escort you to somewhere where you can clean yourselves up then present you at the thanksgiving. Please follow me.¡± Just like before, the officer turned about then walked away without looking back. This time, I was prepared for it and was following closely. We passed the some very busy spacers, some carrying equipment while others were working on something. All stood aside and saluted our guide when we passed.


    The trip was short and we only have to move one deck up before we reached our destination. The officer indicated that we should enter the room she was pointing at.


    ¡°Get clean then wait for me to come back to you. There is a specific order of presentation that we have to follow. Do not leave this room. Understand?¡± The two service cooks gave an appropriate ¡®yes sir!¡¯ while I just said ¡®I understand.¡¯ The officer left us alone allowing me a good look at the room. It was a very Spartan space with just a few tables and chairs scattered around. Just like the rest of the ship, it was wood paneled. There was a comm station at the far end and a holo projectortank set in the middle of the room but that was all. It kind of reminded me of a ready room for pilots. The refresher at the back had a sonic cleaner for our clothes. We stripped and had the machine vibrate the stains away then had it on quick wash. I ignored Frederick in the five minutes it took for my clothes to come out fresh. I donned everything back on and made sure that I looked presentable. I didn¡¯t know if I was allowed to keep my bandolier strapped on my chest but unless somebody else said otherwise, I would bring my knives. I got used to it and felt naked without them. The other two were also looking mighty smart with their uniform.


    We didn¡¯t have the time to relax when the officer returned to fetch us. We walked behind her and it didn''t take long before I noticed that the passageways were getting heavy with people traffic. I could see that the other cooks from the other species were also being led by their own guides. The mineral-like Parnesh took almost the entire width of the passageway. Its heavy steps making loud thuds on the wooden deck.


    ¡°Wait here until we call on you. You are to enter in a file then arrange yourselves into a singular rank. The forest lord will make a short speech of gratitude then all of you will salute on command. You will then be escorted out to another room where you can have some refreshments before you are released back to your assigned ships.¡± We answered in understanding. The officer addressed the entire crowd, about fourteen in number of different species of cooks. The Inugorians were already familiar with the ceremony so the other species were the ones listening closely.


    The officer left and entered the function room where the feast was being held, leaving us to our devices. I circulated among the crowd, trying to get to know the others. Two other people showed the same disdain towards me when they noticed that I was not in uniform but I¡¯ve come to accept the fact that there will always be animosity between those in service and the mercenary groups. Unsurprisingly, it was the Inugorians that greeted me warmly. They gave me tips on what to do when we were called and how to react if something in the ceremony changed. The large Parnesh also talked to me about his envy towards the mercenary guilds. He expressed his desire to fight and was unable to do so without council approval. No Parnesh was allowed to join a mercenary guild. They would be difficult to stop once they got into the thick of fighting.


    We didn¡¯t have to wait long before a steward stepped out of the room and had us form a line. Once we were settled, he opened the door and we marched in. I was at the end of the line since I was the only one that was not military.


    The function room was larger than I imagined. It was also wood paneled but the wood they used in this room was different. It was glossy and was of a deeper shade of brown. A number of floating chandelier illuminated the room. Paintings and sculptures decorated the walls and corners of the room while large, circular tables took up the majority of the floor space. The ship captains were seated with their own kind in species-appropriate furniture. All were staring at us as we made our entrance. I tried to copy the snappiness and crisp movements of the others but was unsure if I was able to pass myself as somewhat military-like in precision.


    The lead cook made a sharp right turn then continued marching. We entered from the left so we just had to keep on marching and follow the lead man. When he reached the appropriate distance, he stopped with a final stomp then pivoted left, facing the crowd. I was successful in following the others and not embarrassing myself.


    ¡°Officers of the fleet, these are the people that have prepared the food that we would partake in this feast. In the Inugorian tradition, it is always important to acknowledge those who make sustenance for our people. They have the responsibility of¡­¡±


    I did not hear the rest of what the forest lord was saying because my attention was drawn towards the servers at the far back of the fleet officer¡¯s table. Specifically, I was drawn towards one of the servers. He was a tall, well-groomed man and was looking out of place. There was nothing obvious that made him stand out. A Parnesh server was making like a pillar beside one of the tables sitting the Parnesh captains would have made a literal larger impression but everything that I saw in him just felt wrong. The way his cleaning rag was hung was wrong. His sleeves were a tad too long, it would touch the dishes he would carry. His tie was unsecured even if it was tucked inside his vest. His nails, from what I could see from the other side of the room, were longer than what is hygienic. His boots were not the sleek, synth leather shoes that were universal to all servers everywhere but were heavy duty work boots, though polished to perfection. Lastly, he was not looking at the covered food placed on the tables like the others. He was watching the people around him, not even watching us being presented to the crowd which was really odd. All of these were very subtle and would havepassed my notice had I not taken that confounding servers training course when I was getting my certification. Most servers were invisible to the masses. You either see them or you don¡¯t. Most people tend to mentally categorize a server as like furniture. You don¡¯t stare at the furniture unless you want something from it so even if people have seen servers around them, they don¡¯t really see them.


    There was this niggling thought of familiarity that was banging on my brain but no matter how I try to grasp it, it eluded me. It almost made me miss our cue to bow at the officers. Luckily, the applause made me concentrate back on the proceedings. We took our bow then the feast was officially started. The servers stepped forward to remove the food covers. The forest lord¡¯s table was smaller than the restsinceit only seated the highly-placed officers and leaders of the fleet so they only needed two servers. It was probably the reason why I saw anything at all. As the tall server approached the forest lord purposefully. Blood spurted from his left sleeve as an oh-so-familiar knife emerged dripping from it. He drew it out with his left, intent on plunging it on fleet leader¡¯s neck. Before I could process what I was doing, I already drew and let fly a knife in one smooth and practiced motion. the throwing knife spun gracefully through the air before terminating its flight on the man¡¯s left bicep. I was able to make him flinch in pain and somewhat divert his knife from killing the forest lord. The killing instrument sliced the elder Inugorian¡¯s shoulder, bisecting the hard muscle cleanly. His long knife slammed on the table as he stumbled and the attacker¡¯s face contorted in agony as he pawed at the throwing knife embedded halfway through his arm. The forest lord shouted in pain and surprise, falling back and almost unseating the insectoid Xentilla sitting beside him.


    The attacker was not finished. Seeing his knife entangled on the tablecloth, he ripped my knife from his arm with a yell and a hard yank, spilling more blood on his already gory self. He flipped it in an underhand grip then tried to pounce on the beleaguered leader. Most of those sitting at the forest lord¡¯s table were already moving. These were service personnel, they registered the attack and were already moving to address the danger but they would not make it.


    Luckily, for some insane reason, I was already halfway through the expanse separating the attacker and I. Later during my debriefing, I could not think of a reason why in void¡¯s name I acted as I did. I swear, there must be some otherworldly being controlling my body every time I was in a crisis.


    The attacker had time to only brandish the bloody knife before I boldly tackled him from the side. I had a good amount of momentum when I slammed on the knifeman. It doesn¡¯t matter how strong or big you are, momentum plus timing could bring down even the biggest of people.


    I took the man off his feet, I could hear him grunt as the air in his lungs was forcefully evacuated. I had a good grip on his legs and was proud that my rudimentary skills in wrestling that I have learned during my teenage years were still present. I took it up just so that I didn¡¯t have to take a ball sport. I hated ball sports.


    I was fully expecting the man to be laid low by my sudden appearance but to my total and utter surprise, the man was able to twist his body midair to face me then he leaned forward, shifting the majority of his weight on his upper body that was bearing down on me. He tightened his leg muscles and spread them wide to anchor his feet. He killed the backward motion that I was forcing him into, completely stilling us for a moment.


    Before I could register that my takedown attempt has failed, the man¡¯s bloody hands grabbed the back of my head as his right knee punched forward towards my face. The world suddenly turned into a bright, blurry white. I could barely see a black splotch in front of me moving as I was completely detached with reality.


    A sudden searing pain on my stomach cured me of my loose thoughts.


    I had time to scream and notice blood flying from my person. As I crumpled on the deck, I could see my guts spilling out of a very wide cut on my midsection. The pain was unbelievable. I lay on the ground trying to comprehend how I could stuff my intestines back in my body amidst the indescribable agony wracking through me.


    I was going to die.


    I was so scared.


    I was not supposed to go out like this. I was supposed to die of old age or getting my arteries clogged by fatty food or something but not getting disemboweled by a knife-wielding server.


    The last thing I saw before I was released from the pain was the death grip I had on a large black boot and its partner crashing on my head.


    ***


    I jerked awake as consciousness flooded my senses. Panic set in without any reason. I thrashed around, my limbs throwing in each and every way. I was not in control of my body. All I could think in my panic-induced moment was I needed to breathe. It was my overriding concern.


    Something was holding me down. I couldn¡¯t see anything. It was like I was under water. A thick and murky water. I tried screaming but something was plugged in my mouth. I became more frantic as I tried to get myself free, my thrashing becoming more and more violent.


    I wanted out.


    I needed to breathe.


    Let me out!


    LET ME OUT!!!


    Dark figures from a distance approached me. I again tried to fight what was keeping me in the water but it was useless, I was powerless against it. A dark shape took hold of my neck and then nothing¡­


    ***


    Again I opened my eyes but this time I was calm. It felt like I was waking up from a long night¡¯s sleep. I tried rubbing my eyes but I couldn¡¯t move my arms. I pulled harder but nothing happened. I looked around and was surprised to notice that I was actually underwater. Well, I don¡¯t know if it was water. It was more like a gel. The viscosity was slowing any movement I could do under restraint.


    I moved my head around, trying to see anything but the gel was like pale milk, I could only make out shapes from afar.


    I tried testing the limit of the restraints on me arms and I was mildly surprised when my right hand bumped into a wall. What I think was a wall. It took some squirming and patient maneuvering but I was able to deduce that I was in a regeneration gel bed. This was my second time being submerged in the wondrous medical equipment.


    The events of what lead me here crowded my thoughts. I thought I was dead. I¡¯m not dead? I heard that stomach wounds like the one I had suffered were generally considered as fatal ones. Then again, I was on the flagship of the Inugorian navy. They undoubtedly have the best medical ward this side of space.


    I was just starting to wonder what will happen next when the gel suddenly started draining. I was slowly put on my back as the gel was sucked by some drain around me. It took less than a minute before I was laying on a padded bed slick with the healing solution. I shook my head and was able to flick away the gunk that was covering my eyes. I took a good look, as much as I was able to, at my body. I was seriously tied down. I tried sitting up a bit more to get a good look at my stomach but the restraints didn¡¯t have that much slack.


    ¡°Please stay still Mr. Mayon. We would open the canopy momentarily. Please remain calm. We are here for you.¡± The serene, female voice flowed out of the speaker unit beside my head.


    I tried to keep my impatience from getting the better of me so I stopped messing around. Healing gel kinda smells like strawberries. Was that normal? I wonder if you could use the gel as lube. It¡¯s universally biocompatible. I suppose that could present as a problem since you¡¯d always be breaking the hymen of a woman. That could be uncomfortable. Hey, if there is an unused passageway somewhere, I could use the gel as a slip and slide. That¡¯ll be fun.


    Wait a minute, what was I thinking about? It was so hard to concentrate on something. I got hurt, right? Was I talking to myself? Is that weird? I don¡¯t think that¡¯s weird. Nah, that was probably my imaginary friend Floyd. You bastard! Floyd, where in the universe have you been for the last¡­ I dunno, bajillion years!? I thought we were friends!?


