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“TEK RATS.”
A TALE OF SCIENCE FICTION BY ALFREDO JUILLET FRASCARA
(t.e.y. s.c.i.t. m.y.)
22.11.1996.-
PROLOGUE:
SOME INFORMATION BEFORE THE START:
Era:3.403 D.C.
Place: SOMEWHERE IN DEEP SPACE
Location: AMONG TWO CONSTELLATIONS
Personages:
THE PELARGONIA :
Captain Karl Jorgustafen
Lieutenant Likan Marabunte,
Lieutenant Spinny Tell,
Robotics : Marmalone Derrick,
Chief Engineer ( motors) The PROFESSOR Salund Vergara,
The ADJUTANTS of the chief engineer Larry Moe Curly Chemp,
Radio man Alfonse Jutell,
Medical officer (FEMALE) Glona
Exobiologist (Female) Ferona,
AN OLD WITCH Krisky Wastermel,
Passengers to be delivered SOME KITS ( Feru AND Deuina)RUNNING AROUND,
SOME JERKY ROBOTS SDF 78 AND 3489 HF,
SOME TERRIFIC ROBOT ULTIMATE X234,
SOME BIOGENETIC EXAMPLE OF WHAT MAY NEVER BE ENSEMBLE SAMPLE 32,
SOME TINY GARGOYLES MADE OF GENETIC DISPOSAL,
THE CALEUCHE :
HERO Ror Smith IN A NEW BRAND SHIP WITH A DARK PAST,
A PAIR OF his DUBIOUS FRIENDS Charlotte AND Marianella…
AND A GIRL Masa FOR ALL SERVICES,
A COUPLE OF LUST ROBOTS NEW MODELS LUST 09 AND 66,)
@@@@@@@@@@@
CHAPTERS OF THE OBRA:
Nº 1.- The Pelargonia page 2
nº 2.- The Caleuche page 9
nº 3.- Back to the Pelargonia page 36
THE END page 64
^^^^^^^^^^
CHAPTER ONE.
THE PELARGONIA
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
The ship ” Pelargonia”, an old model Type 221, constructed by
the disappeared ” Argon Factories”, of Martian ex location, was
advancing at half speed between the planet 792 and 1091 ,in the
Dorado Constellation…
It held a cargo of ore from planet “Wistrubia”, sixth of the sun
792 ; it will be delivered within three months elapse to the
” Symposium Industries” , in the planet ” Lafourcade”.
The Pelargonia held a crew of 16 humans and some other creatures,
that at the moment of this tale were in deep sleep. Only the
robots were awake, some working and some others idling in their
shelves.
The awaked robots were SDF 78 and 3489 HF, or S and H, for the ease
of this lecture.
This “s” and “h” were outside the hulk, making minor reparations in
the antennas , some of them badly injured after a shower of micro
meteorites just passed off.
H and S could very well talk among each other, and in fact they chat
a lot , without a pause in their works.
- The humans are in deep sleep, and here are we, working for them in
the freeze!”.-Said h
- Notwithstanding that, you could nt tell me it would be better with
them fiddling around!”- Growls s, screwing a rod.
- Yeah ! All those petty orders they gave! Sometimes they are in the
wrong direction!”- Laugh h, with a strange imitation of the humans
laugh.
- They are sleeping since a month, and for another two they will be
there…I long for the day we arrive to the planet Wistrubia,
because they said they can update us for good!”- Said S.
- No kidding ! But it takes a chunk of dug to make so ! And do you
believe those jerks down there will have the disposition to make us
better ?”- Growls H.
- Yeah, man ! They will do, if we began failing, and I mean it,
really failing !”- Laughs s.
- But how ? I make myself a scan every 24 hours, and a Defrag each
month! And I can tell you, I am fit to challenge one of the new
models any time !”- Answered h, aligning two rods.
- You twerp ! I always knew you have some bad adjusted IRQs ! You
must pretend you are malfunctioning! In that way, they will send you
to some Reparation Service, and bingo! You get an update ! Perhaps
a change of batteries, too!”- Smiles S, joining some wires and
isolating it.
- That’ s somewhat immoral, you know!” - Says H, looking in the
direction of S, some 200 meters away.
- And since when are we moral creatures? “- Asked S, in a casual
tone.
There were no answer this time, as H believes the idea of S a good
one, who will serves a good purpose, only perhaps a little bit
egotistic…
AWAKENING.
KARL JORGUSTAFEN descended from the capsule and walked to the bath
room, taking there a short shower. After it, with new clothes, he
went to the Control Room , and sitting in his place, scanned the
vicinity, spotting the lights of the 1091 sun in the Constellation
of Dorado…
It was a big red sun, and all looked like embedded in red wine. He
spotted Sixth planet, orbiting his sun with monotonous pace his
road among vacuity.
- Hello, Karl ! Seems we arrived?” - Asked Likan Marabunte, with a
juicy kiss.
- Hello ! Yes, there is the planet 6.”- And he shows her the orbiting
object. It was at close range.
- Its beautiful ! A big piece of cheese!”- Laughs her, moving her
blond hair .
