Allison walked inside. Unlike the Aurelius corp in New Amazon, this branch was small. Quaint even. There were only two staff, one Sauroid woman, and a human male. The woman had various shades of pink for scales. The human was fairly young looking and wearing a pair of dress pants, a white shirt and had a pocket protector with a mobile phone in it. Not strange at all for someone who lived somewhere other than Earth. In fact, Allison’s holo-phone set her apart on Eden Prime. Most folks had tablets and just went with that. They were far cheaper than holo-phones, and mobile phones were far cheaper than that. The human stepped in front of the Sauroid woman who was about to address the pair.

“How may we help you ladies today?”

Allison didn’t like him already. He was totally checking the both of them out. Even if their armor left nothing to the imagination it was no excuse to gawk. Especially at a kid. Helen didn’t seem to notice or care. Allison frowned.

“My friend wants to check and see if her account is still valid.”

He nodded.

“No problem! Just swipe your ident chit on my phone here and we’ll check.”

“She doesn’t have one. She’s a long-term client who just woke up.”

He looked confused.

“Well, hmm, that’s difficult, I might be able to help you. May take a while, why don’t you give me your number?”

Allison knew that was patently false because Sauroids who didn’t live on Earth didn’t need ident chits. She was about to contradict the man when the sauroid woman held up a talon.

“I can help you.”

The man turned to the Sauroid and shot her a dirty look. Allison really wanted to shove the man out of the way. She didn’t though because that would be assault and she wasn’t sure she could get out of that with the Sauroid authorities. She mused it was too bad being a creep wasn’t illegal. She was pretty furious so wasn’t exactly surprised when he stumbled back from the pair.

“I am so sorry; I didn’t realize you were that kind of client.”

Allison looked up at Helen. Helen motioned to her mouth; She spoke quietly.

“Your fangs are showing.”

Allison blushed and put her hand over her mouth. Her words were muffled.

“Sorry, still… trying to control that.”

The woman had a name tag on her very nice, if flamboyant tunic. Y’s’laassa. She gave the human a dirty look. Her tail was twitching.

“I’m sorry, ma’ams, he’s not usually like that. We should not need any information from you. Just… I’m sorry we don’t get many black member clients here. There was something around here.”

She started searching around under the counter. She sighed and put her hands on her hips.

“Herman, please open the safe.”

He walked over and pulled a string of keys from his belt and kneeled down and unlocked something. Y’s’laassa shooed him away. He beat a hasty retreat from Allison and Helen while rubbing his neck absently. Y’s’laassa came up with a stone tablet.

“Which of you would like to access their account?”

Allison pointed at Helen.

“Her, I don’t have any money I’m allowed to touch.”

Y’s’laassa motioned to Helen.

“Please, ma’am, put your palm on this. It will prick and test your blood.”

Helen glanced at Allison who nodded to her. She put her palm down and winced. Blood filled grooves under the palm and the tablet flared red. Y’s’laassa quickly wrote down two numbers. She then pulled out a mobile phone and tapped the numbers in with one of her talons.

“Ah yes, you do have an account. How may we assist you today, Ms. Aurelius?”

Allison took a little too much pleasure when she saw Herman’s face got pitch white. Not an easy feat considering how tanned he was. Helen looked at Allison. Allison bit her lower lip. She absently scratched the back of her head.

“Uh, she’ll need enough for food. Umm.”

She looked at Helen.

“Are you planning on staying here for a while?”

Helen shook her head. Allison looked up at Y’s’laassa.

“So uh, food, passage to Earth, umm. Maybe some clothes.”

Y’s’laassa nodded.

“So, a credit chit, and some scales then?”

Allison nodded. Y’s’laassa held up one talon.

“One moment.”

She started tapping through the phone. For some reason it amused her seeing a seven-foot-tall dinosaur-person tapping one little button at a time. She would be way better off with a holo-phone. Y’s’laassa slid a credit chit into the bottom of the phone. Typed a number in. Helen was watching all of this with wide-eyed curiosity. Finally, the Sauroid put the chit on the counter along with a pouch of coins.

“Here you are, Ms. Aurelius. I provided you with enough for first class passage on a transport to Earth and a hundred scales. If you need anything else do not hesitate to ask.”

Helen took the pouch and the chit.

