Smoldering in the gemmed saucer ashtray, some delicate multicolored fumes from a Jazz branded cigarette disturbed the stillness of the pilot’s cabin. No sounds, omitting the gentle hum generated by the shuttle’s drone engine. The lights were dimmed. An orangish glow peaked through porthole windows, a mixture of weather and clouds. The heavens above earth. They had just entered the stratosphere on their ascent towards the Apollyon.

Lying on the divan was a bare young woman, beautiful, wrapped in a shawl, reclined in relaxation. Her eyes were half-open. Somewhere between a state of waking and dreaming. Hypnagogia.

“Venus, my dear, we’re about midway to the satellite’s docking bay. We’ll be arriving in a few hours.”

Thought forms dissipated from her sleepy mind. She began subtly adjusting her lithe body into a more alert position.

“Thank you, Char-on. Let me know when we reach the final layer. I’m dying to get a glimpse of this thing.”

She closed her eyes completely and started to drift once more, when, suddenly:

Knock, knock!

Wide eyed now Venus demanded to know, “Char-on, what is the meaning of this?”

A man entered the room.

“Ahh!”

He was masked in a respirator, which he then began to take off.

“An intruder, Char-on!” Venus screamed “You’re not supposed to be in here! Get away from me!”

“Calm down lady, everything’s fine, just listen…”

“Oh my God! You’re that terrorist! Jack the Anglo! Ahh!”

Venus squirmed with her back against the hull into a defensive posture, trying her best to cover herself.

“Listen lady, no need to be alarmed. I’m not going to hurt you.” Jack said and moved closer. “You really should check your cargo hold before departing, ma’am. You never know what might be hiding in there…”

Out walked a giant humanoid chicken who, being so tall, had to duck in order to enter the cockpit. It stood there at ease like a solider without a sound. Its feathers were long and blue.

“Don’t even bother sending out a distress signal, it won’t work. We’re actively jamming all transmissions within the vicinity!” the Anglo warned. He turned back to his compatriot and motioned with his hands towards the helm. “Chicken, I want you throw that hunk-of-metal out of here and take over navigation!”

The chicken made a quick salute with his wing to his forehead as he approached in apprehension of the pilot.

“No! Don’t hurt Char-on! He’s just the driver!” Venus implored.

“Alright, fine. We’re not gonna to hurt your dumb robot… Be careful with him, Chicken.”

With mighty strength, the big rooster scooped up the bulky mechanical-being as it twisted it’s electronic head backwards to look at his master for instructions. She was visibly panic-stricken but now seemed to be coming to her senses. After putting Char-on down, off to the side, the huge blue chicken then saddled the pilot’s seat and took control of the small ship.

“Allow me to introduce to you my good friend, and partner, Mr. Chicken. As you can see, he is a member of one the humanoid groups and doesn’t speak much English.” Jack explained in a dignified tone. “As for myself, you seem to already know who I am, so I won’t bother with any introductions.” Though he still made a gentlemanly bow towards the lady.

Alarmed as she was, Venus’ mood began to rapidly change. Her expression became furious. She stepped forward and looked directly into the terrorist’s face.

“You mind telling me what you’re doing on my ship!” Venus exclaimed.

“Why, we’re huge fans of the world-famous, Venus de Kali, Master of dance, east of the main meridian! We could not resist attending your latest show–”

“Enough! I will not tolerate you patronizing me like this! If you think you can come onto my shuttle and show disrespect to me with your sarcasm–”

“We mean no disrespect ma’am! I truly am a greater admirer of you and your work.”

“Then why do you mistreat me and act like a bunch of pirates!”

Seemingly from nowhere, Venus pulled out a slim black dagger from beneath one of the cushions and within seconds was bringing it down into the breastplate of Jack. But before it could penetrate his flesh, he grabbed Venus’ hand and tightly squeezed it to make her drop the weapon. He then pulled her arm behind her back and brought her closer to him.

“I’m being honest with you. We don’t want to hurt you.”

Jack let go of his grip and she lunged forward back onto the divan.

“Though, I do admire your courage. I like a girl who can put up a fight.”

He finished with a smile and took a seat on the adjacent passenger bench.

Venus remained motionless, still starring into the face of the Anglo, as if waiting for the next move of a wild animal.

“You see Miss,” the Anglo began, “You now happened to be a part of a very special mission, a religious mission you might say, whether you like it or not. It’s funny, you already know about me, and I, know all about you. We happened to do some research on you before coming–”

“You know nothing of me but a false image made by words of lies!” Venus interrupted.

