February 12, 2363 AIA
Daidas
When Vas and Tennama finished landing the Colibri and powering down her engines, they joined the rest of the crew downstairs.
Ciro had Lynx hooked up to the planet’s network and was hunting down the last of the information he wanted copied to their phone. Jane was jittery with suppressed excitement. Reyer was watching Ciro.
Jane saw Vas and Tennama first.
“Captain?”
Vas did his best not to smile. Jane Bonumomnes was almost a completely different creature when she was excited, but he shrewdly guessed she still wouldn’t want to be laughed at.
He understood her enthusiasm. The poor woman hadn’t been away from Home Base for two years. That was a long time for anyone to put up with base rules—not to mention the scarcity. Coming to a place like this must have been a dream come true.
If a planet could go through a drunken, rave-crazed, rebellious-teenage phase, that planet would be Daidas. It only had modest natural resources and no outstanding points of interest, so the tourism department had decided to focus on Daidas’s party culture as the major selling point. They lured in merchants from all over the galaxy, and even for a free-plane, their laws and restrictions were considered lax.
“We’re all going out,” Vas announced.
Dr. Jane’s hands clapped together under her chin, but she managed to keep from bouncing up and down.
“All of us?” Reyer asked.
“Dr. Jane, I hear you need to do some shopping.”
“Yes! Yes, I do.”
“I’ll give you my card. Pick up whatever scientific equipment and resources you think might be useful, but please remember, it does have to fit on this ship, along with us and the rest of our supplies.”
“Right! I’ll start with the science equipment.”
“No clothes.”
Tennama and Ciro both stopped what they were doing.
“What?” Jane cried. “But…Vas!”
“Yeah, I’m a little curious too.” Ciro stood up. “What’s this about shopping for clothes?”
“Jane’s been feeling bereft,” Reyer explained. “She wants nice clothes.”
“Is there something wrong with the clothes she has?” Lynx asked.
“She wants nice clothes. As in…” Alix wasn’t entirely clear on the concept herself—despite the effort Jane had made to explain it—but she remembered one or two points. “…a dress. Something for going out. And shoes.”
She couldn’t forget the shoes. Those were important. Somehow.
“I’m sorry, Doctor,” Vas said. “We don’t know how long we’ll have to make our funds last.”
Ciro stepped forward. “Besides—forgive me for being possessive—but isn’t it my job to sponsor that kind of a trip?”
“I was going to pay him back, Wonder Boy,” Jane grumbled. “It’s not like I’m broke.”
“No,” Vas said, “but since you’re in violation of your contract, it might be hard for you to get at the funds.”
“You’re such a spoilsport.”
Ciro grinned. “I’ll spot you.”
When Alix saw Jane’s face, she had to put a hand over her mouth to hide her smile.
Ciro Vas had always perversely enjoyed watching Jane war with herself, and this would be a mighty battle between her pride and her vanity.
Pride won.
“No. Thank you,” Jane said.
“Aww, come on,” Ciro said. “I’ll give you the credits. Can I request something formfitting?”
“I said no, Wonder Boy.”
“It seems a shame to miss out on something so fun.” He gave an exaggerated sigh. “Who knows when you’ll get another chance?”
“Ciro, don’t forget whose cabin your sleeping in,” Tennama muttered.
Ciro ignored him. “And there’s Alix to think of.”
“Hey! Whoa!” Alix struggled to her feet. “Leave me out of this!”
It was too late. A new tortured expression had appeared on Jane’s face.
“She’s probably never been shopping in her whole life,” Ciro wheedled.
“Hey!”
Ciro’s peculiar deafness persisted. He pulled out his wallet, extracted his card, and held it up. Jane ignored it wafting in front of her face so she could glare at Ciro instead. As usual, he answered her evil eye with an impish grin that always reminded Reyer of Adan.
Jane snatched the card. “For Alix.”
“You’re a good friend,” Ciro said.
“And I’m going to pay you back.”
“I have no doubt.”
“Do I get a say in this?” Alix asked.
“How much do you have on here?” Jane said.
“More than enough,” Ciro said.
“Dresses aren’t cheap, Ciro. Not where I shop.”
“I’d be disappointed if they were. Don’t forget the shoes.”
“Go to hell, Wonder Boy.”
Ciro took her shoulders, and with only moderate fuming, she allowed him to kiss her cheek.
Vas turned to Reyer.
“Alix—” he said.
“I’m going with Jane, aren’t I?”
“You’re conscientious and good at balancing the need for supplies with the rest of the mission concerns. I’m trusting you to be the voice of reason.” He pulled her close and said in her ear, “And if you’d do me a personal favor and keep Jane from bankrupting my little brother.”