“Thank you.”

The pair left the small bank and Allison retraced their steps to the market. Helen stopped suddenly and looked up. She paused for several moments. Allison was forced to stop. Helen looked at the younger teen.

“Why is the sun not moving in the sky?”

Allison blinked and took a few seconds to figure out what Helen was talking about.

“Oh, this planet is tidally locked to the star. It doesn’t rotate… and uh, it wasn’t the sun moving it was the Earth. Anyway, the sun never sets here. I don’t know how do I put this for you… I’m sorry I got nothing. Just… on the light side the sun never goes away and never moves. The dark side is always dark.”

Helen seemed to believe that was enough for her. The pair entered the market. Allison hadn’t had a chance to try many of the Sauroid delicacies. They had their own breads, desserts, dishes. Helen just seemed confused about what was available. Allison could tell she was being overwhelmed by information overload. She looked at the vampire.

“Let me shop for us, I haven’t eaten much, just a few things one of my teachers has brought in, but Lofu berries are definitely good.”

Helen handed her the pouch of scales. Allison purchased them a couple of bunches of Lofu berries to share. Helen tried one hesitantly then started to eat them one after another. Allison ate a few. They sampled several of the street vendor’s foods. Half an hour later they were sitting on the temple steps sharing a feast. Allison offered Helen back the scales, and the talons which were the smaller denomination of coins. Helen put the pouch into her bag. Allison took a bite of a sweetbread stuffed with Lofu berry jam. She shook her hand and made an mmm sound.

“Oh my god this is so good.”

She wiped some jam that had seeped out and down her chin. She licked it off her fingers. She looked at the bag again.

“So, uh, that bag. I’m really confused by it. I scanned it. I looked inside and it’s totally empty and besides being made of a weirdly organized material it’s not special. Where is all that stuff coming from? And where is it going?”

Helen looked at the bag.

“Mother says its bigger on the inside and left it at that. I don’t know how it works. I just put things in, then I put my hand in I think of what I want, and it appears in my hand.”

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

Helen reached in and pulled out a dusty bottle of rum.

“Like this, mother gave me a crate of it to put in here. Just in case. It tastes like a sugary poison. It burns.”

Allison eyed the bottle. She pulled out her scanner and waved it over the bottle. She winced at the results.

“You’re not far off. That is really strong rum. A couple of drinks of that most people would be passed out. Three they’d have alcohol poisoning or something.”

“Mother did like her alcohol. Especially during the day.”

Allison picked up the bottle and opened the cork. She wafted some of the fumes to her nose and coughed. The thought of drinking any form of alcohol made her stomach turn at this point. She quickly re-corked it, remembering her vow to never drink again. She offered it back to Helen who put it in the bag.

“When I woke up this morning, I swore I would never drink again.”

Allison glanced at the time on her AR HUD. She’d have to leave soon to make it home for supper with a stop at Earth for her stuff and wormhole transit time. She noticed Bit had sent her an email about Pinto’s condition two hours ago. Bit really was angry with her.

“Typical Bit.”

Helen looked over at her.

“What was that?”

“Nothing.”

Allison looked over the message, it wasn’t great news, but it wasn’t bad news. They’d stabilized him and sent him to Earth on a medical transport. She tapped the email and swept it over to her contact for Miles. Helen continued to eat. Allison put her palms behind her and leaned back.

“I need to leave if I’m going to get home soon. I was hoping someone, maybe Auntie Eyre or the President would contact me so I could tell them about you. Miles and his crew are great and all but like, this is vampire business now.”

“I could go with you.”

Allison shook her head.

“No, you don’t want to come with me. My planet is bad for vampires. Even the moon will kill you… but I guess, if the sun isn’t bothering you here… You don’t want to. Uh, it’s really far away, like really far away. And even if the Silwrath said they had no record of us before me…”

Helen started gathering up the blanket she’d put down for their picnic then she shook it out to get rid of the crumbs. She stuffed it into her bag and dusted her hands off. Allison shielded her eyes from the sun and looked up at Helen when she spoke.

“How far away is it?”

Allison thought really hard on how to answer that question to someone who was born in a time when they thought the Earth was flat, and the center of the universe.

“Well, uh, you know how light seems to travel really fast?”

Allison sat up then snapped her fingers.