- Yeah, a big piece of ice!”- Said Sonny Tell, as always trying to
erode the optimism in others.
The members occupied the rest of the seats, that were in a room of
4 meters width by 8 meters long. In front of each seat it were the
panels for to work on, and in the opposite wall a big screen, showing
the landscape in front of them.
In this instant it shows a big dark planet, and a big red sun aflame ,
occupying half the screen. Being red, it gave less heat than the
yellow suns.
- He ! The robots SDF 78 and 3489 HF are in malfunction!”- Yells
Marmalone Derrick, the man in charge of them.
- Disconnect them immediately ! We want no troubles…Enhance the
rest of the robots, now!”- Said the captain Karl Jorgustafen.
- Restarting Ultimate x234 and biogenetic being Sample 32.”- Said
Marmalone Derrick, with an ugly grin. He likes girls a-shiver, when
that sample 32 came along …
The ship changes direction slightly, and began diving for the surface
of the aforementioned planet “Lafourcade”.
In the engines`s room the professor Salund Vergara was directing his
adjutants with some minor adjustments, but two of them ( Moe and
Curly) were sea sick, and vomits in their consoles…
The ship “Pelargonia” contacted the Mining Station of the ” Symposium
Industries” , and soon they has it in sight; they landed in an open
space, fully illuminated with special focus.
The big machine crunch the soil under the big foots that serves as
landing gear. The metal cooled after the exhausts died, as the
temperature was -80º Centigrade
Karl Jorgustafen sends the big robot Ultimate x234 to contact the
personnel at the Base, and soon some men arrived from the buildings.
They were six of them, who were using space suits, due to the lack of
atmosphere of Sixth.
- Welcome! I’m captain Karl Jorgustafen, and this is my crew.”-
Salutes Karl, in the decompression ante chamber.
- Nice to meet you. First new faces we see in three months.”-
Answered the taller of them, who presents himself as the General
Manager of the Mining Station, a blonde named James Spatter.
Karl Jorgustafen gave him a handshake, glad to see an educated man ,
in an epoch where the indifference and bad manners were very common.
- I have the papers, Captain Karl Jorgustafen. May I handle to Mr.
Spatter?”- Asked the blonde Likan Marabunte, with a nice smile to the
big guy.
- Yes, lieutenant, and see that the items are properly delivered.”-
Answered Karl Jorgustafen, thinking in how soon forgets the moments
of love a young woman…
The other crew members help to organize the disembarking. The robots
of the Mining Company were big and efficient, so in three weeks
there were a kilogram of the million of tons they had in the cargo
bay of the “Pelargonia”.
Karl Jorgustafen received new orders from the owners of the ship,
the “Arauco Ships and Deliverance”. This commands him to take fuel
and depart to Akarris 2.000, a distant planet, where he must proceed
to load an important cargo of ore.
He said it to the crew, and Sonny Tell yells immediately:-” But,
Captain Karl Jorgustafen ! You debt us the shore leave! Its six days
in a row!”
The captain smiles, answering to this:-” But, dear Mr. Sonny !
You cannot be speaking seriously! This here planet “Lafourcade” its
a wasteland! Ice and cold everywhere, also there is not even air!
What do you pretend to do with a tiny little shore leave here?”
- What I do or refrain me to do, its none of your business, Captain!
I am allowed to a shore leave, and that’s it’s exactly what I
gonn´a get !”- Said the insolent guy.
So Karl Jorgustafen acceded; the delay was minimal; a little
acceleration in some of the stages of the future voyage, and the
six days delay would be deluted in the whole.
- Shore leave, then, for all the humans aboard ship !”- Said Karl
Jorgustafen , using the intercom.
In the afternoon of that same day Sonny Tell asked the use
of the small emergency craft, saying he wants to travel 18.500 km
due north, in order to arrive to a place where some volcanoes formed
a couple of big lakes, melting the ice of their neighborhood.
- That’s too much of a request! Also, from where you borrow such
information!”- Asked the angry Karl Jorgustafen.
- It’s the general gossip!”- Smile the dark Sonny Tell, with a
gesture of his hands.- ” You just lend me the emergency craft, and
I will be grateful for it!”
The captain offers the occasion to travel to that site to all humans
who wishes so, and then the girls wished immediately to go, saying
Likan Marabunte:-” ¡ Oh, I will gladly go there! A sea among the
ice! I am so bored of this trips to nowhere, that this adventure
will suit me fine!”
And hugs Karl Jorgustafen in front of the crew members, making him
to flush.
Nobody else wishes to go: the Professor and Adjutants prefers the
commodity of inner walls, and the others prefers to take daily
showers and Ultraviolet baths in the ship “Pelargonia”.
So the captain decided he will go with the girl and the small Sonny
Tell, more to take care of the girl than to go seeing a lake among
frozen lands…
They depart at seven in the next morning, carrying no robots aboard,
as the captain were guiding the little ship.
They flew at 3.000 km. per hour, so in six hours and a bit they were
seeing the waves of the two big lakes across the windows.
- What a nice sight! Oh, it was worth while this long trip to see
it !”- Laughs the girl, hugging the captain.