    ¡°Concentrate, Mr. Mayon. Please try to focus on my voice.¡±


    Was somebody talking to me? I didn¡¯t know Floyd was a girl. Should I call him Fellya? That¡¯s a girl¡¯s name right?


    Something grabbed my head. It was warm and it felt relaxing. Oooh! A massage! I haven¡¯t had one of those since forever. Wait, why is the therapist not moving her hands?


    Slowly, my roving thoughts melted away and I found myself staring at an older Inugorian doctor that had her eyes closed in concentration. I could feel her warm hands on the sides of my temple and cheeks. A slight, regular pulse of warmth cleared all the fogginess in my head. I stayed still and let the doctor continue with her mind healing. It didn¡¯t take much more before the doctor slowly took her hands away from my head and opened her eyes. She let out a long breath then gave me a tired smile. The doctor¡¯s coloration was interesting. Half of her furry face was in the shade of gold while the other was jet black.


    ¡°You gave my assistants quite the scare, Mr. Mayon. You are quite strong.¡± She said. It was her voice that I heard while I was confined inside the bed. Obviously, the canopy was retracted so she could get at me. I probably was high on drugs since I didn¡¯t notice her until she was mid-treatment with her species¡¯ specialty.


    ¡°What happened? I mean, other than you saving my life thing. Thank you for that, by the way.¡± I asked. I had to cough out a bit of the gel but I did a good job of being coherent even with my clogged throat.


    ¡°You had a negative reaction to a specially-engineered tissue regenerator that we applied in the healing gel. Your wounds were very extensive, Mr. Mayon. If you were somewhere else other than the Adanas, I greatly doubt you would have survived. We had to regrow multiple organs as some were damaged beyond healing and you have lost a lot of blood. Thankfully, everything that would facilitate your recovery is within our power. The forest lord had made it clear that you are to regain full health. I would so dearly hate to disappoint him.¡± The doctor said as she started unbuckling my restraints.


    Right. I did something stupid that in a different set of circumstances, it would have killed me.


    ¡°How is the forest lord anyway? I saw that the guy was able to slice him up some.¡±


    ¡°He is fine. It was but a flesh wound. The fanatic was unable to do much more, from what I have heard. You were able to keep him busy long enough before a Parnesh captain who was seated near your altercation ensured his expiration. A fleet-wide investigation is currently ongoing. They have found a handful more fanatics embedded in other ships in the three days you were unconscious. This is a serious breach of security. The attack on the Pegasi system is temporarily on hold until the forest lord is satisfied that the fanatics have been purged from the ranks. Interestingly enough, it was the mercenary companies that have proven to be clean from the New World taint.¡± The doctor informed me.


    ¡°Wait, The guy is¡­ was a New World fanatic? How did he get on the ship? Also, I¡¯ve been here three days? Oh, Franny¡¯s not going to like that. Could I have my comm? I need to get into contact with my boss.¡± I tried getting up but the doctor stopped me with a firm hand on my chest.


    ¡°You are to go nowhere, Mr. Mayon. You are not yet fully healed. Your ship has been informed and you will be transferred soon. As soon as the forest lord has a chance to speak with you. Also, with the investigation underway, ship transfers are temporarily halted.¡± The doctor calmly informed me. I sat back on my bed and relaxed. I felt a little weak anyway.


    ¡°Okay, doc. Whatever you say. Can I have something to eat? I¡¯m starving.¡± My stomach made itself known with a loud growl. I remembered that I was also very hungry the first time I had to use one of these things.


    ¡°That is normal. The healing gel normally draws nutrients and building compound from the patient itself. Your meal is to arrive shortly, In fact, I think that is your meal now.¡± The doctor turned around as my wardroom door opened. A large, muscular, blonde-haired woman was carrying a tray full of steaming food.


    ¡°Miss me, handsome?¡± She gave me a large smile and a wink.


    ¡°Nabila!?¡±

 Old and New Relationships

    I lifted the bowl to my face as I gingerly took a sip of the fragrant broth. It was definitely not based on any human livestock. It smelled like lemon grass with pepper and has a strange savory taste that was not unpleasant. I decided that it reminded me of cold soup.


    I sipped half of the life-giving liquid before setting it back down on my bed table. The purple meat that was floating around in it was making me uncomfortable.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s a CPM officer doing here? I mean, it¡¯s great to see and all but I didn¡¯t even know that there was any CPM officer was onboard.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to and if you did, we would have been questioning you. I can¡¯t tell you much as that is classified information but what I can say is that those slavers we rooted out in Illustratum? They had a whole lot of things to say once we got those terrible collars off. A special strike team was able to incapacitate a number of slave soldiers and were able to deactivate the trigger mechanisms of their collars and implants before it had a chance to classify the beings harboring them as compromised.


    That was not easy. The technology on those collars are way beyond what the alliance had seen before and it was only through the cooperation of the collective minds of the scientists working from across different worlds and judicious use of the QE communicators were they able to crack that piece of technological marvel. The council made a mistake in not recognizing Xiao Bin¡¯s grievances. Most of the egghead types tend to be very quirky and requires a lot of babying. Shunting him in a room away from his family and only allowing limited access was a recipe for disaster. That man is abonafide genius.


    Anyway, long story short, Ronald and I were reassigned to Galactic Alliance Intelligence for the moment. Somebody pointed fingers, or claws¡­ or tentacles now that I''m thinking about it, at the problem you have here. We¡¯re here to get to the bottom of the terrorist attacks on the core worlds. Yes, worlds. Ceres was not the only alliance world to have an infestation of slavers. Hence the GAI presence.


    You, my manly, manly friend, was a delightful surprise. You can¡¯t seem to get away from the action, can¡¯t you?¡±


    I almost choked on a not-bread that I was having a hard time masticating. She was coming on hard. I coughed it up then tried chewing it slowly. The grainy texture was more like sand than wheat.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why this keeps happening to me. It¡¯s like one huge cosmic joke. Isn¡¯t there like a sushi chef somewhere needing an emergency help in the kitchen or something? Is it too much to ask to just have some peace and quiet?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re Red Tiger now. Trouble is part of the name.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a cook.¡± I emphasized with a hard bite on my not-bread.


    ¡°A mercenary cook.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not supposed to fight, though.¡±


    ¡°Yet here you are.¡± Nabila fired back with a smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re not helping.¡±


    ¡°Just making you face reality.¡±


    I finished eating my food in peace, if not quiet, as the Ceresian officer allowed me to focus on my tray. She was rhythmically squeezing a ball on her left hand and squeaking sound was starting to irritate me but I didn¡¯t give her the satisfaction of reacting to it.


    The doctor appeared as soon as I was done and set aside my tray. She then took out an instrument and started scanning my body. I kept as still as I could while sitting up on my reclined bed. I¡¯ve done this before and it would go much quicker if I let her do her job.


    ¡°Good tidings, Mr. Mayon. You are now technically well. All your organs are registering as functional and your muscle tissues all regrew properly. You would still feel some pain for the next two days but I will inject some nanomeds to minimize its impact. If you could please remain still...¡± The doctor unsocketed an injector from its holding rack. She gently touched the dispensing nozzle on my arm. I felt a brief pressure as she pulled the trigger but it was so fast that I doubted if I felt anything at all. She returned the instrument then started scanning me again. Aflick of her ear indicated her satisfaction with the readouts on her holo.


    ¡°I will be signing for your release. According to the vessel executor, you have been assigned quarters here in the ship for the time being. The forest lord¡¯s liaison will be here momentarily to escort you to your quarters. I recommended rest. More sleep will allow the nanomeds I¡¯ve injected you time to complete their work. It would be for the best.


    For now, I leave you with Ms. Akseldatter. If you are in need, The call for care button is beside you.¡± The doctor gave a short bow then turned around and briskly exited the room.


    ¡°Would you stop that!¡± I said sharply at Nabila. On the course of my examination, she was slowly building up the speed of her squeezing. The squeaking noise was not loud at all but it was very irritating. By the time the doctor left, she was furiously squeezing the thing.


    ¡°Ha! Made you mad. Fine, I¡¯ll stop. You have any plans?¡± She was completely unrepentant even as she pocketed her squeeze ball in her straining blazer.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t leave the ship until the investigation is over or the forest lord lets me leave. By the way, shouldn¡¯t you be helping root out fanatics? This is the kind of thing you specialize on right?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m off-duty right now. You should be thankful I¡¯m spending my precious down time with you. How about you pay me back with a date?¡± She crossed her legs then palmed her chin, looking like a very cute space Viking.


    ¡°By the stars, woman. You don¡¯t let up, do you? I said I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m supposed to do now. Doctor said a liaison officer is going to come by to pick me up.¡± I temporized. I was not used to getting hit on so brazenly.


    ¡°So that¡¯s a maybe then?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see if we survive the Pegasi sector first then we can talk about dating.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so cute when you¡¯re flustered.¡± Nabila had a shit-eating grin plastered on her face. I had to admit, I was probably burning like a ripe tomato.


    Before things got more awkward for me, the door to my room slid open and an Inugorian officer stepped inside. It was the same liaison officer that greeted and guided the human cooks around.


    ¡°Mr. Mayon, It is relieving to see you well. The forest lord is most happy of your recovery. He has planned to meet you in a day or so but he has other matters to attend to at the moment. If you and Ms. Akseldatter could follow me, please?¡± As usual, she was very economical in her time and did not wait for us to see if we were following. Her only concession was she walked slower to accommodate my still-recovering strength.


    ¡°The forest lord wants you to know that you have the gratitude of the Inugorian nation and would be compensated accordingly. You have acted beyond the call of duty, especially as a mercenary, and have prevented the assassination of one of the most venerated worthies of the Inugorian society.


    Personally, I would like to extend the friendship of the sentinels. It was our lack of vigilance that allowed for such a thing to happen. We have looked into how the situation has come about and found that there is more to this attack than what it would seem on the surface.


    You are cordially invited to dine with us tomorrow for dinner in the sentinel¡¯s bay, if you so choose. There are a few people that would be interested in meeting you.¡± The liaison looked back to check for my answer.


    ¡°Of course, I would be there. I don¡¯t have anything to wear, though. This is the only thing I have in my possession right now.¡± I waved as my ensemble. It was not bad. The blood was cleaned out and rips and tears from, I would hesitate to call it a fight, my mauling had also been repaired. It was standard mercenary shipboard outfit. Practical and unadorned.


    ¡°Do not concern yourself with that. Your clothing is the last of our considerations. You have but to present yourself and that would be enough.¡±


    ¡°Then I''ll make sure that I¡¯m not late. By the way, what¡¯s going to happen to me now? I know that there is an investigation happening onboard so I¡¯m probably restricted to some areas of the ship. I can¡¯t leave for the moment right?¡±


    ¡°Correct. The purge of these fanatics from our ranks has taken top priority at the moment. A QE transmission to the council informing them of the infiltration had caused quite a stir among the sitting members. The council had alerted all member species of the, what is the human term, ¡®moles¡¯ is it? And the various militaries are also going through their personnel with a critical eye. This could potentially be a disaster.¡± The officer explained. I paused to think for a moment. Nabila was quiet but she was obviously listening to the conversation.


    ¡°Should you be telling me this? I¡¯m grateful and all to be told anything about what¡¯s going on but is that safe?¡± I carefully asked. I was not interested in learning secrets. Classified information normally comes with a tightening noose with it.


    ¡°Oh, all of what I am sharing with is broadcasted to the public. It is quite a smart move by the council. They had requested that all broadcasting stations in all alliance worlds to stream the recording of the attack on the forest lord. It has inflamed the citizens¡¯ patriotism and greatly legitimizes the offensive against the current occupying force of the Pegasi sector. It was no longer strikes against high-ranking politicians and celebrities but an attack on the people that keep the alliance safe. If there was a boon in this whole debacle, it is that we now have the complete support of the masses.