“You know she wouldn’t do that.”
“I know he deserves it.” Vas straightened up and said loud enough the others would hear, “I’m sending Lynx with you.”
“Let me guess. For hauling?”
“You’ve seen how Jane packs a lab. Would you rather carry the equipment yourself?”
“I know what you’re doing, Adan.”
Vas sighed. He thought for a moment, then reached out and took her arm. “The war isn’t only at the edge, Alix. We do need supplies.” When Reyer didn’t say anything, he added, “Who would you send?”
“I agree with your decision, Captain. That doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
Vas smiled his half smile. “You know if you don’t go, Jane will be so disappointed.”
“The things I do for the cause.” Alix broke away and went to get ready.
Five minutes later, the three men stood at the open hatch to see the ladies off. After helping Reyer down, Vas climbed up the short ladder and sat in the doorway. Ciro crouched nearby. Tennama stood behind them both, his arms crossed.
“Miss Reyer seems upset,” he observed.
“That’s because Miss Reyer can read Captain Vas like a book,” Ciro said. To Adan: “You should have left it to me.”
“You think that would’ve helped?”
“Jane’s dragging her out, isn’t she? I managed to buy us hours of extra time, and—bonus!—Jane gets a nice dress.” Ciro clicked his tongue. “Damn, she’s gonna look so good.” He rose to his feet and stepped away from the hatch.
Tennama offered Vas a hand up. The captain took it.
“I take it Miss Reyer doesn’t like to be left behind?” Anthony asked.
“She’s lived too much of her life on the front lines,” Vas said.
“What are we doing?”
“Reconnaissance.”
“Will it be dangerous?”
“It’s reconnaissance, Tennama. That means we don’t know.”
Anthony briefly grit his teeth, then said, “Captain, forgive me for speaking out of turn, but you don’t seem to like me much.”
Ciro stopped typing on the phone and held perfectly still.
Vas, who had been removing part of the bulkhead to get at his hidden armory, hesitated, but then he continued what he was doing. “And?”
“Why would you choose me to go with you, rather than Miss Reyer? She probably has more experience than I do—”
“She has more experience than I do.”
Anthony waited.
Vas pulled out an e-pistol. “She took her holster with her, didn’t she?”
“Miss Reyer?” Tennama said. “I didn’t see anything on her.”
“That’s the whole point of a concealed holster.” Adan picked up the last holster, slid the gun inside, and held them up. “All right, gentlemen, we only have one more pistol available. Which one of you wants it?”
Ciro and Tennama looked at each other.
“Don’t everybody rush me at once.” Vas handed the xeno the weapon. “You’re a better shot. It’s yours.”
“How do you know—”
“You saved Alix, remember?”
Tennama shut his mouth.
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Adan turned back to the weapons compartment and pulled out some low-profile knives. “I chose you to come with us for several reasons. First, it might keep Alix safe. Second, you’re an able-bodied man—”
“At the moment,” Ciro muttered with a sly smile on his face.
“—and you’ve proven you can fight. Alix, for as good as she was…it’s harder now.” Vas picked up the bulkhead cover and fit it back into place. “Finally, if everything goes sideways, Alix has enough experience to rescue us from whatever hole we find ourselves in.” He turned to the xeno. “Are those reasons good enough for you, Tennama?”
To the captain’s surprise, the xeno’s chest was shaking with his silent laugh.
“You know, they really are, Captain. Thank you for explaining them to me.”
Vas handed him a sheathed knife, then turned to his brother. “Ciro!”
“Come on, Adan. Can’t I take my multi-tool?”
“Can you stab someone with it?”
“Yes!”
“How long would it take you to pull it out?”
Ciro grumbled, but he took the knife and began fixing it to the inside of his belt.
“You have the address?” Vas asked.
“As close as I can get to it. I did tell you this might take some time.”
“We’ll take as much time as you need.”
When they were all ready to go, Vas clapped his arms around Tennama and Ciro’s shoulders. “Here we are! Three single friends ready to enjoy all the debauchery and vice Daidas has to offer.”
“Is that our story?” Tennama asked.
Ciro looked down at his clothes. “At least the costumes were easy.”
They left the ship and headed out.
The streets of Daidas were wide and flanked on both sides with generous sidewalks meant to accommodate the nocturnal crowds. They were mostly empty now, giving the few pedestrians out at that hour a luxurious feeling of space. The day bazaars jutted up against the walkways. They were painted to stand out and hung with brightly colored banners, meant to vie for the attention of the early risers. Behind them were the dusk-colored nightclubs and casinos. With their neon lights extinguished, they looked tired, as if they'd slunk behind the other shops to recover from the night before.
