"But we don't have time to stop there, June. You know we need to get to West Venus in two days. We can go there on the way back."
I tried to smile but I knew that she knew that I didn't mean it.
"It's my money that keeps this going, so I say where we will go and when we will go." June stomped her foot. The rabbit sleeping in the corner raised both ears and fell back asleep. June stomping was not an uncommon occurrence. She used her Telekinesis to float around so much, she needed to give those angry boots a workout.
"Gedrick, surely we can spare a half a day" a familiar voice said to me.
Jasmine had entered wearing a gold dress with olive trim. She was carrying one of her pets. And was here to defend June from me, as usual.
"June only wants to make a quick stop I am sure, right hun? It is said that a respite can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary."
"Yes, half a day would be lovely, thank you Jasmine."
I was still wondering what a "respite" was when June reached over and took Buffy, the pet savno from Jasmine's arms.
The savno was a pet that we had not encountered on other planets. It was the size of a cat but had a hood over its head that was hard as wood. Savnos can fall on their heads and their hoods take all the impact. If a cat has nine lives, a savno might have nine hundred and this particular one maybe nine thousand!
Jasmine had come from a planet where the inhabitants had learned that at the end of each 100 day moon cycle, when the starless sky was black as tar, beasts would cross from the dark side of their planet for an entire day. This common occurrence was viewed as an inconvenience, not a real concern. However, one day, as she launched into space, she saw that a savno had been holding onto the side of her pod. It's hooded head keeping it alive. Still a child, she opened the hatch and pulled it inside, causing her ship to lose pressure, and orbit and collide with an asteroid belt above her planet. Knocked unconscious, she and her animal companions awoke on a planet somehow so distant from her home world that years later Jasmine has still never been able to locate her own planet."
"Fine, one half day, but you have to tell Cobalt yourself."
"Cobalt loves me", June replies.
"Cobalt loves anyone who isn't telling him what to do, or making us late, and right now you are about to do both of those!"
Our pilot Cobalt was a single minded individual. He basically wants to kill. He killed his whole family and would have killed many more due to a virus he had been infected with but he was captured and converted from a bomb, into a weapon. He still wants to kill, he probably wants to kill me and everyone else, but the person he wants to kill first is the person who gave him that virus and that is not June or me, or a savno so we are all safe for now. Fortunately, the only beating he's been dishing out this past month is on a set of drums we picked up two planets ago.
June floats off to talk to Cobalt and Jasmine sits down next to me.
"She's only a girl", she begins.
"She's older than you" I reply.
"Yes but my race matures quickly, you humans... never seem to mature. She needs you."
"She has a funny way of showing it", I sneer.
"You are the father she needed. Someone she could look up to. Couldn't you try and be a little nicer?"
"I'll try" I reply, and we both know I am lying.
"We both know you are lying", Jasmine states, "and liars never endure what truth behooves them as the fire makes the flame burn and burn."
Jasmine walks away.
I stare at the rabbit not knowing what just happened. The rabbit twitches at me.
"Don't feel bad bunny", I shrug, "I didn't get it either"
Chapter 2
After we arrive in Berlene Port, I call everyone to the back. Cobalt is currently not in pyscho mode. No cannon arm, blades in his hands, red eyes, murderous cries. None of that. He will save that until the day he sees a member of the Laernys Guard. The organization who has spread viruses across the galaxy killing billions. The guard are highly protected and difficult to kill, but Cobalt was built for killing, literally twice.
I met Cobalt where I met Jasmine. Both were living in a slum part of earth 2. The failed planet. I was there because I had lost a bet and had been forced to pay my way by working for man named Ivan. I thought Ivan was going to be some terrible person but it was just the opposite. Ivan was the cornerstone of all things good. He took care of the people in his slum community and working for him in everyway was a blessing.
"Cobalt, stay with June and make sure she is safe, and...well don't kill anyone. Jasmine, can you help me get some more Silvertyne, I notice the shield has been weaker and weaker on the ship."
"I can help arrange for a buyer", Jasmine begins, "but Silvertyne is expensive, even moreso in Berlene Port."
"Well I didn't want to go to Berlene Port but someone needed a new Wardrobe" I flick my hands through my short hair mimicking June.
"What do you care, I'm the one paying for everything anyway", June fires back," and you wish you had my hair"
"I told you that I will repay every penny, and I don't wish I had your hair", I know I am lying about both and I wonder if they do.
"You are lying", June says handing coins to Jasmine
"Definitely lying" echoes Cobalt as he follows June into the marketplace.
Jasmine starts to open her wisdom laden mouth but I raise my hand "not now Dr. Phil" I mutter, "let's just find that Silvertyne."
Jasmine works the streets for a while and tells me she has a lead on some Silvertyne and to meet her at the ship. Unlike June, I know Jasmine can handle herself, even with Silvertyne dealers. We need to keep our shields up because we travel at speeds that are very unsafe and our shields pay the price. Jasmine has the uncanny ability to work with metals. She can detect them in the ground as well by means of a Crystal in her arm. It is something she didn't discuss with me back on earth 2 and something I have never asked her about.