    There are some concerns about the competency of our militaries but those are coming from extreme groups that have very little support base outside their hardcore members and supporters. The council has dismissed these allegations but internally, the intelligence division of each species has been reported to be reviewing their own screening process in taking in recruits and is going over the files of their current service personnel. It is distasteful but necessary. There is little to be gained by offending a man-at-arms by doubting his integrity to the service. The things we do to maintain the dictates of our tenets is a hard road to follow.¡±


    By the tone of her voice, it sounded to me that she was trying to convince herself of what she was saying. It must have been a hard blow to find fanatical spies in your ranks. I can¡¯t even understand how the Inugorain military has been penetrated. From what I remember, recruiters scour your mind through direct contact to ensure that you are decided in joining the military. I know for a fact that no human had ever successfully hidden anything from an Inugorian interrogator. Being mentally probed via alien powers is not something humanity has developed a defense for. I had to cut my musings as the officer was still talking.


    ¡°You be assigned temporary quarters in the officers¡¯ branch, or ¡®country¡¯ from what I remember our human colleagues¡¯ term for it, for the time being. You are free to come and go but understand, you¡¯ll be restricted to a few areas as this is still a warship. Hopefully, you¡¯ll be allowed to return to your ship in a few days¡¯ time.¡± She informed. It was strange, not being required to do anything. The first day on the Woglinde was very busy. I was already at a loss as to what to do with my time.


    We took a quick lift a few decks up until we came upon the Officers¡¯ berthing. Everybody was wearing a patch or something else to signify their rank that was lost to me. I should better use my free time to learn about the Inugorian military organization.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Here we are. You can take your meals at the officers¡¯ galley. I was informed that you might be limited in the selection of food you can consume. The ship normally carries a small supply of foodstuff from the various space-faring species in case of visitation but it is a bit presumptuous to force our cook to prepare a specific meal for one human.¡± The officer looked back at me in silence. The question was very clear. We stopped in front of an unremarkable door. It appears to be my temporary home for the moment.


    ¡°I understand completely. In fact, I would like to request, if possible, to be allowed to work with my Inugorian colleagues. I¡¯m certified in cooking Inugoiran cuisine and it would allow me to prepare my own meals. It¡¯s a bit weird not doing anything, to be honest.¡± I admitted. I didn¡¯t like the feeling of uselessness.


    ¡°Why am I not surprised. You just got gutted like a fish and you¡¯re already itching to get behind a counter. Not that I mind, though. I rather fancy your cooking. How about you cook for us too?¡± Nabila suggested boldly. I was not even sure I was allowed to work in the galley and was about to remind her of the fact when the officer cut in the conversation.


    ¡°An excellent proposal. It would allow our cooks to share experiences and notes with you. It would be a benefit to all if you can teach our galley crew a bit about human food preparation. I could arrange something like a seminar for our cooks while you work with them. Would that be agreeable to you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to. You guys use very different utensils and appliances. I could count on one hand how many times I had been allowed inside an Inugorian kitchen with a traditional setup. If you could arrange a meeting with the head cook, I could voice some suggestions of what I could discuss and he could tell me what they would like to know.¡± I was already thinking up some dishes that could be prepared easily with Inugorian ingredients. It wouldn¡¯t be exactly the same as their human equivalents but it would be a great introduction to human cuisine.


    ¡°Done. I would have the head cook send you a communication in a few hours. You can coordinate with him. If you need anything, I am confident the head cook could accommodate you.


    Anyway, I will inform you when the forest lord has an opening in his schedule. He is a very busy man so it would take some time. Good day, Mr. Mayon. You as well, Ms. Akseldatter.¡± She gave both of us a slight nod then spun away in her characteristic manner.


    ¡°Well, I have to get going too. I need some sleep. Ronald and I are helping in weeding out the implanted saboteurs and spies. Long hours that. Keep out of trouble. Toodles!¡± She waved her fingers at me then walked back to the lift. She suddenly turned and found me watching her back. I tried to avert my gaze before she could see me when she unexpectedly spun but she caught me anyway. She had a huge grin on her face then gave me a saucy wink. Mercifully, the lift doors shut closed, relieving me of the source of my embarrassment.


    Stars! That woman is a handful.


    I composed myself then stepped up to the door. I was expecting that it would first verify my identity with a scan but apparently, I was already registered in the system. It picked up on my intent to enter and the door slid noiselessly.


    The room was very Spartan but that was expected in a military warship. It was extremely clean though and the deck was wooden paneled. That would feel great on my feet rather than the cold, hard metal deck of a human warship.


    I brought nothing with me so I didn¡¯t have to put anything away. I decided to get comfy so I took off my bandolier and hung it on the backrest of the solitary chair tucked in the communicator desk. I removed my shoes and socks and to my satisfaction, the wooden floor felt as good as I imagined. I sat on the bed and found that it was a bit firmer than what I was used to but it was still a good bed.


    I took off my pants and plopped on my bed. It felt comfortable enough. I was still feeling tired even after getting a lot of sleep in medical but I suppose that was not really resting. My body was still recovering from the traumatic injury I just suffered and it would take some time before I would feel in top shape again. At least I didn¡¯t have to worry about my mental condition. The doctor made sure that psychic effects of my violent confrontation with the fanatic would feel like a distant thing. Even examining myself right now, It felt like it was something that happened to me a long time ago that I had already come to grips with. If anything, Inugorian mind healing was probably the most important contribution the Inugorians shared to the Alliance worlds. They were the only species to be able to heal traumatic experiences with no side effects. Humans, who were particularly vulnerable to mental attacks and psychological trauma, greatly benefited from it. Gone were the days of incurable post-traumatic stress disorder and the likes. Solider turnover was drastically cut down in combat zones and high-pressure situations. It was also beneficial to the civilian sector, if not more so. Crime victims, those that experienced rape or kidnapping, were able to recover to complete health. Mental instability among the young is easily identified and corrected through psychic conditioning. Even among human elders, they manage to retain complete functionality of their brains through both psychic and medical treatments. Dementia and Alzheimer¡¯s is a thing of the far past.


    I wiggled myself to a more comfortable position then drifted asleep. It has been some time ago that I didn¡¯t have to look at my chronometer and I would make the best of it. The last thought I had was that I would need to give Franny a call. She would likely want an update from me personally. I was starting to think about what I could teach my Inugorian counterparts in the galley when sleep finally claimed me.


    ***


    ¡°You just can¡¯t get away from trouble, can you?¡± Franny¡¯s exasperated look said it all. Her floating head was being projected on the communicator table. It took some doing to get a hold of her. She was busy with something and arranged for me to call back later.


    ¡°Not my fault. Bastard was going to stick the forest lord. I had my bandolier on. It just happened. All that training I¡¯ve been doing must have done something. I don¡¯t remember actually thinking about doing it.¡± I mused back. It was true. I was running for a tackle before my brain registered what I was doing.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not blaming you. In fact, you did us good. Military is starting to treat us with respect now. It was merc that saved the forest lord. That has got to sting. Worse part was, it was a cook. Not a trooper that cooks once in a while, a full-time shipboard cook.¡± By the end of it, Franny was giggling and snorting. She was really tickled about it.


    ¡°Sure, I stopped the forest lord from getting skewered by I got eviscerated. That sucked! Did you know I would have been dead if I wasn¡¯t on this ship? Doctor said I got lucky.¡±


    ¡°I heard. Count your lucky stars, you don¡¯t get lucky that often. So, when can we expect you to get back? Musaka is starting to feel the strain. They need you back here. With the ship full of ground pounders, the galleys have to work doubly hard.¡± Franny asked.


    ¡°I know but I can¡¯t do anything about it. The forest lord wants to talk to me. The liaison cannot give me a definite answer as to when will that happen. Besides, the investigation isn¡¯t over yet. Ronald and Franny just rooted out a well-entrenched mole earlier today. The captain is fuming, from what I understand.


    ¡°I would be too if I was a captain. That¡¯s betrayal of the highest order. Anyway, I have to go back to work. I¡¯m sending you some recipes you could use for your presentation. See you soon.¡± Franny gave me nod then her holo dissolved.


    I sat back as my communicator beeped. I accepted the file transfer then stretched my back. I was sitting for the better part of thirty minutes, giving Franny the full rundown of everything that happened since I got aboard the ship. She got a report from the Inugorian military but it was very dry and light on details. She grilled me on everything, making sure that I didn¡¯t do anything untoward. I had a feeling that she didn¡¯t really want to interrogate me but I understood. Red Tiger could ill-afford to slight the Inugorians. They were the mercenaries¡¯ biggest supporter and proponent in using their services. We want to keep to their good side.


    I got up and started doing some stretching and basic calisthenics. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready to do anything more strenuous and I got winded pretty quickly. The doctor did say it would take some time.


    I checked my chronometer and it was almost midday, shipboard time. I dressed and made sure my seminar packet was loaded properly in my ArmComm then walked out of my room. Inugorians don¡¯t have a midday meal like humans so it was the perfect time for my seminar. I strode down the passageway towards the lift. I passed by some officers, finally was able to recognize the ranks after doing some reading on the Inugorian military structure, and gave them a polite nod. They also nodded back to me. The few sentinels I did pass gave a deeper bow than their shipboard counterparts. I guess they felt they owe me something, no matter how strange that sounds.


    There were already quite a few people waiting when I arrived at the galley. I greeted those that I knew, the guys that help us during the feast, and was introduced to those that I haven''t met yet.


    The others trickled in while I made some small talk with the cooks. They were a lot more reserved than the people I''m normally surrounded with but that is to be expected. Inugorians are not the most expressive of people.


    With permission from the head cook, I placed my holo tab on the central preparation table and projected a few recipes for them to peruse. I went into a somewhat deep explanation of the human pallet and what tastes good for us then discussed what are some commonalities we share with the Inugorians. They were very curious about what make humans tick and had a lot of questions in the course of the one-hour presentation.


    After a short break, I proceeded to demonstrate how to cook the recipes that I showed earlier. It took some effort since I didn''t have the right equipment but I was ableto use what was available with some help from the listening cooks.


    I prepared three simple dishes and had the cooks taste them. While it tasted excellent to me, the cooks were quick to point out that it was bland or was missing something.


    I knew that they would say that and purposefully made the dishes as human as possible with the Inugorian ingredients at hand. I explained the difference in our ability to taste things simultaneously. The two-tone basis of every Inugorian dish is not common in human cuisine.


    I added a few more ingredients in the dishes I prepared and had them taste it again. This time, the food was received more positively. A number of the cooks really enjoyed the taste and were quick to save a copy of the modified recipe.


    While they liked it, my human tongue found the dishes overwhelming or confusing. I gave them a good description of how it tasted for me and it drove the point that though we have biocompatible foodstuff, what taste good is always subjective. They knew that what they liked doesn''t necessarily translate well in xenoculinary but it was different when it was no longer a theory and they were able to sample it themselves.


    The seminar wrapped up with the head cook being very grateful for my presentation. He intimated that is was very rare for them to experience human cooking since very few of our species could travel to their home system. None of the cooks have tasted human cuisine and the head cook asked if I could let them try human food prepared with human ingredients if they could procure some and find time for it. I agreed wholeheartedly, it was nice being able to work with your peers. Who knows, I might learn a few secrets myself. I know a lot about their cuisine but I''m still not native Inugorian.


    After the seminar, I was at a loss as to what to do. I didn''t have any duties at the moment so I decided to explore. I was limited to the areas I could visit but it was still a large ship. I moved through the decks, visiting two galleys, some kind of sitting room but a bit strange since it was also like a planetarium, a recreational room, then an Inugorian gym.