While Vas waited for Ciro to finish reading his phone’s map, he noticed Tennama staring around in wonder.
“You look ridiculous,” Vas said.
“And you look like you wouldn’t know vice if it tried to come on to you in a drunken stupor, Captain,” Tennama said.
Ciro snorted.
“Or is it Mr. Banderas?” Tennama asked.
“This is a free-plane,” Vas said. “We don’t have to hide who we are, but call me Adan for now. We’re supposed to be friends, after all.”
“This way.” Ciro put the phone in his pocket and led them through the modest crowd.
When they found the place they were looking for, they sat across the street to consider what they saw.
The bizarre building had three wings, but the various levels seemed to only occasionally match up. Several shades of dark gray were used to differentiate the sections, and even the small windows were grayed out, so no one could see inside. The only ornamentation was the bright yellow-orange paint around the interior of the window frames. The sign over the door was done in the same color. It consisted of two words—if they could be called words.
“It could be anything!” Ciro said. “A bar. A brothel. An office building.”
“It’s too big to be a bar,” Tennama observed.
“Xiiltaf Gid,” Vas said. “That’s no language I’ve heard.”
“Could it be someone’s name?”
The captain motioned to the building. “It’s something’s name. Are you sure this is the place, Ciro?”
“As sure as I can be until I break in and start checking the computer signatures. We know the address came from this area, but it’s harder to guess how many computers might be in a building.”
They all stared at the blank walls.
“I’d feel better about you going in if I knew what was inside,” Vas admitted. “If this is somewhere Bobbin has been doing hacking work, it probably isn’t a legitimate business.”
“It looks like it could be a public building,” Tennama said. He sounded far from certain.
“What about him?” The captain pointed to the entrance.
A large man stood in front of the door. He opened it as a uniformed crew carrying some boxes approached, then he resumed his role as a human barrier.
“That’s what made me think so,” Tennama said. “He looks like a bouncer.”
They considered him for a few more seconds.
“He could be security,” Adan said.
“With tattoos?”
“This is Daidas.”
“Oh my god, people!” Ciro cried. “Why don’t we go ask him?”
Vas nodded once. “Right. We’ll stay out of sight. You go ask him.”
“What? Why am I going alone?”
“In case you’re not supposed to be asking. Then they’ll only know your face.”
“Why me?”
“You’re the smallest and least intimidating person in the group.”
Tennama chimed in: “He is less likely to feel threatened by you.”
Vas finished by saying, “And people are more likely to help someone they see as pathetic.”
Ciro stood up. “You know, you two are awfully cocky for people who wouldn’t even know the right planet without me holding your hand.”
“Don’t get me wrong, Ciro. We acknowledge you’re a genius when it comes to computers.” Vas nodded to the man at the door. “But I don’t think that’ll matter to him.”
“Yeah, he looks a bit like you, doesn’t he? A total meathead.”
Adan handed his brother a com. Ciro clipped it inside his pocket so it couldn’t be seen, then started across the street.
Vas and Tennama moved to the side so they wouldn’t be in the direct line of sight. They sat down on a cement bench at the edge of the nearby bistro.
As they watched the exchange, both men grew more and more uneasy.
“I don’t think it’s going well, Adan,” Tennama said.
“Don’t push it, Ciro,” his brother muttered. “You don’t know him.”
“He’s breaking away.”
Vas let out his breath.
“Where’s he going?” Tennama asked.
The captain leaned back against the wall. “He’s going the long way around. He knows not to come directly back to us.”
It took a few minutes for Ciro to return. His wry face told them they hadn’t misjudged the situation.
“I wasn’t pathetic enough.”
“What happened?” Adan asked.
“You want the polite version? He told me it wasn’t his job to answer questions and to push off.”
“Definitely a bouncer,” Tennama said.
“And a meathead,” Vas said.
Ciro kicked at a loose bottle cap on the ground. “Not even a friendly one.”
“So what do we do now?” Tennama asked.
Ciro crouched near the bench they were sitting on. “Well, I did happen to notice there were some windows open on the side.”
Vas pointed at his brother. “There you go, being all smart again.”
“It’s hard to stop myself.”
“Can we get around to them without Meathead spotting us?”
Ciro motioned for them to follow him.
The alleyway at the side of the building was empty, and the windows were open, but they were smaller than Vas had been expecting.
“Ciro, we can’t fit through that!” Adan said.
Tennama eyed the opening. “But he might.”
Silence.
Ciro groaned. “I’m going in alone again, aren’t I?”
“You don’t have to,” Adan said.
Tennama was struck by how earnest the captain sounded.
