Pretty Place, Ugly People

A sudden nudge startled Nameless from his sleep, making him jerk his body upright. His head smashed into the bunk overhead with a sickening metallic thump. He winced in pain, rubbing his forehead as the mix of morning grogginess and pain made him deaf and dumb.

“Sorry!” a girl's voice said shyly, piercing his mental fog.

Nameless rubbed the sand from his eyes, peering into Sammy's face, who seemed concerned.

“It's okay,” Nameless mumbled, pulling his legs out from under the scratchy ship sheets; his feet contacting the cold metal floor.

Sammy handed him a steaming cup of coffee, Nameless took it with a nod of gratitude. He sipped the coffee and nearly retched, the expired nonorganic beans making the drink more like mud than coffee. Despite the awful taste, Nameless managed a smile and held the cup with both hands.

“What is it?” he asked impatiently, internally upset at how poorly his morning had started.

“We're here; Spider and Julia figured it'd be best to wake you before entering Oasis,” Sammy said quietly.

“Okay, I'll be up there in a bit.”

Nameless stood up as Sammy retreated from the crew quarters. His skinny and scarred torso was bare, and his hair stood up on end in the morning chill. Nameless pulled on his stained and bloody shirt. He draped the blanket Hera had given him the night before over his shoulders, then reached down and put his gun belt on. He checked the straps for the pistol holster, checked the pistols chambered round, and checked his thermal knife now positioned behind the pistol holster. All was secure, so he pulled the blanket down over his body and made his way up the ladder.

The group was all staring out the window on the bridge as Spider went about furiously pulling levers and pushing buttons. Outside was beautiful and buzzing with life. A fleet of fishing vessels came in and out of a massive causeway in the chasm wall. Great blast doors were swung wide, facing them out the gorges walls, each entry at least a ship length wide, and several stories tall.

In the open mouth of the blast doors, the vessels came in and out of the great gate. Above the doors were guard posts and bunkers carved into the walls of the chasm, proving a shield from any kind of attack.

“Welcome to Oasis, guys.” Spider said through the intercom.

Relief filled Nameless as he took in the view.

“Spider has some spare clothes downstairs. Everybody changes and leaves the big guns on the ship. Only sidearms,” Julia instructed.

“Aw, c'mon!” Aj protested.

“Fine, keep your huge rifle on you. I’m sure no one will notice a tall ass sniper blackout drunk,” Hera snipped.

Sammy giggled while Nameless suppressed a smile.

“You do stick out, buddy. I doubt we're gonna find many people taller than you,” Nameless chuckled.

“You guys suck,” Aj whined.

“It's just for a little while,” Sammy said. “Then you can have your big gun back.”

As the ship neared the dock, it was clear that Oasis was a fortress with plenty of their own snipers and security. Large groups of enforcers prowled the streets, it was obvious that unless you where rich, this place was a wretched life to have.

“Fine,” Aj grumbled.

“And no getting blackout drunk! Or whores,” Julia instructed.

Aj threw his hands up in exasperation, shaking his head and grumbling as he begrudgingly made his way out of the hatch with Sammy and Carla on his tail. Only Hera, Julia, and Nameless remained as Spider delinked and scuttled between them down the ladder.

Hera crossed her arms. “I think he should stay on the ship,” she said quietly.

“He knows every brothel mistress and bartender in a hundred-kilometer radius. If there's anyone who can find rumors or a buyer from the ground, it's him,” Julia sighed.

“You think Sammy can keep him in check?” Nameless asked.

Julia shrugged.

“I can go with them,” Hera said hesitantly. “Besides, the bars are near the markets and square; Carla and I can take turns babysitting the big lunk.”

“You've been here before?” Nameless asked, surprised.

Hera grimaced.

“Where do you think I got these tattoos from?” she quipped, the morning sun glistening over her beautiful fishing clan tattoos deeply set into her bare scalp. Nameless recalled how Mama Jockus tended to rent people out to other companies and clans.