    I wanted to see how well I''ve healed so I decided to do some light workout. I entered the gym and saw a few Inugorians exercising. I noticed that the people lifting weights were lifting record-breaking weights if they were human. The sinewy muscles of the Inugorians were very deceptive in their strength. They could move at speed and hit you with power. I don''t want to get punched by any of them.


    The gym was a large one and almost similar with to what I was used with. They have the same machines but with heavier and more numerous plates. A few forest sentinels were paired off and were sparring in an open space. Their arms and legs were a blur as they sparred at an incredible pace. I made sure to give them room to work with and started stretching. I didn''t feel any soreness, which I''m very glad of, and was able to complete my warm-up.


    I strolled towards the back of the room and found myself staring at a training dummy. It was scarred with numerous hits from bladed weapons and it had a few missing chunks on it. This was a perfect opportunity to practice my throwing.


    I counted my steps then turned around and drew some of myknives. I started slowly, throwing at a slower speed, more concerned with my technique and accuracy.


    After a few minutes of deliberate throws, I started ramping up my speed. I also practiced changing grips. My overhead and side throws were good but my underhand one needs to be polished.


    I checked my groupings and was satisfied that they were very close. I started throwing even faster, my hands flashing as I threw at multiple angles. I even practiced draw throwing. It''s slower but very necessary. I wouldn''t always have a knife in my hand.


    "Impressive."


    I was startled by the comment and paused from my practice. I turned around and found myself staring at the most muscular Inugorian I''ve ever seen.


    Inugorians are uniformly slim. It is a racial characteristic so it is why I was so surprised. The forest sentinel that addressed me would pass as a bodybuilder, if they have such a thing. Of course, he was not as bulky as a human one but considering he was almost twice as large as the usual Inugorian, it was damn unusual.


    The sentinel also has asolid color on his fur. Midnight black. I imagine it would be terrifying to fight this Inugorianin low visibility.


    The large sentinel gave me an alliance salute and I tried to do the same. I haven''t had a lot of chances to perfect it and suspected that I was sloppy at it.


    "Would you mind if I examine your weapon?" The sentinel asked. I shrugged and handed him one of my knives. He palmed it then looked it over, slowly turning it over then balancing it on a finger.


    "A well-made weapon. Simple, yet effective." He said. His calm, baritone voice has that loud quality that didn''t require him to speak at a loud volume but it still cuts through the room.


    He eyed the target dummy downrange and with a flick of his hand, it flew like an arrow, embedding itself deeply in the center of the target.


    I was impressed by the strength that he was able to put behind the throw. It was small in his hand yet he was able to effectively use it. The power behind the throw was also substantial. I could probably do as much if my force multiplier was to be put into play.


    "I''ve been watching you. You are a natural. I could see that you have some basic training in the handling of a throwing weapon but there is yet more for you to learn. Do you mind if I give you some instruction?" He looked at me in open curiosity with that question. I hastily agreed. How many chances does a person get personal training from a forest sentinel? Going by the deep red color of the sentinel tattoo on his right cheek, he was a veteran and has been in service for at least twenty years. That is prime experience right there.


    "I''m honored. I''ve been doing this mostly alone, watching videos and getting a holo trainer. I haven''t met a mercenary that uses throwing weapons as their main fighting technique. I guess that makes sense since the throwing skill is not a priority for a frontline trooper."


    "Why use it then? Is not an energy weapon much more effective?"


    "Oh, I agree but my body can''t seem to work the idea of it. I could hit a stationary target at my own pace but that is only during practice. When I was forced to rely on my shooting skills during combat, I was useless. I just wasted power cells. I figured that since I was good at throwing, might as well take advantage of it. It would be easier for me to practice and I was I right. Still, if you could correct me to better my technique, I would be very grateful." I honestly replied.


    "Let us see then, what we can do. It is good that you recognize your weakness and was able to find a solution for it. I agree that being able to shoot properly is a vital and foremost skill of a trooper but it doesn''t mean it''s the only way to fight. Exploiting your strengths allows you to maximize your effectiveness. Let us see how much potential we can uncover with yours." The black-furred sentinel said.


    "My name is Albert Mayon, by the way. I''m a cook aboard the Woglinde. Nice to meet you." I decided that I should probably introduce myself if we are going to work together.


    "I know. I am Fend Rakar. Sentinel commander of the Inugorian Special Forces. Shall we?" Fend gestured for me to hand him some of the knives as he stood beside me.


    It seems like I was about to get some special training...

 Quick Moves and Light Meals

    I came in low, trying a simple attack by using my left hand as a distraction. I stepped in, firing an open-handed jab like a boxer. As I expected, Fend Rakar easily stepped back to avoid my predictable offensive move. The large sentinel moved as quick as his brethren, his size not slowing him down at all despite the extra muscles on him.


    I saw him angling to swat my arm away as I kept the palm of my hand splayed out, occupying him sightline while my knife hand came in low as I attempted to skewer him in the kidney. That is, if he actually had one. I was not well versed in Inugorian pgysiology.


    Rakar saw the motion of my right hand and intercepted it with a downward sweeping block. He timed it so that he would hit my wrist, jarring the knife from my grip. I was now disarmed and facing an expert combatant.


    Yet, not all was lost.


    The knife strike was also a gambit on my part. With both of his hands out of position, I pushed with my back foot, propelling myself bodily forward. I tucked my chin in and shifted forward as I accelerated towards the surprised Inugorian.


    My shoulder hit him in the stomach as I threw all my weight behind the charge. The sudden exhalation of breath almost had my hopes up but it was like hitting a padded wall. I rebounded back and tripped on my own feet, sprawling backward.


    I laid on the ground panting as I tried to get air into my lungs. I cursed in frustration as that was the closest I have ever been to actually touch the sentinel.


    "That was very good. I suspect that if you have been fighting a less trained human then that human would have been the one on the ground. Excellent application of distraction and follow-up." The dark bulk of the amused Fend Rakar observed while proving commentary as I continued getting my breath back.


    "Still didn''t save me though." I gasped. The sentinel offered a hand up and lifted me back to a standing position with no effort at all. Damn, he''s just so strong.


    "It would have earned a black mark on my record if that attack had arrived at your predicted conclusion. You seem to forget that I''m one of the protectors of the trees of Inugoria. The commander no less. It would take much, much more for me to suffer an attack." There was no arrogance in the Inugorian''s tone. He was stating a fact that I was in agreement with.


    "Still makes me feel like shit." I complained. The coughing sound of an Inugorian laughing was all the response that I got from him. I walked over to my dropped practice knife. It was of familiar design though with a longer handle to accommodate the longer fingers of Inugorians. It was the smallest fighting knife design they had so I made do with it.


    "You are comparing yourself to somebody that has trained since leaving the safety of the cr¨¨she. I''ve been fighting the foes of Inugoria and the Galactic Alliance for the better part of fifty galactic standard years. You might be talented with the small blade but not enough to lay low a prepared enemy.


    Still, you have shown yourself as competent with it still in your hand rather than just when throwing. There will come a time that you would only have one at hand and it would be folly to gamble it on a debilitating or killing throw. I would suggest that you find yourself a trainer, once you are back in your ship, and learn faithfully the ways of the short blade.


    Yes, before you say it, I know that you are not a foot soldier but it would only do you good to learn how to properly defend yourself. It would lessen the chance of you spilling important parts of your anatomy on the floor."


    Fend Rakar was the one that suggested that I try sparring with him with a practice blade. He had few more tricks he taught me to improve my knife-throwing skills but I was pretty much good at it. He wanted to see if I was any good at it in a straight up fight so hence the sparring. It became very apparent that I didn''t know what I was doing so the sentinel stopped the sparring and proceeded to instruct me on the intricacies of close quarter combat. He gave me very basic instructions as this was a one-off thing but I was surprised that I was not horrible at it. Fend Rakar guessed that my long familiarly with the knife made it easy for me to wield it and my childhood history of playing sports helped my balance and footwork. For an amateur.


    The flavor of our sparring changed after thirty minutes of instruction as the Inugorian officer had me go through some basic drills with the practice blade to show how it would actually apply in a fight. He then had me try using what I learned on him as he continued to critique my blade work. Fend Rakar emphasized on perfecting the technique of wielding a knife and focus on speed and power later.


    "Just thinking about that is making me vomit. Please, no more talk of my intestines decorating the wooden deck." I grimaced as I tried to erase the memory from my brain. The doctor had done her part, there was no trauma for me to suffer through yet it was still creeping me out.


    Fend Rakar lifted his right hand in an open palm, signifying the Inugorian sign of peace. We moved towards the weapons rack as another pair took to the circle as they warmed up for sparring. Both were sentinels from what I could see and were armed with staves. One was twirling his weapon around while the other was contorting his body on the deck. It looked painful.


    "You should not be discouraged by your performance. Your last attack would have worked on most sentients of the same mass of you. Even a trained fighter can be surprised once in a while and that attack was completely unorthodox." Fend Rakar commented. I was wiping the sweat off my face with the hem of my shirt as it was almost completely drenched with sweat. I sat down on the floor as my body cooled down. The sentinel remained standing, not even winded at all. I didn''t even muss up his clothing.


    "Thanks. I''ll keep what you said in mind. I might need it if we ever get boarded again."


    "You''ve been boarded? by whom?"


    "Krait Slavers with a dash of New World Fanatic. We found ourselves at the wrong place in the wrong time. My performance was... less than exemplary. I was just happy I didn''t kill my teammates."


    "Ah."


    We had a little bit more small talk before Fend Rakar made his goodbyes citing a need to be somewhere. I thanked him for his gracious time and we exchanged comm contacts. It was an odd thing. I''ve always thought that military commanders were a dour lot but Fend Rakar was even more engaging than Musaka.


    I sat there for a couple of minutes more as I watched the exercising and training Inugorians. While predominantly occupied by sentinels, there a few vessel officers grunting around. The navy equivalent of the sentinels were no slouches either. I could see them lifting the same weights.


    When I felt I had recovered, I stood up and made sure that I returned everything I used back in its proper place then made my way towards my quarters. I was dripping sweat and starting to smell so a quick shower and a nap was in order. A ding on my ArmComm also indicated that I have a non-priority message so I decided to read it after getting cleaned.


    I knew that water is water but somehow, the water that came out of the shower was more refreshing than the water we have in Woglinde, if that made any sense. I felt particularly clean when I was toweling myself off. They must have treated the water with something.


    I sat on the bed while the clothing refresher unit did its thing while I fiddled with my ArmComm. I was pleased to see a message from the head cook of the ship telling me that he has approved of my request to work in the kitchen and would like to invite me to help out for dinner. He wanted me to come in a couple of hours early to talk about trying to serve a couple of human-styled food. He was curious to see how receptive the crew would be to it. It would go a long way of improving his cooking options if he could introduce a whole new cuisine. I smiled at the thought.


    I sent a quick reply saying I would be there promptly. I was happy that I was getting the chance to work in an authentic Inugorian galley. These people have very little to no exposure to human cuisine so I would get a chance to learn real, original Inugorian recipes.


    I messed around a bit more and spent some time updating my social network profile on the GalNet. I''ve spent some time checking in on some of my friends and also checking for new holo game releases. My Red Tiger ArmComm was a newer model so I could play most of the newer games so I decided to splurge a bit and spend some credits on a fantasy role-playing game. I''ve always played the sword-swinging warrior or barbarian but maybe due to my new-found love for the knife, I decided to go with a thief.