Now resigned to the idea, Ciro said, “It’s all right. One of us has to get in there. And this way I won’t have to try to talk you through finding the addresses of a dozen machines.”
“At least take my pistol.”
“If I take your pistol, I might not be able to fit.” Ciro put a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Relax, Mom. I’ll be fine. I’m all grown up now.”
“You’re a smart-ass, and when the kids at school bully you, you’ll only have yourself to blame.”
Ciro grinned. “Give me your back.”
Vas offered him a boost on his hands instead. Tennama kept watch while Ciro slithered into the window. He struggled with his shoulders, but then he was through.
“Will he be able to get down?” the xeno asked.
Adan shrugged. “There’s always falling.”
There was no crash. Ciro must have found a less painful alternative.
They waited for a minute, then Vas pulled out his com. Tennama watched him bounce it in his hand several times as he debated using it. The captain finally settled on pressing the button. Inside, Ciro’s com would beep and light up.
“What?” Ciro’s hushed voice came out of the speaker.
“Well?”
“I’m not caught yet. There’s nobody around, actually.”
“What’s in the room?”
“It looks like some kind of a pantry. Look, bro, I’ll leave my com on if there’s no one around, but if I shut it down, you can’t page me again, okay?”
“Got it.”
“I’m at the door to the kitchen. It’s dark. The door’s unlocked.”
They waited in silence for a few seconds. When the com light stayed on, Vas said, “How big is the kitchen?”
“Medium big? Like a diner or a bar. Oh—oh. More like a bar. They have a huge selection of alcohol in here.”
Tennama said, “For mixing or for straight drinks?”
“Does it matter?”
“It’s one of the finer points of debauchery, Ciro. It’ll help us figure out what goes on in the building.”
“Uhhhh…both.”
“And that’s all in the kitchen?”
“Well, no. I’m in the lobby now. The booze is behind the bar attached to the kitchen.”
Tennama and Vas glanced at each other.
“And there’s still no one around?” Vas asked.
His com’s light blinked off.
Adan swore and stood up, but before he could decide what to do, Tennama took him by the arm and eased him further back into the alley.
“It’s all right,” Anthony said. “Give him a minute.”
Vas shot the xeno a dark look, then he fixed his attention on the com. They both waited.
There was a soft beep.
“Sorry, Adan. I’m out in the halls now. I have a few people passing me.”
“Are you hiding?”
“Why would I do that? I belong here.”
“And they bought that?”
“They haven’t stopped me yet.” There was a short pause. “Ah, this should do it.”
“Ciro?”
“I’m heading deeper into the building—trying to figure out what goes on here. If that fails, I need to find a computer.”
His voice broke off. The two men outside waited with growing impatience.
When Ciro spoke again, his voice was awed. “I’ve found a computer, Adan.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Adan didn’t find that answer assuring. Something was wrong; Ciro sounded as if he was in a trance. “What are you seeing? What’s it like in there?”
“Heaven.”
Tennama and Vas shared a confused glance.
“Adan,” Ciro went on, still breathless, “there are so many machines!”
The short silence was broken by Anthony muttering, “At least we know it’s not a brothel.”
“Don’t be too sure,” Vas said. “There are some pretty kinky people out there.”
“This is the lab of my dreams!” Ciro said.
“You mean they’re computers?”
“Yes! Three cold servers, at least a hundred different built-in consoles—my god! What I could do with all this!”
“Could you find one that’s on and get the damn address?”
“Adan, they have a robotics lab.”
That was unusual. Ciro felt right at home, so he didn’t notice, but Vas and Tennama were both far enough outside the culture they could see the discrepancy. Robots weren’t uncommon, but trying to build one yourself was a hobby reserved for the truly dedicated—or insane, depending on how you’d describe it.
“How big is the robotics lab?” Vas asked.
“There are at least ten building stations. The equipment is all first rate.”
“Is it a manufacturing shop?”
“That serves alcohol?” Tennama said.
“No,” Ciro said. “All of these bots are original work. And this one won’t operate unless the idiot building it”—he made a tiny inarticulate noise—“learns how to wire his processors into his power source—”
“Stop fixing other people’s bots!”
“All right! Sorry.”
Tennama laughed silently.
Vas asked, “Ciro, what kind of a place would have a massive computer lab, a robotics lab, a full bar, and serve food?”
“The best place. Do you think they’d let me live here? Hello. What’s this?”
They waited. The glowing dot showed the com was open, but Ciro didn’t say anything. Instead, there was a rhythmic change between two low tones. It took Tennama and Vas a few seconds to realize the straining microphone was picking up Ciro’s breathing.