“I'm sorry,” he said shyly.

“It's in the past. Just keep your head down, I’m sure they’ll be looking for us,” Hera said.

“Agreed. I'm heading to the chapel. Where you heading Nameless?” Julia asked.

He paused, remembering the names on the list.

“I won't be able to find them; they're going to find me. That's why it's best I go alone. Here—” Nameless reached into his pocket, pulling out the vial. He presented it to Julia.

“If anything happens, stomp this and get everybody out. Some of Jockus's caches are unclaimed; you guys can survive off them until you get steady pay again,” Nameless ordered.

“Nameless —” Julia said softly.

“If this goes south, I'll just be a corpse in some shallow grave; I'm not letting you guys suffer for my actions anymore,” Nameless said stubbornly.

“It is the best move; he's the one everyone knows,” Hera said coldly.

Julia hesitated, then reached outward and grabbed the vial, making eye contact with Nameless.

“I'm giving this back to you,” she said solemnly. “We're leaving together. One way or another.”

“Just keep everyone safe. Okay?” Nameless replied, meeting Julia's sad grey eyes with his own.

“Okay, seriously, you guys lovers or siblings? Getting kinda hard to tell here,” Hera laughed.

Julia ripped the vial from Nameless 's hand and gave a vehement look to Hera before descending the ladder rapidly.

“What?” Hera asked with a surprised look.

“Siblings. Definitely siblings,” Nameless sighed, following Julia.

“Shit. I don't judge, but you coulda fooled me,” Hera chuckled, following Nameless out the hatch.

Nameless bit back his response, instead choosing to cultivate this new mood for Hera rather than fight. Out on the ships deck, Spider was handing out cloaks and shawls to each person.

Nameless took a long brown traveler’s cloak, draping it over his body, ensuring his pistol and knife were sufficiently concealed. Captain Spider was scuttling the deck, doing last minute checks. His beady eyes carefully studying the deck.

“We’ll get you an even better ship off-world, buddy,” Nameless said.

The little boy smiled, pulling a cloak over himself, taking a last look at his ship.

Captain Spider smiled.

“C-c-can I-I ch-choose w-w-w-which one I-I’m paired with?” the little boy asked nervously.

“Of course you can!” Julia said.

“We’ll find you the biggest, bestest ship there is on whatever farming colony we end up on,” Nameless grinned.

Captain Spider smiled, clasping his metal hands together.

“You're courageous; we won't let you down. You're easily the most mature little boy I've ever met,” Carla said empathetically.

“Gee, almost like he's some mechanically altered abomination or something,” Hera said with a roll of her eyes.

“Fuck off, Hera!” Sammy yelled, shocking everyone. “Will you stop being so mean to Spider?”

“I-i-it's okay!” Spider responded, startled.

“No, it's not!” Sammy said, her voice quivering. “You're human! All right? You're not something to be used over and over again. None of us are!”

“Look at him and tell me that's human!” Hera screeched.

“What do you have against him?” Julia roared.

“I don't trust fucking cyborg-scum!” Hera screeched.

Silence fell as Hera's words hung in the air.

“You better start trusting him,” Nameless said in a cold steel tone. “Or you can fuck right off. We owe you nothing.”

Hera looked at Sammy and Carla, exasperated. Carla remained quiet while Sammy stared at her defiantly.

“We'd be dead without him, Hera,” Julia said.

“What makes him better than me?” Hera spat. “Why does everyone gang up on me? For that-that thing?”

“Because he's one of us now. His life has just as much worth as yours; each person here is equal.” Nameless said.

“If that's not the case for you, maybe you aren't so different from the cruel masters, Hera” Carla said slowly.

Hera shot a look at Carla.

“You can't say that,” Hera said softly.

“Why not? All you've done is hate this poor little boy. What did he ever do to you? Huh?”

Hera looked at the ground. “I don't trust his kind.”

“Well, you better start. Cuz he's staying, even when we get off-world,” Julia said.