    ***


    A beeping sound woke me up from my unexpected nap. I must have been a lot more exhausted than I thought. Those regen beds sure take a lot out of you. Although, they do keep you alive so there is that.


    I closed my hibernating game and checked my UI. My ArmComm was reminding me of helping out for dinner. I had a solid hour and half ¡®nap¡¯ and felt reenergized. I checked myself on the reflector and patted down wrinkles on my shirt and made for the galley. I was still not familiar with the layout of the ship but I was generously given level one access to a few areas so I had my ArmComm give me directions.


    When I arrived, the galley crew just finished their preparations. The head cook was there and greeted me warmly. Apparently, I¡¯ve made an impression amongst the ladle-armed members of the ship. He showed me some of the recipes that he wants to try out after he did some researching on the GalNet on biocompatible human recipes for Inugorians. I scrolled through the holotab he passed me and was surprised at some of the selections he made. Considering the sensitivity of the Inugorian palette, he made so bold choices. They were excellent choices but not something I would have chosen for myself if I was serving human-based food to first-time tasters. I made my thoughts known and the head cook laughed and waved my concerns away. Some of the galley crew had talked about the sample food they¡¯ve tasted during the seminar and a lot of the ship¡¯s crew were intrigued about the idea. Frankly speaking, it was more about tasting something different. According to the head cook, they¡¯ve been on a long tour and due to the vagaries of space travel, it has been quite some time since they¡¯ve been able to restock their pantries with something other than staples.


    The galley crew got to work as I suggested how the different recipes could be done properly and efficiently. I know I¡¯m the only one in the galley that was certified in xenoculinary but I¡¯m still in somebody else¡¯s kingdom. Lots of people think of nothing when barging in a kitchen but I knew better. You show respect when you¡¯re in somebody else¡¯s home hence the suggestions, rather than outright orders. The head cook caught my eye and gave me a grateful nod as he picked up on what I¡¯m doing. No point in undermining the head cook¡¯s authority.


    After a little bit more than an hour, we had three kinds of salads, a fish-based stew, and two fruit roasts. I had to dig deep in my memories in Inugorian physiology to come up with alternative ingredients. They have a pretty good range of variety in their pantry but not all of things in there would taste right. I had to use the chemical analyzer a few times just to make sure. I had to scrap the sweet and sour fish idea since Inugorian stomachs couldn¡¯t handle the acidity of a pineapple substitute. They used it more as a counter cleaner than something to put in their sauce.


    Inugorian dining culture was interesting to observe. Rather than getting into a line and getting a loaded plate, servers went around the circular wooden tables that dotted the dining area. Each table was large enough to accommodate twenty people. There were circular indentations on the table that worked itself around the entire surface. I was curious as to what those were since that part was not covered during my education and was enlightened when I saw the servers place bowls within the indentations, ensuring that even if the ship suddenly shifted, it would not spill the contents of the bowl.


    The rest of the table setting was pretty traditional. Two wooden bowls for each sitting place and a spork. Of all the things that humanity had contributed to the Inugorians, none has been embraced more than the venerable spork. They used to have this pronged-teacup kind of thing that they used as a serviceable eating utensil. Pre-industrial Inugorian beliefs revolved around having a weapon hand free to grasp a spear so one-handed utensils were all the rage. Curious how such an intelligent species has not thought about the abomination of a dining table called spork. I would have loved to see the face of the first Inugorian to be introduced to it.


    Each bowl was also covered by a large leaf, humans compare it to a banana leaf, where the diners place roasted vegetables and meat.


    A large, Inugorian-styled, indented lazy Susan sat in the middle of the table where the servers placed serving bowls of everything we cooked and tongs so the diners could serve themselves.


    All in all, dining in an Inugorian galley had a feel of culture and community. No bioplastic trays and disposable utensils anywhere. Everything was wood or leaves and everyone shares in the communal meal. The Inugorians tend to be stereotyped as unfunny and formal people but they are very social beings. It was heartening to see such traditional eating practice still finds its place in the modern universe.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Dinner went swimmingly and the head cook wanted to know if I would like to work temporarily with the galley crew for as long as I was on the ship. I agreed and promised him to pass as much knowledge as I can for the limited amount of time I would be working with them.


    As for my own dinner, I¡¯ve set aside a few serving bowls of human-friendly variations of the dinner menu. Nabila and Ronald were due in a few minutes to eat dinner with me and to catch up. Nabila was still hinting about that date comment she made previously.


    I¡¯ve not been a romantic relationship for quite some time. With the hectic schedule of running an eatery and my lack of interest in going to bars, I¡¯ve not had the opportunity to meet a lot of women. Sure, there have been a few customers that I had my eye on but I was leery about making a pass at my customers. I have this notion that if the relationship doesn¡¯t work out, an angry ex-girlfriend/customer could really wreck my credibility in Gourmet.Me, a GalNet hospitality network. Those commenters and reviewers could get real vicious at times. It was one of the reasons why I tried to be extra friendly to my regulars.


    I moved towards the dining area and took a seat by a deserted table as the dinner rush started to abate. Nabila pinged me that they were finishing something up and would be here in five minutes. I figured that I might as well prepare our tables so while the drones were cleaning up after the previous occupants, I took the serving bowls I¡¯ve set aside and started laying it out on my chosen table. I¡¯ve passed on using the leaf. It was a bit strange for me but I¡¯ve kept a few around so if the others wanted to use them, it¡¯ll be within reach.


    I just finished updating my social network profile when the two CPM officers made their appearance. It was the first time I¡¯ve seen Ronald since my eatery blew up and he was still as intense as ever. The augment was already scanning the room both optically and electronically before completely stepping through the doorway. He swung his head towards me and gave me a nod of acknowledgment before walking my way. Nabila trailed after her partner and she looked exhausted. She was rubbing her temples with her left hand while giving me a view of her muscles at the same time. I raised an incredulous eyebrow as she flashed me a brilliant smile.


    ¡°Hey, cutie. Thanks for saving us dinner. Damn, today was a long ass day.¡± Nabila said as she parked her butt on a seat beside me. She made a point to move the seat closer than necessary. She was at it again.


    ¡°Really? Data entry exhausted you? Not the sparring session you had with some of the sentinels at the gym or lifting a hundred kilos worth of building materials? Pressing buttons tired you out?¡± Ronald asked as he took his seat in a more dignified way. The man was wearing an immaculate dark blue smart suit. He looked fresh and perky for somebody that should have been working the entire day.


    ¡°Well, excuse me. Not everybody gets orgasmic when checking boxes and filling in data.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an officer of the law. A third of our job is compiling data. How could you stand doing it if you hate it so much?¡±


    ¡°I love getting paid better than hating data entry. Besides, since you love it so much, I doubt that you¡¯d noticed when I forwarded to your inbox a few of mine. Saved us both a whole lot of time, really. In fact, I don¡¯t even doubt that you never really checked if the forms are yours, do you? You just love watching those blanks getting fill in.¡± The mischievous grin on her face said it all.


    Ronald sputtered and tried to come up with a response but failed to do so. I have a feeling that this was an old argument that the two of them loved to get into. I coughed to interrupt their conversation. I suspect that if I left the two of them to their own devices, dinner would pass us by.


    ¡°Anyway, dinner is served. I dunno about you guys but I¡¯m real hungry.¡± It was true too. I grabbed the serving bowl of salad and started dumping veggies in my wooden bowl. I passed the salad to Nabila when I was done but she gave it such a disgusted look I imagined I just offended the woman. She took it gingerly then placed it back on the lazy Susan with a dull thump. She then reached for the fish stew and scooped a generous amount in her bowl. She also grabbed a large bun of not-bread, which was called Samalut according to the head cook, and was soon chowing down. She was almost inhaling the stew while taking occasional large bites out of the bread. It was amazing how quickly she plowed through her meal.


    Ronald was more circumspect with his food selection. He took a bit of everything and took the time to arrange his food in his bowl. Creepy.


    ¡°So, what have you been doing? You got plans tonight?¡± Nabila asked when she got a chance to swallow her food.


    ¡°Just been helping here and there. I¡¯ve got invited to a gathering with the sentinels later, that¡¯s why I¡¯m eating this.¡± I brandished my skewered roasted fruit.


    ¡°The sentinels? Those are some real hard cases. Shame they''re not willing to share their training techniques. We could use some people that could move like them in the woods."


    "I don''t know anything about that. I just got my ass kicked earlier today by Fend Rakar. That Inugorian is something else. He redefines the whole meaning of fast." I unconsciously rubbed my left forearm. He caught a strike with a particularly hard block and it still stung.


    Robert looked over my way when I mention the huge Inugorian''s name.


    "You met Fend Rakar? Large being with black fur?" He asked.


    "Yeah. He saw me practicing my throwing and offered some tips and then some." I replied.


    "Consider yourself lucky. Quite a few sentinels have tried to catch his attention for some training instruction. He''s considered as one of the best, if not the best, at what he does. Few in the alliance could match him when fighting boots on the ground." Robert continued eating after sharing what he knew about the commander. I didn''t know anything about the officer. All I knew about him was down to his title and how he introduced himself. I mentally shrugged. It didn''t matter to me. It was not like I was going to be working with the sentinel in the kitchen.


    We talked a bit more about small things before both CPM officers made their goodnights. They had a long day and were looking forward to unwinding a bit. Ronald was going to see if he could bet on some local races if he could find some and Nabila was going to watch a few holo shows before getting some sleep. I cleaned up after them and went back to the galley to see if the crew needed some help. I worked with a couple of assistant cooks to prepare some vegetables for some overnight soaking. We were cleaning the galley when my ArmComm alarm beeped. I excused myself with the permission of the head cook and went to my quarters to freshen up a bit. I washed my face and threw my shirt in the refersher for a minute of cleaning before donning it back on. I checked myself on the reflector to make sure I looked presentable and had the ship computer ping my ArmComm with a map to the sentinel''s bay. As I left my quarters I mused that I was starting to get fuzzy with how I look. It was not like I was a slob before but I was paying more attention now to how I present myself. Must be the military bearing that was going around this place.


    The sentinel''s bay was a bit further than I expected. I had to move a couple of decks down then take a fast tube to their section of the ship before arriving at door guarded by a sentinel. I paused in front of the guard and was stumped at what to do. I didn''t have a written invitation and I doubt that the sentinel would take me for my word. I was going to message Fend Rakar when the Sentinel caught my attention.


    "Mr. Mayon, I presume? Fend Rakar has informed us of your invitation. Please proceed. Just follow the blue lines. It would lead you to the function room." The guard said. I thanked the being with relief and stepped through. This part of the ship looked as much as the same as the others but there was iconography on the bulkheads that I was unfamiliar with. A few sentinels were moving here and there and I greeted those that I passed just to be polite.


    I arrived at the function room and was startled to see that there were more than a few people packed inside, all sentinels. Fend Rakar, who was sitting at the head of a large, circular table stood up and waved for me to enter. I stepped through and squeezed my way through the press of people.


    When I arrived at the table, Fend Rakar met me with a cup in his hand. He thrust it to me and picked up his own.


    "Sentinels! this man that would partake in the drinking of wine with us is a man of honor. Though not a trained warrior like us, his spirit is one. He met an enemy of superior strength and training and was victorious. To our shame, we have not seen the danger. Thankfully, we as people have learned to set our pride aside when the need to learn a lesson is paramount. This is one of those needed times. We drink, sentinels, not just to honor the action of this man, but also to honor the lesson he had taught us. Vigilance, at all times, was our lesson reminded. Keep that lesson at the forefront of your thoughts." With that, Fend Rakar closed his eyes and muttered something like a prayer but it was in Inugorian so I didn''t understand. I stood there with the cup in my hand and waited for him to tell me what to do.