Back on the ship, Cobalt is sporting a new hat.
"If you had come I would have gotten you new clothes too" June teases.
"That's ok, I like wearing what I have on now"
I secretly hope they know that I'm lying, I really want new clothes.
"Well, that's too bad because I bought everyone else a new outfit too!"
I take the bag from her hand and see a black vest and a silver shirt. I'm very excited but I try to remain calm.
"Thanks."
Having been a musician for most of my life, I was used to living the good life. But while playing in resorts throughout the galaxy I found myself in trouble due to gambling. Soon, I was in so deep that the local law allowed the casino to sell my services. That is when Ivan purchased me. But Ivan used my music to bring happiness to the people in his slum village. The same way he used Cobalt to protect the villagers. Ivan taught me that there is more to life than nice looking suit and a fancy gig. However, a good black vest always made me happy and this one came with a silver shirt.
"Silvertyne is ready", Jasmine says.
"Are we ready to roll?" Cobalt asks?
"We are, and we have to get to West Venus by tomorrow and then.. where to next, June, legit or revenge?"
We wait as June flips through the book. When June's father told her she could do whatever she wanted, he expected her to use his money to become an actress or a singer. He just didn't know how hard it would be to find support. But June is the lead singer for our band. We put on expensive private parties all over the galaxy. Most of the shows are legit, but we have an agenda, all of us. And some of those parties just happen to be for certain people who have wronged us in the past.
Jasmine looks up "Next one is scheduled is revenge" she says, handing the book to June.
Let us begin! Let us set the stage! For once upon a time, they met on Tengaged...
Their names were HoneyPie and MisterGreat. The met in a game I think on October 8.
They talked and chatted in fastings and castings. Whether allies or foes their conversations were everlasting.
They discussed their love of candy, and how much they loved sleeping. They chatted so much, some felt they were creeping.
They both discussed how much they hated rain and hated snow. They didn't discuss technology or politics, it was stuff they didn't know.
One day, a mutual friend had a thought. After seeing the gifts for each other they had bought. Wouldn't it be great to meet in real life. If not, it was at least time for a Skype!
MisterGreat did not want to meet HoneyPie. If she didn't live up to his dreams he might die.
HoneyPie had the same thoughts for MisterGreat. She was scared of what might be their real life fate.
The Tengaged crowd booed and hissed. A meeting between them should not be missed.
The peer pressure mounted and it was time to meet. Everyone agreed to keep it short and sweet.
With great reluctance the online connection appeared. The moment of truth was finally here.
But HoneyPie was a guy, not a girl as one thought. Amazingly MisterGreat was a female, who would have thought?
It's common on Tengaged, to be different, no doubt. Perhaps this way true love could still work out. But sadly our story will not end as well as it would seem. MisterGreat was 42 and HoneyPie was 13.
SuzyGold wanted to take a moment to say, I hope you all have a Happy Valentines Day!
This week the challenge was to work with a starting paragraph supplied by AlmightyOz and complete the story
Junok looked at Francine longingly. The Earth girl was so beautiful, much better looking than the girls on Mars. The only problem was that he did not speak her language. If only there was a way to get around that.
Junok turned his attention back to the front, where the green Gexhelian explained the situation, but Junok didn't care. Once he had met Francine, with her long dark hair, he knew he would do anything to get her attention. Suddenly everyone turned and began to descend into the deep tunnel. He tried to stay close to Francine but couldn't. Hyuk trotted beside him, a wry smile on her face.
"Just admit you like the earth girl", she began "Admit it to me and we can talk about what we need to do next." Junok would not give Hyuk the satisfaction. Junok was a proud Martian and although his face might reveal his thoughts, his words would not betray him.
"I am here to win, to win for Mars. I have no interest in competitors from other planets. They will be defeated and Mars will be victorious." Hyuk smiled, satisfied with her teammates' response.
Junok hurried along and his hulking blue frame bumped into the small orange female from Mercury, receiving a glare from her male counterpart. He needed to focus. Between Hyuk and Francine, Junok's thoughts were not on the game, where they should be.
The green Gexhelian host began giving final instructions in the languages from all the planets. Junok listened to the language of earth and realized how difficult that language must be to master. Females from earth must not only be beautiful, but must also be very intelligent. He would have to be most alert if he was going to outlast the other competitors, in the first ever interplanetary reality show.
The See No Evil monkey was tired of not being able to see. So he asked the other monkeys if anyone wanted to switch with him. The Speak No Evil Monkey shook his head up and down frantically in agreement, for he was dying to finally be heard. However, The See No Evil Monkey did not see this. The unlucky Hear No Evil Monkey was facing the wrong way. He had practiced lip reading but didn't know to turn his head. Despondent, the See No Evil Monkey resumed his position, without ever knowing the opportunity that they all missed.
For AlmightyOz #UltimateWritingChallenge Week 3 Contest. Enjoy.
This week the challenge was to work with a starting paragraph supplied by AlmightyOz and complete the story
100 words or less fiction for AlmightyOz Week Two Reward Challenge