The ship jolted as its rubber bumpers impacted the dock.

“Everyone else good?” Julia asked

The group gathered near the deck’s exit, looking over the deck well unto the docks of Oasis. The cavern ceiling could be seen high above, illuminated with large floating orbs of bright light, each one several different shades of blue. This gave the harbor a magnificent, glowing shine of soft blue, making it seem like a magical daytime.

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The harbor was surrounded by a small city, with large concrete apartments and mansions covered in beautiful murals and art. People walked between the massive buildings on paved streets, some on foot bearing brightly colored clothes, while others rode around in all different kinds of contraptions, some on metal legs, others on wheels, some just simply floating and buzzing their passengers around. None of them besides Spider had ever seen a more beautiful sight.

Almost as if sensing their innocent wonder, Spider broke their awestruck silence.

“D-don't let t-the pretty s-s-s-sights f-fool you. P-people are m-m-mean and ugly here, t-too,” the little Spider Captain warned with profound earnest.

“We'll be careful,” Julia consoled.

Sammy leaned over the deck well with her eyes full of wonder, then let out a loud shriek.

“Careful!” Carla warned, reaching out as if to catch her, fearing Sammy was about to fall.

“Look!” Sammy giggled with amazed glee, pointing at the water.

The group peered over the ship, only to find the most transparent, purest water they had ever seen in their lives. And there were things, long, colorful, alive, things dancing in the water.

Real fish where swimming beneath them in the crystal-clear water. Wonder filled Nameless; he had never seen such clean water in his entire life. No wonder Oasis was so famous, it was its own self-sustaining ecosystem, military, and economy.

The group drew their hoods over their heads as Spider opened the exit hatch, the ship began to extend a metal gang plank high in the air, so it could land on the pier.

As the group was preparing to leave the Megnolia, a small group of people approached the ship. It was led by a much older and developed Spider. His face was covered in bold makeup and facial lining, a poufy and decorative hat sitting squarely on his bald head. A gold necklace bearing a great fish sigil hung from his porky neck, along with a gold belt holding an elegant sword. In his right hand was a beautiful metal staff, with many laser carvings no doubt depicting names and dates all over it.

A more petite, mechanically enhanced slave, nearly Captain Spider's size, stood beside him, armed only with a stack of papers and pen. His clothes were much less ornate but still very official-looking. A heavily armored guard covered in beautifully painted deep blue armor stood ready on each side of the tall Spider, armed with long swords, bearing the ruling clan's crests of the great fish.

“The exalted Harbor's High Quarter Master, Bartholomew, faithful servant to clan Ayn, requests permission to board the Magnolia, flagship of Clan Mosscrow's fleet,” the scribe squeaked in a small metallic voice. Up close, it was obvious that these spiders were not like the good Captain. Their metal arms were handsomely crafted and decorated with jewelry and precious metals. The joints in their robotic limbs bent and twisted with oiled ease; their faces were not scared or contorted but instead bore very formal expressions. They seemed well fed, their human bodies wearing boldly colored robes.

“Granted,” Spider boomed from the ship's intercoms, making the scribe jump. Nameless could detect a tiny glint of satisfaction in Captain Spider's eyes as the scribe scuttled backward, nearly tripping over himself.

The gangplank extended from the Magnolia, slamming unto the wharf with a loud crash, making distant sailors and fishermen peer over.

The High Quarter Master flared his nostrils, strutting aboard.

“Always one for semantics, eh, Captain?” Bartholomew said in a stuffy and proud voice, looking down unto Spider.

Spider merely shrugged, giving his formal naval salute.

“And who are these fine…fellows…that you have brought to my docks, boy?” Bartholomew said with disdain.

“T-t-these are m-mercenaries, o-outsiders under m-m-my care, s-s-s-sir,” Spider said.

“When will you ever get rid of that ghastly stutter of yours. It pains the ear, ya know? It is unbefitting of one beholding station such as yourself,” the High Quarter Master said curtly.