    When Fend Rakar opened his eyes again. He motioned for me to drink so I put the cup to my lips, hoping that whatever it was, it wouldn''t melt my stomach.


    The sweet and tangy taste of fermented fruit was pleasant enough and it burned gently as I poured it down my throat. I coughed once as it was a bit stronger than the beer I was used to drinking but I kind of liked it. Fend Rakar looked approvingly when I finished off my cup. I looked at him inquiring at what to do next and he turned to address the group.


    "Now, we feast."


    Sentinels carrying trays full of wooden bowls went around the room, handing each Inugorian one. I was a bit anxious that I might get served something that I could not eat but realized that they would have taken consideration of my physiology.


    When the trays stopped coming, each had a bowl and the table was heavily laden with fruits and vegetables. Seemed like it was vegan night. Fend Rakar did something with his hands and people started filling up their bowls. I was seated beside the large Inugorian and we reached over with our tongs to grab something to eat. I tried to be more adventurous with my selections when I started filling up my own bowl. From what I''ve seen, nothing in the spread was actually toxic to a human. It would only be a matter of taste. What is being a cook for if I was afraid to taste something new?


    "Thank you for inviting me for dinner. It''s an honor to eat with the protectors of Inugoria." I said when I was done serving myself.


    "It is you we are thanking here. The lesson we learned was a harsh one, but a lesson still. To be lax in our own ship, it was unthinkable. We have rectified the situation." Fend Rakar said with confidence. Personally, I didn''t think that they did anything wrong. It was a plant from long ago from what I understand and the fanatic came from a different ship. It was not like they were harboring the man but I didn''t say anything.


    The sentinels were both a solemn and relaxed group of people. Fend Rakar said that it was normal for them to sit and talk with friends over some fermented fruit when off duty. It allows them a moment to lessen their guard and remember that there is more to life than just work.


    I spent a couple of hours with the sentinels and made acquaintances with a couple of them. Fend Rakar told the group about our impromptu knife fighting class to my embarrassment but was reassured when a few sentinels talked about their own thrashing in the hands of the large commander. Apparently, it was normal for him to personally check his people''s proficiency in all martial matters. Few could say that they have bested their commander in sparring. I realized that I was given a gift of learning from the best and made a mental note to go over everything I learned from him and practice them until I could do them with skill.


    Right before we ended the small get together, Fend Rakar signaled for silence. The sentinels settled down and paid attention to their commander. I was wondering if he was going to make a speech or something but the commander walked over to his executive officer and was handed a bundled package. He thanked the Inugorian then walked back to the central table. He waved for me to stand up then he walked over to stand in front of me.


    "Albert Mayon, though not a soldier yourself, you have placed your well-being in jeopardy to defend a being of not your own. You have taken action when others knew not. You have not hesitated though you had no training. You have prevented the death of an Inugorian held dearly in the bosom of Inugoria and almost died in the process. We will not forget.


    To show our appreciation, please accept this gift. This fighting knife is one of the many you will find sentinels carrying in their utility belt. It has always been our symbol of defiance against our enemies. A sentinel will continue to fight, even if this knife is all he has. May it serve you well."


    Fend Rakar unwrapped the packaged and took out a very modern molecular knife. It was very different from the utilitarian designs that I was used to. It was made out of polished wood. I was afraid that it would be slippery to the grip but was surprised with how it almost stuck to my hand when I reverently held it. The wooden grip felt right on my hands and when I wrapped my right hand around it, it fit perfectly in my grip. I pointed it sideways before pressing the activation stud on the weapon. A forty centimeters long thin blade sprung out of the enclosure, emitting a soft blue light on its edge. I slowly lifted it to eye level to examine it and was astonished by its quality. This was not manufactured in a ship. The knife was made by a craftsman. Not only was it made from cascading metal, a nanotube ran along the blade itself, like a blood groove. Those nanomachines would ensure that my knife would always be repaired in case of notches and dings and would keep it from losing its edge. This was not something I would be able to buy in a weapon''s store.


    "Thank you, Fend Rakar. This gift would not leave my side." I said as I clipped on my new knife on my belt. I knew better than trying to refuse the gift. Inugorians do not give gifts often and when they do, it came with great meaning.


    Fend Rakar placed his paws on my shoulder and gripped them slightly to acknowledge my thanks. He then lifted his drink and enjoined everybody to do the same. I picked up my drink and had one last toast with the sentinels. I felt very special that night. Sentinels did not generally honor those not of their own but they even held a feast for me.


    I walked back towards my quarters with my head filled with thoughts on how far I have come. My former eatery owner self would not recognize me now. He would probably be aghast too.


    When I arrived at my quarters, I took the gifted knife out and spent a couple of minutes just admiring the thing. I did not notice earlier but there was an engraving on the lower part of the grip that I did not recognize. It was the same image I saw etched on the bulkheads in the sentinel''s bay. I made another note to check the GalNet for its meaning but that would have to wait for the next day. I had two dinners and was feeling sleepy from being stuffed. It was a good thing that I exercise regularly because, at the rate that I was eating, obesity would not be far behind.


    I stripped to my underwear and threw my clothes in the clothing refresher so that it would be fresh for tomorrow. I slid under the covers and was out like a light.


    ***


    The loud beeping of my ArmComm dragged me awake from my sleep. I opened my eyes and was a confused as to why it was beeping so loud. I tried grabbing it from the small end table but my wakefulness was sluggish and I missed. I tried again and was able to snatch it. I saw that I still had thirty minutes before my normal wake up time. I also saw that somebody was trying to call me so I pressed the ''accept'' key. A small holo of the Inugorian liaison popped in front of me.


    "I wanted to say ''good morning'' Mr. Mayon but we have no time for pleasantries. A shuttle from your ship will be arriving in seven minutes. Please make your way to auxiliary hanger two B. The forest lord would be signaling General Quarters in a few moments and you cannot be here." The liaison informed.


    "But, I''ve not met with the lord yet." I lamely replied. I did not know why I even said that.


    "Your meeting with the forest lord has been postponed indefinitely. Probably until when the situation in the Pegasi sector has stabilized. I''m sorry but I have to cut our conversation short. Proceed to the hangar." With that final instruction, the liaison ended her call with her usual abrupt fashion.


    I cursed and jumped out of bed to get dressed. I threw everything on and made sure to check that I have everything with me. The feel of the wooden handle of my new knife informed me that I have everything as I ran my hands over my body. I swiftly stepped out and jogged towards the lift. My ArmComm mapped the route with the quickest route in mind. I just entered the lift when somebody crowded me from behind.


    "Move your cute butt, Albert. We''re hitching a ride with you guys."


    Nabila slapped my ass as she shoved me in so that she and Ronald could get some space. They were both in what I call their CPM uniforms of black smart fabric suits. They were also each carrying a large bag.


    "You guys got kicked off too?" I asked as I shied away from the grinning Nabila. Her butt slap hurt.


    "We''re CPM and this is a military vessel. The forest lord suggested that we move ourselves to the Woglinde for the duration of the incursion. He was not confident in being able to keep us safe. Of course, we argued but the forest lord''s word is law so here we are." Ronald explained.


    "Wait, ''not confident is being able to keep us safe?'' This is the largest, most powerful ship in the Inugorian navy. How can you not be safe? aren''t we facing off with a bunch of slavers and fanatics?" I asked.


    "An Inugorianrecon drone just returned from transitioning from the Pegasi Sector. Somehow, the fanatics were able to get their hands on few modern battleships. They also heavily mined the transition point with hydrogen bombs. The fleet is going to take some beatings once we start our attack. We suspect that the sudden rash of fanatics revealing themselves was a move by the New Worlders to delay the attack and allow them to move their forces to cover the transition point. That was a smart move." Ronald''s grudging respect towards our adversaries spoke volumes of how much more difficult the situation hasbecome since last night.


    The three of us hustled towards the auxiliary hangar bay and we could see a couple of non-Inugorian beings doing the same thing. It seems like the lockdown was over and the fleet was now gearing towards its war footing.


    We arrived at the auxiliary hangar and it was busy with military personnel running here and there. I saw a shuttle with the Red Tiger logo on its side waiting with its power plant glowing docked nearby. We worked our way towards the shuttle and I saw that it was the same one that delivered me here the first place. The same curmudgeon of a Barral was standing in the middle of the open cargo bay waiting for us. When he spotted us, he waved at us once to move it then stomped his way inside. The doors were already closing when we reached the shuttle and we had to jump inside. We were already moving away from the large ship by the time I was strapped down in my seat.


    This was it. I was going to participate in a large fleet action. A freaking cook is going to be on a ship that would be fighting slavers and fanatics.


    I hope I don''t wet my pants.

 The Battle of Pegasi Sector

    I was pressed against my acceleration couch as the ship continued to weave its way through the battle. Or, that''s what I''m imagined it was doing. It was kind of hard to think when are struggling to breathe.


    All five of response crew D-14 was strapped down securely in our folding ready couches in our fire room. I barely had time to reacquaint myself with my teammates when general quarters was sounded. True to what the Inugoarian liaison officer said, The attack started an hour ago and it has been vicious. The slavers working with the New Worlders has proven to be tenacious. Command still doesn''t know where the modern ships came from or how they were able to come up with the funding for it but it was here now and it was giving the fleet a real fight. The forest lord made the decision to attack immediately when the recon drones return from their survey of the system. There was no guarantee that the New Worlders didn''t have more ships rushing to reinforce the transition point or other tricks up their sleeves so it was better to face a known opponent than to open the fleet for a surprise.


    The fleet rang the bell of engagement by sending in APHOKmine-clearing missiles. The warheads on these missiles were filled with small metal spheres that scatter when the warhead explodes. They could clear a large area but they were also vulnerable to anti-missile fire so the forest lord had a few of the missiles loaded with reflectors and heat markers to draw laser and missile fire away from the APHOK. It would have been bad to use the oversized countermeasure missiles if the APHOK missiles were guided but they work on an area effect profile.


    The first wave of mine clearing-missiles was immediately followed by long-range autonomous missile pods to give those defending the transition point something to think about. The missile pods were breathtakingly expensive but they are valuable when trying to establish a transition head.


    Once the defending ships were busy trying to knock down the missile pods, the fleet carriers blinked into existence. They did not hang around too long. They launched their fighters as quickly as possible before turning back and transitioning back to alliance-controlled space before again turning around to pick up their fighters.


    The fighters were alone for only less than five minutes before Aegis mobile defense platforms made their appearance. The spherical defense platforms were ''mobile'' in the way that a grav car without a power plant is mobile. It was towed by the fleet then was pulled through by destroyers as they made their transition. Four defense platforms bristling with anti-missile battery, point defense quad turrets, and kinetic cannons provided cover for the rest of the attacking fleet as they transitioned one by one.


    Although the New Worlders and Krait Slavers were fighting from a defensible position, they were losing in terms of tonnage and modern technology. They were only able to give the alliance fleet a fight due to the number of offensive weaponry installed on the New Worlder ships. The fanatics preferred fighting fast with overwhelming firepower but it did not make for great defensive ships. Once you blunt their initial attack and was able to get into a position of a fair fight, a few hits on the New Worlder ship would generally knock it out of the battle. The glass cannon ships were a terrible design that the fanatics still insists on using.


    The mercenaries waited until their task force lead received a QE message ordering them to transition. The Red Tiger mercenaries were wholly focused on defending the transport ships. Though they would be working with the alliance escort ships, Red Tiger had no plans in allowing any enemy ship a chance at shooting at the trooper transports. Aquila had its carriers floating beside the large ships to act as point defense. Half of their fighters would be launched as soon as transition was made to provide combat space patrol for the task force while the other half would be held as a reserve strike force. SpeckTech will also be launching their drone fighters to lead anti-shipping strikes on the New Worlder and Slaver ships. The Alliance would be paying for all lost drones so SpeckTech didn''t skimp on bringing a large number of their best units.