“Ah ha. Okay, you know how you see lightning before you hear thunder?”

Helen nodded.

“Yes, my mother explained that to me, light moves really fast.”

“Okay, that makes this easier. It takes light from this sun here, over two and a half million years to reach where I live. So, when I go home if I looked through a telescope that could see this solar system, I would be seeing in the distant past. Like this planet would still be rotating on its axis. Actually, when I think about it that way it’s kind of headache inducing. Cause I can like check the Alliance-Net and watch a movie made a thousand years ago, being sent from Earth… and like if I were to look through that telescope, I’d be seeing an Earth without humans. I’m going to stop talking now this whole topic is weirding me out.”

Allison moved to get up. Helen offered Allison her hand. Allison took it and the vampire pulled her up.

"What is Earth like now?”

“Uh, well its covered in glaciers, ice, snow. It’s a frozen world. People live in megacities that are under domes. It’s kind of cool, but at the same time, it made me really miss home. There are no trees. They had fake skies. There were so many people, it felt like I had no space. Eden Prime, where I’m from, is primarily a farming colony. Green… well near green fields as far as you can see. There are so many trees. It is winter there now. The lake is frozen over, we can skate on it. Go ice fishing. Go skiing. There is a real sky, that is so blue, and real clouds. The domes, there’s nothing like that, just concrete and steel and so many people.”

Helen smiled.

“I would love to see your blue sun. Is there any reason I am not allowed to go?”

Allison shook her head.

“No, I mean, if Isis can survive there, I’m sure you can. I mean she’s way older than you. And hey, she’s a member of the vampire council! Perfect she can take care of all that vampire stuff for you. Sure.”

Helen put her sword and her Atlantean pistol in her bag.

“I am ready to go.”

Allison held up her finger and called her mom. It took about thirty seconds for her mother to answer the comm request.

“Allison, it is good to see you. Are you enjoying your visit to the temple?”

“Yes, it was great. I got to meet so many sisters. Have lots of good pictures for my project and I met a new friend.”

Apiyo smiled broadly.

“I am glad, you seem much happier then when you left. Did you find a place to stay there overnight?”

“No, no, I’m going to come home. I’m kind of tired of the Milky Way. I’m hoping I can be home in time for supper.”

“Are you sure? You don’t have to, the gala isn’t until Friday night. You could come back tomorrow.”

Allison shook her head.

“No, I just really want a hug from you and to snuggle with Oozie. I’m home sick.”

“Okay, I’ll make your favorite.”

Allison rubbed the back of her neck and bit her lower lip.

“Uh, mom, so, like my friend, I was telling her about Eden Prime and she asked if I could give her a ride. You think she could use our other guest bedroom for the night? And stay for supper?”

“Who is this friend? Not one of those dome delinquents, is it?”

Allison looked at Helen. She imagined the very prim and proper British lady at the Harbor. It made her smile. Her mother was looking at her expectantly.

“No, she’s a British Noblewoman.”

Allison looked at Helen and shrugged. It wasn’t exactly a lie; Helen had introduced herself as Lady Helen Aurelius.

“She’s uh… um a vampire. Like Isis.”

Apiyo sighed.

“She may stay. Isis is coming to dinner tonight. So you will be on your best behavior, understood? She is a very powerful woman in the Alliance. I do not want to leave her with a bad impression of us.”

Allison nodded.

“Okay, we’re just going to head back to Bit, then I need to go to Earth, pick up my stuff so, uh, like fifteen minutes to Bit, fifteen minutes for clearance, half an hour to Earth… forty-five minutes to pack… and uh, fifteen minutes to Pluto station and then wormhole and fifteen minutes to home? So two and a half, three hours till I’m home? Hey umm, do you mind if I park Bit in the back yard?”

“What? Shouldn’t you be landing the fighter at the base.”

Allison bit her lower lip. Her mom wasn’t supposed to know she owned an armed starfighter!

“Uh, well, umm yea, you’re right. Yep, it is military property so it should be at the base.”

Apiyo knew her daughter all too well.

“Don’t you try and lie to me, Allison Wanjala!”

Allison winced; It hadn’t been her full, full name but she was edging closer to that.

“Don’t be mad! It’s not like I asked for it… uh… The president kind of gave me Bit… like its mine. I own the starfighter. And stuff.”