Jack continued, “–Tell me, how do you feel about our benevolent ruler, King Khalid? You are, after all, on your way to give him a very special performance. We all know your talents go far beyond just dancing…”

“Ooh! That is what this all about… Now I understand! I’ve been captured by mad fools!” Venus remarked with an almost triumphant roar, “Or should I say, soon to be dead fools.”

“Oh, you would know best, now, wouldn’t you, Venus? Considering what happened to your father and all…”

“My Father? I know nothing of my Father! He died before I could even speak a word. I was raised by Char-on my entire life.”

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“Raised by a robot, were you? How traditional!” Jack said with seemingly more sarcasm.

“And you’re one to speak!” Venus said, flustered, “With the reputation you and your insurrectionists have, you’re not one to judge. I can’t even imagine what sort of depravity you’re planning…”

“I’m a saint, ma’am, I swear it.” He put up three fingers. “I have only the best of intentions; it’s others who’ve corrupted my fame.”

“You’ve been responsible for three political assassinations alone, as far as I know. You’re a bloodthirsty killer who knows no limits!” Venus scolded with her wrists on hips.

“So, what if I am?” Jack shrugged. “It’s all for a good cause.”

“What cause? For the good of chaos? For all I know you want to destroy the world, along with me in it.”

“Lady, we’re already living in chaos. I’m just trying to bring about order to an orderless world, one action at a time. Speaking of which, I guess I should explain why we’re here…”

Invisible daggers flew from Venus’ eyes as she glared angrily at the Anglo. No effect.

“Actually, I wouldn’t be surprised if your father wasn’t too much different than myself, at least, when he was alive. We both wanted the same thing. That is, to see that monster Khalid toppled off the top of the world.”

“You’re crazy. You’ll meet the same fate as him, no doubt.”

“Well it’s nice of you to care like that, ma’am. But I wouldn’t be too worried about me.”

“Oh, I’m not worried at all. Especially when a mad man is so eager to accept his death.”

“You must be confusing Mr. Chicken and I for somebody else. We’re professionals, you see.”

Jack got up and grabbed the pack of jazz cigarettes off the table in the middle of the room. The front label depicted a cartoon genie emerging out of a golden lamp surrounded by haze. He took out a tinderbox and lit one up.

Purple smoke exhaled from his mouth, forming into the shape of a bird in flight. It dissipated midair like a fading firework. He blew a few more smokey forms, each a different animal and color. A red rhinoceros. Blue swordfish. Green monkey.

“To think, these creatures were once real, and not just splices of the humanoids…”

“You say you despise the man, yet here you are, smoking his cigarettes!” Venus critiqued.

“Man, you say? Ha! Khalid is no man. He’s more of a devil, or a machine, than a man. How can a man live as long he has and do the things he’s done?” Jack said very seriously. “Besides, they’re a good smoke. Can’t help it.”

He blew out a saffron crocodile that slithered close to Venus’ face before dissolving.

“How exactly do you plan on getting onto the Apollyon anyway? That thing is an impenetrable fortress, from what I hear. No one goes in or out unless Khalid or his jinn allow it. Nobody even knows what it looks like from the outside, it’s constantly surrounded by smog.”

“Ha, now that’s where you come in. Don’t you see?” Jack grinned and folded his arms.

The mouth of Venus fell open, unladylike, as she quickly realized how slow she’s been.

Jack put out the cigarette in the ashtray and sat back down. He played with the zipper on his uniform.

“Nothing to worry about. There’s no real change to your itinerary anyways. You’ll carry on as if we weren’t even there. Like we were ghosts. In fact, it’s best that way.”

“The sooner I can forget about you, the better.” Venus spat, folding her arms, most annoyed. She twisted her mouth in consternation. “You think you can come on to my shuttle and assume I’m just going to go along with this quietly!”

“Well, to tell you the truth, I was betting on you having some sympathy for our cause.” Jack confessed. “Like I said, I’m not going to hurt or threaten you. I believe there’s a small part inside of you that would like to see the end of that beast who murdered your father. Perhaps though, maybe I played the wrong hand...”

Leaving his seat, the Anglo, without a word, walked over to the controls of the ship, looking over Mr. Chicken’s shoulder, with his back towards the lady. He began dictating commands to his partner in a low voice.