    The battle continued to rage as I concentrated on respiration. The ship had not been damaged yet as far as I know. The only update we got from Franny was that Wellgunde and Flosshilde were tied to our data net, vastly improving our point defense capabilities.


    "Ugh, I hate these couches. I had a dream once where I died after my couch ate me. Can you imagine? man-eating couches!?" Nika shared then snickered at her own story.


    "Woman, you are one strange merc, you know that?" T replied after a few moments of silence. He was the only one taking the heavy Gs in stride. He looked pretty comfortable in his seat while he fiddled with his ArmComm.


    "I said it was a dream! A funny one too. Not my fault you have no imagination." Nika retorted back.


    "My imagination works just fine, thank you. I mostly dream about being filthy rich or owning a planet. More practical things."


    "Like I said, no imagination. Hey, Albert! how''s the grub back on Adanas? Inugorian food any good?"


    "It''s good. Very traditional, but very good. I might have even started a new dining experience over there. Head cook got real interested in human cuisine. They''ve never had a chance to prepare a human-styled dish before." I grunted back. The pressure was lessening but it was probably just a break from maneuvers. The captain must be driving the ole'' ship real hard if we were getting smashed in our couches even with a working inertia dampeners.


    "I see that you''ve come back with a souvenir. I''m impressed. Few of our people would willingly bestow asentinel''s fighting knife to someone not of the community. It seems that almost dying also has its perks." Musaka said as his eyes spotted the knife handle poking out of one of my pouches. I have yet to make a proper sheath for it on my armored environmental suit so I stuck it in one of my utility pouches.


    I grinned as I ran my fingers on the wooden grip. Now that I''m thinking about it, it was quite the feat getting it good with the sentinels.


    "Fend Rakar gave it to me after dirtying their deck with my intestines. He taught me a bit how to use it too. I''m not good with it but I''m proud to report that I don''t suck at knife fighting. He said-"


    "Right, we''re done with fast maneuvering. We''re about to reach engagement range. Deflate your couches and grab your gear." Franny said loudly as she interrupted my story. I hit the deflate button on my couch and felt the impact gel slowly get absorbed back into thehose connected to the bulkheads.


    I unbuckled my straps and moved to my locker. I took out my oversized rig and started checking my equipment, ensuring that everything was there. Nika, being the newest member of our response team, was also saddled with a supply bag but hers were more of the cutting and repairing variety. I carried more firefighting equipment and ammunition. Franny decided that it would lessen the need for us to run and look for a supply locker in case of large emergency situations.


    Assured that everything was there, I attached the rig on its holder by my seat. I was ready as I could be.


    I tried to listen to everybody as they talked about various things. Nika was one very talkative woman and dominated the conversation. She kept on talking about the Grease Monkeys. It was her first time last night to watch the resident band of the Woglinde and she dug their tune.


    It was two hours in the battle when the ship suddenly was rocked. Well, it was more a rumble from what I have felt. Franny sat up and listened carefully in her comm unit. She waved us down as the slight damage was not in our area of responsibility.


    "A slaver ship tried to ram us. Blew him up pretty close so we within range of the blast radius. No significant damage. Just a few burst pipes. Settle down people." Franny ordered.


    I didn''t notice that I was already reaching for my rig. I let go of my equipment and sat back down. Nika was the same. I didn''t know it that was a good thing or not. Being responsive to emergencies was good but the automatic response to every rocking and rumbling was probably going to tire me out.


    My mind wondered as D-14 continued to talk smack about each other, waiting for something to happen. Was it always like this? I¡¯ve always thought that space battles were all about people rushing to and fro, a lot of cursing and collapsing bulkheads, angry captains and battery gunners firing at a nearby threat with teeth firmly clenched. The holovids were all wrong.


    From what I have learned, that kind of fighting almost only happens when the ship is about to disintegrate from weapons fire or about to be captured. I understood that running around like your head is on fire was detrimental to the proper operation of the ship. How can you do your job when you were yelling and sprinting all the time? We were doing squat at the moment and we were doing a great job. How would we be able to respond to emergencies if we were off somewhere, acting the holovid trope? As much as it crushed the romance of space battles, us sitting around while talking about who got real drunk during the last port of call was our job at the moment.


    ¡°Hey, man. How¡¯d you do sparring against the sentinel commander? He must have been one bad dude in the ring.¡± T asked. I snorted at the memory.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do well at all. In fact, I did terribly. He was so fast and strong, it was a miracle I didn¡¯t accidentally kill myself, even if I was using a practice blade. That Inugorian¡¯s muscles were so hard, it hurt me more when he blocked my attacks.¡± I complained. Even now, I have bruises on my forearms. It felt like my arms were swatted away by hard sticks, rather than fleshy arms.


    ¡°I do not envy you. I do not know Fend Rakar personally but anybody that has achieved such lofty position did not arrive there by accident. Even with my staff, I doubt my chances of survival against the respected sentinel would not have been any better that yours even if he was unarmed.¡± Musaka added. I saw him fight and though I was no expert, I believed him.


    ¡°I bet I could take him. Just one good smack on the head is all I need.¡± Nika boastfully interjected in the conversation. We all looked at her, even Franny stopped concentrating on her comms to give the assistant cook an arched eyebrow.


    ¡°What? I didn¡¯t say I was going to win. I just said I could take him. Never a good idea to think you¡¯ve lost even before a fight. Granted, I¡¯d probably try my damnest to shoot him before he could even touch me but you can bet your ass I¡¯ll be swinging once he gets in my face.¡± She formed a fist with her right hand in front of her face to show her determination.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. I forgot. You¡¯re a former boxer, aren¡¯t you?¡± T asked as he snapped his fingers.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m a former two-time Tyrian Boxing League light welterweight champion, female division. Mama always said that you had to be able to defend yourself. You can find my fights on the GalNet.¡± Nika proudly stated. If it was somebody else that said it, it would have sounded arrogant. Coming from the fireplug of a woman, it just made Nika sound competent and dependable. It helped that there was no arrogance in her voice. She spoke like how it was. Just a matter of truth and she was proud of her accomplishments. It made me remember the half dozen of participation trophies I had displayed in my long ago apartment back in Ceres. I was so proud of those things then. Now, it made me cringe.


    I was about to ask something to Nika when Franny¡¯s hand signaled for quiet. We shut up as she listened closely to her comms.


    ¡°Alright, central has work for us. Non-essential damage has been reported in section E, deck three. It¡¯s nothing serious but it would be bad to leave it unattended. Albert, you¡¯re with T. Handle the situation. I expect you both to be back here soonest.¡± Franny ordered. We verbalized our understanding then grabbed our rigs. I slammed down my helmet visor as the seals tightened, giving me airtight isolation. My UI pinged as Franny threw us our marker and I followed T out of our fire room.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    We jogged towards our job site, making good time due to the deserted passageways. We got there in a couple of minutes and found the problem. It was a coolant tube that was leaking on a power coupling due to misalignment. It was a simple fix that required some brawn. The power coupling kept shorting and central was reporting that it was causing power fluctuations in section 13.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this fixed. Here, I¡¯ll block the coolant pipe off so we could replace it. Take out your scanner and see if the coupling is still worth saving.¡± T ordered.


    I dropped my rig and started digging inside for my tools. I took out my portable energy reader and waved it over the coupling, checking if it was salvageable. The coolant had turned into slimy gunk that covered its surface. The read was good and it showed that the coolant hasn¡¯t penetrated the coupling dangerously. I returned the reader and called central to cut power on the module. When I saw the system power down, I removed the coupling and cleaned the coolant off of it. I also used a microvac to suck out all the moisture from the innards of the thing then reattached it. It was a good thing mom was showing me exactly what to do in my UI since I wouldn¡¯t know how to do this myself.


    Once I was done with my work and tested that it was working properly, I helped T manhandle the pipe back into alignment. A large connecting bolt got sheared off somehow so T replaced that with a new one.


    It took us about eight minutes to do the job and we didn¡¯t waste time. I called central back to restore power back into the module and he reported that power draw has stabilized. We just got off the lift when Franny broke into our comms.


    ¡°Boys, I¡¯m sending you to the flight deck. A couple of alliance gunships got mangled real bad. They didn¡¯t have enough power to get back to their carriers and they¡¯ll be attempting an unpowered docking maneuver on the flight deck. Deck crew is reporting that a two of the gunships are burning. They¡¯ve got a fire suppression crew but extra help might be needed. Get moving.¡±


    ¡°Affirmative. Moving.¡± T answered for both of us. It was one of those things T had explained to me that was different if we were in the Navy. A merc has his primary job and secondary posting when in battle but we kind of do everything. Merc ships normally have a smaller crew complement compared to the navy for smaller ships so an assistant cook could find himself as damage control specialists one day and an assistant loader the next. Mercs are not too fussy about official job titles in times of crisis.


    We took the lift and made our way to the flight deck. Once we entered the expansive hangar, the miniboss was already bellowing orders at the different crews that were rushing towards their positions.


    ¡°Clear that space! You! Human! Move aside. If the gunship skids, we will be scraping you off the deck. Get behind the blast shields. Move it!¡±


    ¡°Sir! Response crew D-14. Franny told us you need extra firefighters? We have our fire suppression units.¡± T reported to the Inugorian when we approached the busy being. He glanced at us then gestured towards a blast shield that was deployed.


    ¡°Take position behind that shield. The gunships are moving at an erratic approach. Their drive coils are malfunctioning so expect a hard crash.¡± Was our instruction. We hustled to hunker down behind the shield and squeezed behind the crew already there.


    ¡°You guys gonna help us out?¡± Asked one of the suited mercs. Has was holding what was affectionately called a ¡®can opener.¡¯ It was basically a portable plasma saw that is used to cut through reinforced metal. In this case, it would be used to open up a hole on the ship in case that the ship¡¯s auxiliary power bank was down.


    ¡°Yup. We¡¯ll keep the fire off of you.¡± T promised. He was packing a mist gun while I started priming gels and I loaded my launcher with it. Fire grenades didn¡¯t work well on burning ships. Coating them with gels would do the job.


    ¡°Great. Those squids gonna owe us one.¡± The man replied. I heard a grunt from the Barral who was having a hard time getting his bulk completely covered by the blast shield. He opted to crouch down with his naturally armored shell facing the crash zone.


    ¡°Why are they called squids?¡± I asked T in our private channel. I learned about the proper title and positions of people on a ship but I was still unfamiliar with the lingo.


    ¡°Pre-space earth jargon. They¡¯re great when moving in a straight line but sucks at changing course.¡± He explained.


    We didn¡¯t have to wait long before we spotted the troubled gunship through the hangar environmental field. The gunship looked like a crescent of an axe¡¯s blade. The gunship was armed with rail cannons and smart missiles and was only different from a military corvette due to its inability to do space transitions by itself. They normally work in conjunction with fighters, being the hammer that nailed down multiple fighters at the same time or slugging it out with other gunships. Their impressive point defense system allowed them to become the oasis in the heat of battle as they could data net with other gunships, making them a nightmare for enemy fighters.


    This particular gunship was missing its starboard crescent tip. It looked like it was sheared off. We could see that it was leaking oxygen and the starboard rail guns were melted. The miniboss hit the crash warning tone as the gunship passed the environmental shield. The sudden infusion of oxygen caused a flare up of fire as half of the ship suddenly burst into flame.