Nameless began to feel great unease, along with a pang of anger. They hadn't even stepped foot unto these brightly colored docks, and already Spider's warning was coming true.

“M-my s-s-sailing speaks f-f-f-for me,” Spider spat.

“Indeed,” Bartholomew said with a raised painted eyebrow. “The arrival of unannounced outsiders is a breach of contract; it shall be deducted from your quarterly wages, Captain. They are under your charge, so you are legally responsible for their room and board, which shall also be deducted.”

“U-understood,” Spider sighed.

“Their paperwork, if you please,” the scribe asked, holding out his left hand.

The group was silent.

“P-paperwork?” Spider asked, surprised.

“Yes, of course, paperwork. They are under your charge, are they not? Do not tell me you have brought such a sordid bunch on board a proud Oasis vessel undocumented,” the Quarter Master scoffed.

They needed an excuse, quick. Before Spider could answer, Nameless made his move. “Our boss has the paperwork. Take it up with Florence,” Nameless growled.

“Madam Florence already provided all required documentation for her party earlier today when they arrived. I was not informed by her ladyship that there would be stragglers,” the Quarter Master said curtly.

Nameless was stunned, quiet shock ringing the group like an explosion. He was bluffing; he had to be! How the hell had they gotten here so quickly, there's no way they had overtaken the group without getting in a fight or being spotted.

“Take it up with her then,” Nameless said with a low tone.

“I shall,” Bartholomew said. “Master Spider, I pronounce the Magnolia impounded upon suspicion of smuggling undocumented persons into our great Oasis. When I resolve this matter, you may expect a swift appointment by the end of the day. Should you attempt to leave the city, it shall be an automatic admittance of guilt, and you shall be brought to justice swiftly.”

“Are you arresting us?” Nameless asked, getting close to Bartholomew. Everyone stood tensely, hands itching the hilts or handles of their weapons. As the guards stiffened their grips on their swords, the group holding their hilts, Spider's hands slowly morphed into metallic spades.

Nameless stared the Harbor Master dead in the eyes. Though this Harbor Master was much bigger than him, Nameless could see the fear in the large Spider’s eyes.

“Good day to you all.” Bartholomew turned and strode away in a greedy hurry, his party entail, no doubt off to find Florence as quickly as possible. The group was left alone on the ship.

“S-s-s-s-s-shit,” Spider snarled.

“Okay, okay, okay, nobody panic,” Carla said, her voice quivering.

“I'm going to gut that wretch,” Julia growled.

“Find your people, no fucking around. Go now!” Nameless ordered. “Meet back here in a few hours.

“N-no!” Spider said, “T-they'll be w-watching the s-s-s-ship. M-meet at the chapel, it's n-neutral ground, g-give us s-s-s-some time.”

Nameless nodded, already halfway down the gangplank.

“No getting too drunk! We have a job to do!” Julia called.

“We got this,” Sammy mouthed back to her, hurriedly shadowing Aj as he marched down the dock.

“We're all gonna die,” Hera chuckled. “See you guys at the chapel.”

The group scattered, each going to their respective destination.

Nameless was left alone, striding through the crowds beyond the docks. As he drifted through the streets, his concealed figure seemingly blending in, his mind wandered. How the hell had Florence gotten here before them? Maybe they had been chased through the tunnels, and the battle at the cargo bay had thrown Florence off the trial.

Nameless was used to tight situations, but this new set of circumstances put him way out of his league. The stakes were much higher; he never had the lives of his friends directly in his hands before.

Beyond the docks, the city's roads pulsed crowds like the beating blood of a giant animal. Never before had Nameless been around so many people; there had to be hundreds, maybe thousands. All around him, people went about their day, walking to work, eating food, buying things. The air around him full of aromas and sounds he had never heard before.

Nameless 's stomach was wrenched with hunger as a thousand different food smells overwhelmed his senses. As he scanned about, he noticed bars, shops, restaurants, and many places for people to spend their coin.