“Ciro?”
“Adan, I don’t know how to describe this.”
“Try really hard for me.”
“It’s a boxing ring.”
“Try harder.”
“No, I think you’ve got the basic idea. I’m sitting in an auditorium chair, looking down at a boxing ring. It even has ropes, but…I think they’re for show. There’s some kind of clear glass that’s between the chairs and the stage. It’s scratched. Pretty bad in some places.”
Vas looked ferocious while he was concentrating, but as Tennama watched, the lines on the captain’s face relaxed. He sighed.
Adan raised the com to his mouth. “Ciro, get back to the computer lab. Start trying to hunt down the address.”
“You do remember there were a hundred machines, right?”
“Will you be able to tell if that hacking job came from a computer in that building?”
His brother unknowingly let out a matching sigh. “Yeah. I should have a much better idea.”
“Try to stay out of sight.”
“I’m going to shut down the com now. If you need me, page me. I’ll answer if it’s clear.”
“Got it.”
Vas put the com in his pocket. His thoughtful expression had returned. Eventually, he felt Tennama’s gaze and glanced up. “It doesn’t make much sense, does it?”
“It does seem rather random,” Anthony agreed.
“I know it shouldn’t matter, but I’d give a lot to know what goes on in there.”
Tennama stared at the square of daylight they could see at the end of the alley. “Maybe you won’t have to give anything. How good are you at arguing?”
Despite his confusion, Vas answered: “I can hold my own.”
“Can you be a contrary dick?”
The captain’s voice rose. “Why don’t you tell me?”
Tennama smiled. “That’s perfect. Come on. Let’s go ask Meathead what this place is.”
They started walking toward the street.
“Meathead isn’t the helpful kind,” Vas reminded Tennama.
“You’re right. He sounded more like the combative kind.” As they walked, Anthony looked at the captain. “Does Miss Reyer ever get you to read, Adan?”
The captain subconsciously bristled, but then he remembered he’d told Tennama to call him by his first name.
“Sometimes,” he said. “Sometimes she reads to me.”
“Have you ever read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle?”
“No.” Vas realized his vexation wasn’t solely due to the xeno’s familiarity.
“He’s a true classic. I think you’d enjoy him.”
“And Alix has read him?”
Vas knew he shouldn’t push it. Nothing good could come of it—
Tennama laughed out loud. “Oh, yes. She alludes to his work every now and then.”
—and that was why. Vas felt his temper start to simmer, and he worked to keep it in check.
He’d long ago accepted that he didn’t share Reyer’s love of literature. He had also accepted her assurance that it didn’t make him any less intelligent or worthy of her, but it rankled him to think that Tennama could connect with her in a way he couldn’t.
“Sherlock Holmes!” Tennama said. “You should start with the Blue Carbuncle, but for now, feel free to be as rude to me as you like, Adan.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem, Anthony.”
Tennama led him to the front of the building, where Meathead was still guarding the door.
The xeno stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and pointed to the structure. He said to Vas in a loud voice, “You think that’s it? That doesn’t even look right! You got us lost, you moron!”
Vas was surprised by the unexpected attack, but fighting back with barely a thought was something he was good at. “I got us lost?! No. You can blame the directions!”
“I would if I trusted you to follow them!”
Meathead left his post and walked toward them. “What are you two idiots arguing about?”
Tennama gazed around the street. When he inevitably saw other people, he moved closer so he wouldn’t have to shout his answer. Vas was right behind him.
“Look, sir,” Tennama said, “my friend, over here, got some directions to a local…hot-spot.”
“What kind of hot-spot?” Meathead asked.
The xeno tried to appear abashed. “Well—”
“A strip club,” Vas said. “That’s what this is, right?”
“Does this place look like a strip club to you?” Meathead asked.
“That’s what I said.” Tennama smirked at Vas.
The captain motioned to the building behind them. “Dark paint. Dark windows. Weird name over the door and no other description.” He leaned toward the bouncer. “It’s a strip club!”
Meathead raised his voice. “It’s a digital-fix club! I work here. I would know.”
Tennama’s forehead creased with confusion. “What’s a digital fix club?”
But Adan was the older brother of Ciro Vas. He thought he could guess. “It’s too big for that! This is Daidas—there can’t be that many nerds.”
“What do you know about Daidas?” Meathead sneered as he looked Vas up and down. “You’re some punk tourist too stupid to find his way to Tandy Corner. Most of that building is the arena.”
“What arena?”
“For the robot fights, jackass!”
Vas fell silent.
Tennama rubbed his jaw, then peered at the bouncer out of the corner of his eye. “Robot fights? Are those open to the public?”