Eyebrows crossed and lips puffed up, Venus sat up right on the divan, processing the situation she was in. Her robot shuffled over to receive commands himself, but she silently shooed him away, flicking her wrist with one hand, and rubbing her nasal bone with the other. Char-on stared at her gesture for a moment, then turned around and walked towards the front of the ship. He positioned himself next to Jack.

“Excuse me sir, is there anything I can get you?” Char-on politely inquired. The Anglo looked at the service machine and was about to answer, before:

“No! Bad Char-on! You do not serve their kind!” Venus instructed. She threw herself between the robot and the man.

“My apologizes, Miss Venus, I did not realize–” Char-on tried to rationalize.

“Oh, be nice to the machine. It was awfully kind of him to offer...”

“I refuse to play any part in encouraging your hijacking of my ship and the planning of acts of terrorism.” Venus demanded, “As far as King Khalid goes, I’m just a dancer. I have no concern for politics and the disputes of men. Let the animals do what they do, as long as they stay in the wilderness.”

“I’ll take it.” Jack said and then smiled. He went to pat her on the shoulder, but she cringed away, retreating a good distance away. She lit a cigarette herself and smoked it while standing, facing the wall. The smoky forms were obliterated almost instantaneously against the wall, never being able to take shape, as they were quickly exhaled from her mouth. Then, as if she had an epiphany, she rushed back towards the others.

“Why do you even bother with this whole thing? The second Khalid and his Jinn figure out you’ve come onto their satellite, you’ll be dead instantly.” Venus pilloried.

“Well, that’s where you’re wrong, Miss Venus.” Jack said confidently. “Let’s just say we have a little invention of our own that we’ve been waiting to try out for some time.”

“You really think you can out smart King Khalid? The man who organized the senate, protects the people and provides them clean air, water, and built the modern world we live in today? If it wasn’t for him, our planet would have been made a dust ball ages ago.”

“Oh, that’s rubbish. He hasn’t done anything for the Earth except pollute it further with his sooty legions.” Jack said bitterly “The jinn wreak havoc on the world as if they were demon spawn from hell, and no one’s been able to do a thing about it––at least––not until now.”

“I don’t know if you’re arrogant, ignorant or just plain stupid, but you definitely have some sort of deathwish. I smell it all over you, like a perfume.” The Lady said with indifference, sitting back down to look at the back of her hand.”

“Like I said, we’ve been doing some research, not just on you, but on the past, and how we came to this point. It wasn’t always like this, I’ll tell you that. You know, if you read history, you would be surprised with how many new things you can find. Stuff that’s been forgotten by the so-called moderns. That’s how Chicken and I came up with this new weapon. Something called a ‘vak-yum cleanser’ that used to be popular back in the Atomic Age. It’s sure to take care of the jinn.”

Silently Venus stared at the still-lit cigarette in her hand as the colored smoke vented from the tip, twirling it ever so slightly into coils. It went out. Her expression did not change in the slightest.

“And, not only that, we found something very interesting, having to do with our ‘mighty ruler’. I won’t give it away entirely, but you could say we’ve stumbled upon where he gets his power from, how he does his embodiment technique.”

Electricity flew into Venus’ body, jolting her into alertness.

“You found out how he makes his jinn? Yeah, right! Weren’t you saying a second ago he was a devil and a monster? Now you bring him down to us mortals and make him a man, equal to us?”

“All you got to do is take him away from his power source and then, poof, he’s nothing but a little weakling! I can’t wait to get my hands on him, without his demon spawn. I’ll smash his perfect face in and send him hurtling into the atmosphere.”

Jack walked to one of the windows and looked out onto the globe.

“It is impossible to tell when you’re serious… You’re consistently contradicting yourself.” Venus insisted.

“It’s not me that’s contradictive, it’s the world– I’m just a reflection of it.” Jack reasoned.

The Master of Dance approached, looking up at the back of his blond head and continued,

“I can understand that you are passionate for something, life perhaps. But you are going about this quite childishly...”

Sanguinely Venus ran her hand through the back of Jack’s hair, touching his scalp.

“Well now, Miss Venus, are you taking a fancy to me?”

He turned around and looked at the young woman, her face being a mysterious mixture of sweet wrath and cunningness. Eyes twinkling like the dead stars peeking through the darkness above.

“I wouldn’t underestimate an Anglo like that, ma’am. I’m fully aware of your charms.” Jack said and walked away.

He settled himself back on the bench, crossing his leg.

Miss Venus watched his movements, and then made a raspberry with her tongue at him. After observing his indifference, she shrugged her shoulders, and exited the pilot’s cabin to another part of the ship.