As he continued trekking into the city, he came upon the main highway, a double road that spanned the course of the town from the docks, heading straight toward the very back of the city, where a grand walled mansion sat on a man-made hill, overlooking everything.

Here on this road, the traffic became more heavy vehicles and trucks, carrying all kinds of cargo. He recognized some of the names and companies on the trucks. Merchants and other nomadic camps from the Martian Wastes, no doubt here to sell their goods, wares, and possible loot.

A movement in the air caught his eye as he saw over on the far sides left and right of the cavern, great doors had been carved into the rock face, allowing aircraft to slowly hover past the heavily guarded outposts. So, this was how Florence had caught up to them. Made sense. Why attack them on the water with the advantage of a gunboat when you could hunt down your prey in a cavern city.

Nameless felt stupid; of course, the river wasn't the only way to Oasis; why had he thought he could outrun half of Mar's criminals in a boat? Well, if he was to die like a fish in a barrel, he would at least have a nice meal first.

He made his way alongside the highway, looking for a more discrete place to grab a bite. Every shop was noisy and jam-packed with people, adorned with bright lights and signs, plenty of advertisers screaming the special of the day. How different life was here for these people.

Finally, after walking a bit of a distance, he saw a more hidden bar. A small and humble shop tucked away in between two massive restaurants.

He made his way down the sidewalk, careful not to tread on the beggars and poor slumped unconscious on the corners. The people didn't seem to mind or even notice them, occasionally kicking a beggar if they got too close to them.

Nameless made his way to the storefront. Seeing the crude neon sign adorning the front, he smiled. The Guilty Pleasure, it read in buzzing and mostly broken neon letters. It was a small, run-down bar full of smoke and nasty body odor. It was amazing Aj hadn't staked his claim here.

Nameless strode inside and sat at the bar, everyone seeming to ignore him.

The Bartender came up to him, a beautiful middle-aged woman, covered in tattoos and sky-blue hair, her face adorned with silver piercings, her purple-stained eyes drinking in the new arrival.

“Not every day we get somebody new,” She smiled. “What'll it be, sweetheart?”

“Ya got a menu?” Nameless asked quietly.

Several of the patrons roared with laughter while the Bartender chuckled.

“A menu, he says!” she said laughing. “We got beer, burgers, fish, noodles. You want a menu; go next door.”

What was a burger? Was this some big-city luxury?

“One burger, please,” Nameless said confidently.

The Bartender stared at him. “How would you like that burger?”

“One, please.”

“Yes, I got that. How would you like it cooked?”

“Cooked well,” Nameless smiled innocently; how else would you cook food?

The Bartender smiled and leaned closer. “Listen, wasteland fuck, I'm glad I get to serve you your first burger, but at least try and act like you've been here before. Every pickpocket and scammer a mile off can smell your greenness.” She leaned back. “One well-done burger with a side of fries and a beer coming right up.”

She walked off while Nameless sat blushing, deeply insulted. Wasteland fuck? He was baffled; these people were weird with their big signs, fancy food, and clean water. He was starting to hate this place.

Nameless sat there, fingers interwoven as he reviewed what had just happened. Greenness? He was a lot of things, but green wasn't one of them. As he internally grumbled and stewed, the Bartender returned with a steaming plate of food.

“That was fast!” he said, his mouth watering.

“Mhm. Best microwave on the block. That'd be fifty-eight credits, hun.”

Nameless fumbled in his satchel, removing his coin purse.

“Don't take change,” she said curtly.

Nameless looked at her, startled. “It's money!” he protested.

“Yeah, out there. Metal currency is worthless here.” She picked the plate back up, making Nameless near jerk across the bar counter.

“I got it,” a female voice said.

In his internal grumblings, Nameless had lost all situational awareness, as he just now realized a young woman was sitting next to him. She wore similar outfit to him, with even more bulges underneath her cloak, but her face was shown.

She had dark curly hair, even brown skin, and a right green eye, her left one milky white with a large scar cut deeply into her face.