Apiyo crossed her arms.

“You’re just telling me this now?”

Allison shrugged.

“It umm slipped my mind. You know Earth is so Earth and there was so much going on, I just totally forgot to mention it. So, yea, umm can I park Bit in the back yard? Just for now? Until we figure something out?”

Apiyo frowned.

“We will discuss it tomorrow when I do not have important guests coming over. You may park it there for now but if it ruins our lawn, you’re putting the sod down yourself, with your own money.”

“Alright, I’ll see you soon mom, I love you.”

Her mother blew her a kiss.

“Fly safe. I love you.”

Allison pretended to catch the kiss and then waved. She disconnected the comm link.

“Let’s get going then.”

She sent a message to Miles telling him she had to go and saying she’d see them around. She retraced her steps to Bit with Helen in tow. Helen looked up at the sleek starfighter.

“It looks like Hazel’s ship. Mothers only had one seat.”

Allison tapped the liquid metal of Bits fuselage.

“Hey Bit, time to leave.”

Allison sighed when no liquid metal ladder formed. She tapped again.

“Bit… stop pouting. We need to leave if we’re going to get home on time.”

Allison looked at Helen and held her hand up.

“Sorry, she’s mad at me.”

Allison rolled her eyes.

“Look, I’m sorry I disagree with your theory, okay? I should have been nicer about it.”

The liquid metal ladders formed. Allison climbed in the front seat. Helen climbed in the back. It was obvious that she’d done this before because Allison did not have to help her with the harness. Allison started tapping the controls to launch. She was in such a rush she lifted off before the canopy closed. She requested clearance from Alliance control, and they authorized her launch. Half an hour later they landed in her personal hanger bay.

They hopped out of Bit. Helen wandered towards the entry port for the Hanger Bay and crossed her arms while she looked out over New Amazon. The dome was displaying twilight. Allison was scratching her head because her two drone wings, were missing along with everything else.

“Uh, where is everything?”

Bit spoke.

“I do not know.”

“Maybe the President changed her mind. I guess we’ll find out when we try to use the stargate.”

“Perhaps we should use my own wormhole generator.”

Allison snapped her fingers and wagged her finger at Bit.

“Good point. We should test that. How hard is it to plot a wormhole transit?”

“It is simple. We will just lock on to the appropriate wormhole beacon. I have sufficient antimatter after transit to and from Sauroid Prime.”

“Great! Get those cargo hatches open please I have lots of stuff.”

Allison left Helen to her musings and went about collecting her belongings new and old. Her order had arrived and been brought up by the front desk staff. She could barely fit all the shipping boxes into Bit’s various cargo bays. She grabbed the plastic dish of left over stir fry along with anything else that was perishable from the cooling and freezing units, put them in a box and slid it into the stasis pod. She did one last pass to make sure she wasn’t missing anything.

“Alright, time to hit the road… or void… whatever. Helen, you ready to go?”

Helen turned and nodded. They got into the starfighter. Allison requested launch permission from Earth Space Control. They approved launch but declined her FTL flight plan. She double checked her jump coordinates and velocity calculations. Everything was correct. She sent it again with a message to double check them. It was rejected once again, this time with a message to contact Alliance Command. She opened up comms to System’s Alliance Fleet Command.

“SAC, this is Shadow One in New Amazon. Control is rejecting my FTL flight plan. They advised that I speak to you.”

She received a response a few minutes later.

“Shadow One, you are ordered to rendezvous with the Eclipse at Sauroid Prime. Please update your FTL flight plan accordingly. You will be provided with further orders once you land. They are aware of your additional passenger. SAC out.”

“Sorry Helen, guess getting we’re sidetracked. Yesh, would have been nice if they’d told us about this before we left Sauroid Prime.”

Allison launched the starfighter.

“Bit, call mom, please.”

Apiyo answered immediately.

“You’re here already?”

Allison shook her head.

“No, mom, sorry. Something’s going on, I just got ordered to rendezvous with a carrier. I just wanted to let you know I might be late, or not home at all tonight. I’ll call you and tell you more when I can.”

“Thank you for letting me know. Hopefully I’ll see you soon.”

Allison disconnected the call after nodding to her mother. Allison shook her head in annoyance at the command and started heading toward the Eclipse.