    ¡°Shit. Focus on killing those flash points. I¡¯ll keep the rescue crew from getting toasted.¡± T said. I acknowledged as I gripped my launcher tight.


    The gunship must have finally lost power as it suddenly dropped. It slammed down hard on the deck and skidded, plowing a large gash on the hardened surface. It hit the inner blast shield and rebounded back a few meters. Thankfully, nothing exploded but it was still on fire. Mercs flowed from behind the shields as fire suppression units started pumping gels on the craft while those with mist guns were spraying down the airlocks.


    I worked my launcher systematically, walking my gels starting from the largest flare up zone I could find then sweeping it back and forth, suffocating the fire with it. I was launching gels as fast as I could but it wasn¡¯t doing much. I signaled one of the firefighters to help me out. The Inugorian saw my dilemma and brought his own launcher to bear.


    As we were dampening the fires on the starboard wing, the rescue crew rushed towards the cockpit hatch. I guessed they were communicating with the pilot since they were just standing around. The Inugorian and I were almost done with the largest fires when I opened my comm to T.


    ¡°Hey, man. We¡¯re almost done here. What do you need me to do? Do you want me to help you out there?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Nope. I¡¯m good. Just give the ship a good gel coating then reload. The second one is coming in. They might need your help.¡±


    ¡°Acknowledge. Stars, this ship is messed up.¡±


    ¡°New Worlder fighters pack neutrino lasers. They could overload shield emitters if a couple of them gets a few seconds of continuous burn. This dude must have been swimming in fanatics to get this messed up.¡± T explained. It did look like somebody chewed then spat the gunship out.


    There must have been a problem with the hatch mechanism or the pilot was just not answering because the plasma saw wielding guy started working on the hatch. He traced the saw over the seals then on the hinges. The Barral crewmember grabbed the sagging portal and ripped it off its weakened hinges. He threw it on the deck as the rest of his team slipped inside the now-opened entrance. The Inugorian tapped me on the shoulder and jerked his heads towards the other side so we jogged around the ship and added our own launchers to those that were already putting out fires.


    A head popped out of the hatch as we watched a gang of levbed carrying mercs handed the foldable conveyance up to the waiting hands of the rescue crewman.


    He re-emerged from the innards of the ship with the alliance military personnel strapped down on the levbeds. The miniboss must have called for the medical team because they were ready and waiting at the foot of the hatch.


    The attending doctor swiftly started barking orders to his nurses and orderlies. He jumped on one levbed that was transporting a severely-injured looking man. An orderly grabbed the handles on the head of the bed and ran towards the large lifts. A merc ran in front of the medical team, shouting for people to clear the way, occasionally pushing away those she deemed too slow. The doctor was straddling the man and already had a containment field erected on the man¡¯s chest. He had his hand inside the man¡¯s chest cavity, from what I could see. I quickly turned away before I saw anything I would regret. I had no issues chopping up animal parts for consumption but the sight of the inner workings of a human would probably make me swoon. I concentrated on doing my job.


    In the time it took for the fire marshall to declare fire out on the ship, two more gunships made their landings. Thankfully, the other two were less damaged than the one T and I have been assigned to. The few surviving alliance personnel wereescorted by the mercs to medical, a number were sporting gashes and in one case, a broken arm.


    I finished my job and thanked the unnamed Inugorian before joining T. We walked towards the miniboss to get directions since Franny hasn¡¯t told us to come back yet.


    ¡°Good work. We will be moving the gunship. Return to your post.¡± T and I verbalized our understanding.


    ¡°Franny, we¡¯re done here. We¡¯re coming back. Alliance gunships got hit pretty bad.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to be in one of those things.¡± Franny replied back.


    ¡°Me too. Give me a gun and drop me on the ground and I¡¯ll fight anyone. Getting blown up hundreds of kilometers away is not my idea of a good fight.¡± T added.


    ¡°You do know you are in a warship, right? You could be shot in the void even further away.¡± Nika said, breaking into the conversation.


    ¡°Yeah, sure but-¡±


    The ship was suddenly rocked violently, throwing both T and I on the bulkheads. We slammed hard but without any negative effects due to our armored environmental suits. The other people in the passageway were similarly taken off their feet. The lights flickered a couple of times before completely failing. A few seconds later, dim red lights illuminated the passageway.


    I didn¡¯t immediately notice because my comms unit started going crazy. A high-pitched mechanical wailing painfully blasted out of the speakers. I hurriedly tried to lower the volume but my UI interface was not working. I had to use the secondary controls on my ArmComm to kill the damn thing.


    ¡°T, can you hear me? T? Franny? Anyone?¡± I tried to re-establish a secure comms signal but according to my ArmComm, everything was going wonky. My signal kept bouncing all over the place and the channels kept switching.


    T tapped me on the shoulder and motioned me to get up and follow him. I wanted to raise my visor to talk to him but that would have been stupid. Not only would that be a safety protocol violation, I was also not sure about the integrity of the section we were in.


    I almost dropped to my knees again when the comms suddenly burst into life.


    ¡°Vampire, Vampire! missiles in the void. Designating as threat alpha. Counter-battery cycling to-¡±


    ¡°-ep your weapons secure. I would personally make anybody who loses his weapon clean the entire stock of rifles in the armory and pay three times the-¡±


    ¡°-your six! Argyle four, Talon two! ...Wooo! Voided one I-¡±


    ¡°-have new stealth device. Intelligence assumes that Dr. Xiao had-¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, work you stupid thing¡­ There. T! Albert! Can both of you hear me?¡± Franny¡¯s voice cut through the maelstrom of conversations and comms transmissions that kept crossing our channels.


    ¡°I¡¯m reading you. Albert?¡± T turned his helmet towards me as he made himself heard.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m good. What in the stars happened!?¡± I asked. We helped a couple of mercs that were tangled on the deck. One of them seemed to have dislocated a should and was being helped by his friend to medical.


    ¡°Our main drives have been knocked out. New Worlders just detonated a new EMP bomb in the middle of the alliance fleet. We¡¯re running on manual controls and auxiliary power banks. Listen, things are not looking good. The military boys are dead in the void and are getting hammered by the New Worlders. We¡¯re not going to last long too. We¡¯re lucky we were at the edge of the blast radius or even our backups would have been non-functional. Get back here fast.¡±


    ¡°Okay. We¡¯re running.¡± T took off and I was on his heels. A cold feeling was crawling up my spine. Whatever that EMP bomb was, it was something new. All modern ships of the alliance were hard shielded against such attacks. Apparently, the fanatics were able to develop a newer one that could penetrate the latest of alliance hardware.


    We got back to our fire room without any other incident to see our team loading up. Curiously, they were dumping all our firefighting and patching equipment and were filling their bags with trooper equipment. Water, ration bars (my creation, I was proud to see), extra powercells, medical supplies and various weaponry.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening? Why are you guys suddenly turning into troopers?¡± T asked for the both of us. He was already dumping the contents of his own bag even if he didn¡¯t know what was going on.


    ¡°Captain¡¯s orders. We¡¯re bailing out with the rest of the landing team. The Woglinde is not going to be able to get power back anytime soon. We have enough juice for environmentals, basic maneuvering, and some light shielding. A slaver task force is making their way towards us unopposed. We¡¯re going to have to do a planetary insertion using the assault shuttles. A few of the officers will try to do a freefall insertion and use the last of the ship¡¯s power for an emergency crash. The transport ships would be doing the same thing. The entire landing force would be launching itself early. We need to get out of here. If those slaver ships get a shot at us, we¡¯re dead.¡± Franny said with emphasis. She attached her axe on her hip then shouldered her rig. I was almost speechless. How could this happen? Where did they get their new tech and ships? What was going to happen to us!?


    ¡°You have topack, friend. Our time is precious.¡± Musaka¡¯s calm voice broke against the horror that was mounting in my brain. His calm demeanor and the firm hand on my shoulder helped me center myself, even through the thick armor of my suit.


    ¡°Thanks, Musaka.¡± I took a deep breath then exhaled slowly. I saw Franny pause to look my way then gave me a grave nod. I upended my own bag and started filling it with things T directed me to carry.


    What I have noticed was this time, everybody has a laser rifle slung over their shoulders. They were all carrying the same model and there was a spare one for me. My heart sank as I slung it across my chest. I had very little experience with rifles, just the chemical ones that Flower had let me try shooting when I accompanied him and Baby during their hunts. This thing was a modern frontline weapon. I hoped that I would never be called on to use it.


    T noticed my hesitation with the weapon and approached me. He checked that my weapon was powered off and had its safety engaged. He opened a private channel.


    ¡°Keep it with you. I know we haven¡¯t had the time to teach you how to use it but I¡¯ll try to teach you if time allows. You got your knives?¡± he asked. I touched the wrist sheaths of my armor and felt the reassuring form of my knives. I nodded back.


    ¡°Good. Remember, we¡¯re not troopers. We¡¯ll probably be with the command staff, working as orderlies. You shouldn¡¯t have to worry about shooting anybody.¡± T reassured. It made me pause and consider what he said. It made sense.


    ¡°So, who are going to be stuck with? Some of those maintenance goobers smell bad and I don¡¯t want to get stuck with gross Alvin.¡± Nika said. Her observation of our maintenance crew¡¯s hygiene earned her some loud chuckles from the team.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t like how they smell too. Funny you should ask, a first sergeant just got me on comms. He had arranged for us to grab a ride with him. His unit will be proving security for the command staff. He said, and I quote, ¡®Can¡¯t have the beer guy dying on us.¡¯ You made some friends, Albert.¡± Franny said.


    We had five minutes to get our stuff together so we ensured that we have brought everything we could conceivably need. Franny made sure we conducted one last equipment check.


    Satisfied, she ordered us out of our fire room and jogging towards the fighter bays. The passageways were flooded withWoglinde crew, all going to the hangar. It suddenly dawned on me that a number of the ship¡¯s officer complement would be staying on the ship to try to save her. It made me incredibly sad. I knew very few people personally among the hundreds of people on the ship and was only able to see the captain once but I still felt like I was losing a distant relative.


    The flow of people started breaking into teams as they received boarding instructions from Mother. I could see that she was also going to be leaving the ship as she moved around in an impressive two-meter tall exomech. It was a beefy thing that had various equipment jutting out from odd angles.


    We followed Franny¡¯s lead as she turned left on the large flight deck and made for the furthest assault shuttle. I could see Sokolov waiting for us on the ramp. The rest of his unit was already strapped in so we double-timed our way to them. I took one last look at the emptying flight deck as the cargo doors clanged shut.

 Announcement: Delay for the next chapter

    Hello folks,


    Like what the title said, There''s going to be a delay for the new chapter. Maybe by the end of June or early July. My boss, bless his soul, caught me ''taking advantage of company assets'' and had I.T. monitor my work PC. Now, I kinda understand where he was coming from and I was using my PC for non-work things (translation: working on my ''net novel) but he did come down hard.


    In light of my new situation, The only time I could type my stuff out is when I''m renting in a PC cafe. Transcribing my horrible writing takes time. Not to mention proofreading.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    I''ve been waiting for parts for my new PC but there was a setback. I got sick and I had to sell my monitor to pay for medication. I''m back on track but without my monitor, it''s gonna be hard to see things. On a positive note, Tech guy in my office allowed me to sneak in my built PC to test it out with their monitors collecting dust in storage. I''ve got an awesome R5 1600 system.


    TL;DR: Sucks being poor.


    P.S. I have some of my old work on my phone, a sci-fi space opera that I type out when I''m in the can and staring at it. Let me know if you want to get a look at it. It would at least let you read something.


    Thanks for your support.