The Bartender accepted her credits and walked away quietly.

Nameless was silent, not looking at her.

“Don't tell me you lost your edge? Relax, eat up. Not gonna do anything here,” she said quietly.

Nameless hesitated, then picked up the burger. The woman watched amused as he bit into it, he felt his face lighting up like a small child's as the taste overwhelmed him. He had never had anything so delicious in his life.

“I remember my first burger,” she laughed.

“The hell are you doing here?” He finally said through a mouth full of food.

“Now, is that any way of greeting an old friend?”

He gave her a look and she sighed.

“Cuz of you, stupid. The hell are you thinking, showing up here.”

“You know why.”

“I think I do, and I really hope I'm wrong. Every bounty hunter on Mars is after you; why the hell did you come here?” She asked earnestly.

“No other choice.”

The girl sighed, rolling her eyes.

As Nameless ate, he scanned the bar through his peripherals. He counted at least two other individuals in the bar dressed similarly.

“You give us a bad name.”

Nameless choked down his food and looked at her. “Us? Care to elaborate.”

“Yeah, us. Bounty Hunting used to be a noble profession before you murdered your boss and sided with that bitch Florence.”

Nameless needed to be cautious; was she trying to trick him?

“I didn't murder Jockus. Or Peirceson. It was a setup.”

“According to them, it was all you guys. You have any idea how much money your heads are going for?”

Nameless shrugged. “A couple thousand credits, I'm guessing.”

“Try millions, Nameless.”

He made a smug face, rather proud, and started his beer. “So, what are you waiting for?”

“Not waiting for anything. No point in a gunfight; it's not like you have it on you.”

Nameless gave her a sideways glance.

“Gods, I hope it's not on you. If it was, then you really have gotten stupid.”

“What do you want, Anna?” Nameless said, then finishing his beer and burping.

“He wants to talk. Wants to hear your side,” Anna said.

“He can go fuck off.”

“He is the only reason Florence doesn't know you guys are here yet,” Anna threatened.

“We can manage.”

“Oh, I have no doubt you guys will cause mayhem and destruction and go out like damn martyrs, but you will go down, and none of us want that.”

Nameless leaned back and spat on the floor.

The similar individuals bolted upwards, but Anna raised her hand, and they sat back down.

“Where was this energy back in the Mines? Or that trade company hostage incident? How many times you guys left Aj and me out to dry while you scabs got the bounties?” Nameless seethed.

Anna grimaced. “Not a day goes by I don't regret what happened. But your camp breached the contract; you and your little friends are the scabs, operating outside guild parameters.”

Nameless scoffed. “Parameters. We exchange blood for money. It's always been that way; at least I'm not some pretentious prick about it.”

“We live by a code, Nameless; our word is our bond, our results are honor-bound. Had Jockus not been such a bitter and greedy sow, we never would have left you out there.”

Nameless was silent for a moment, then said, “I thought the Guild wanted nothing to do with us.”

“Times are different now. Florence has an army, and the Guild doesn't like one of our own being declared a ‘made man’ by some city dwellers.”

“I was never one of you. I was rented out to your precious little Guild.”

“We remember things differently,” Anna sighed with a slightly hurt tone.

“Look,” she said. “we don't want the cargo; we want your story. This isn't adding up. It'd be different if you and Jockus were on the run together, but the fact that she and Florence are both hunting you? The shit stinks too much.”

Nameless 's vision turned red. “What?”

Anna leaned forward. “Who do you think put the bounty on your heads?”

Nameless searched her eyes; it had been so long. Was she even trustworthy? “So, she's alive.”

Anna nodded.

“Where is she?”

“We don't know. But there are rumors, and there's so much more to this whole mess than just you and Florence. Please. Come to the Guildhall with me; call it a professional courtesy. Please?”

“Just my story?” he asked suspiciously.

“Just your story,” Anna confirmed.

“Take me to your precious Guild Master then,” Nameless retorted.