- Please land near the water, captain.”- Asked Sonny, intriguing the
skipper, who landed at 100 meters from the beach, in a smooth and
icy surface.
Sonny goes out, clad in his pressurized suit. He carried a big bag,
and the Captain and Lieutenant Likan Marabunte puzzled about that.
- Why he carried that bag? Is he going to search for rocks or
something?”- Wonders the lady, hugging the captain, this time
without witnesses.
- To oblivion with it! Came, darling!”-Said the captain, grabbing the
beautiful woman with desire.
She laughs…
Some time after this, both young descended to the surface of the
planet, using masks and special suits, running happily to the near
by shore.
They spot Mr. Sonny Tell, carrying back ,with some efforts, the same
bag, but this time full of sand. The skipper asks him ,by radio:-”
What do you pretend to carry to the ship, Tell?”
- Nothing but a car - load of quartz, captain Karl Jorgustafen !”-
Laughs the tiny dark man, without stop.
The skipper looks at his fiancée, saying:-! This guy really makes profits in
his vacances! Did you know that quartz , in this days, equals his price , in
kilos, to the gold ?”- Oh, what do I care ? For me, the payment of the
Company satisfy me greatly!”- Laughs the lady, hugging the captain.
Karl Jorgustafen carried quartz from the shore and to the ship, in a metal
basket. With a hundred kilos he really could make a big
smile, back in some industrialized planet…
After the cargo works, the two lovers walked by the shore, marveling about
the big richness that lay there under the glossy stars. In the Earth the
before so abundant quartz was non existent , due to the big use the companies
did , back in the three precedent centuries…
In a moment when they were at 700 meters from the Emergency Ship,
Sonny Tell ignited the turbo reactors and depart, leaving there , marooned,
Karl Jorgustafen and his girl friend.
Karl went mad by yelling unto the micro, but Sonny Tell wasn’ t hearing no
radio wave in the moment- or any moment in the future, for that matter…
Sonny laughs and sobs, during the travel back to the “Pelargonia”. He makes
a good entrance to the ship, crying and sobbing, telling that the young
couple fells unto a schism in the ice floor. The typical in conscience
of youth!
So they half believe him, but being him the senior official at board, he
takes command of the “Pelargonia” freight, and decided that an ulterior
search for the bodies was non useful.
And scheduled the “Pelargonia” to depart in four hours more…
He entertain himself hiding the quartz in a metal container, and revising
the personal effects both of the captain Karl Jorgustafen and of the
lieutenant Likan Marabunte, taking for himself the valuable items,
discarding the rest for hypothetical inheritors of the couple…
He also went to the captain’s cabin, after the robots carried his
personal properties there, and takes a nap…
Meanwhile, in the frozen surface of the “Lafourcade” planet, a highly
scared couple begins to march due south, in a vane attempt to arrive ,
some day, to the far distant Mining Company…
They walk one kilometer, and suddenly a glint in the dark sky catch
their eyes; a ship!
- Look! There is a space ship over there!”- Announces her, taking the
arm of his companion.
They flashed their lanterns , in an attempt to makes themselves
noticed. The ship landed near the sea, and they retrace their steps ,
running and laughing.
From the ship a couple of persons descended, and awaits them in the
threshold of the door. Karl talks to them using the transmitter of
his suit , but he could`nt communicate.
They were invited inside the ship, that was like a saucer, with two
landing sleds underneath. It measured 50 meters in diameter, and
fifteen meters high.
The door closed; another were in front of them; obviously it was a
lock. The air was pumped, so when they enter the inner part the
atmosphere was ready to be breathed. The hosts pulled their casks
and they imitate them, being all humans.
- What they are you doing so lonely in this wastelands!”- Cry the
taller of the hosts.
He was a man about 36 years old, muscled and of fiery countenance.
The other person was a lady, of striking beauty: blonde, tall, white
skinned, and of blue eyes.
- We were in vacations and a companion of us leaves marooned here.
All because of a little amount of Quartz!”- Answered Likan Marabunte
, smiling to the male.
- Heavens great! The evils of man has no limits !”- Says the host,
adding:-” I am Ror…Smith, the captain of this ship, named the “
Caleuche”. This lady is my petty officer, Charlotte…also there is
some others in the ship, that I will introduce to you in due
time…”
- Thanks you , Mr. Smith. We are very thankful for this.”- Said Karl
Jorgustafen, making a bow.
- So…From where are you, anyway?”- Asked Charlotte, with a deep
voice.
- From the cargo ship ” Pelargonia”, that is now at the Mining
Station that belonged to the Symposium Industries.”- Informed Karl.
- So…we must go there and leave this persons there, Ror.”- Said
Charlotte to the captain of the “Caleuche”.
- Oki Doki ! But first we will do what we are supposed to do :
taking aboard some quartz, in order to keep on being!”- Answered Ror,
adding:-” Charlotte, see that our new marooned friends rest in some
bullock.”
And he walks by some corridor in a haste.
- Well, friends, follow me to your room!”- Said the blonde, glazing
to Karl Jorgustafen with darkened eyes.
They were leaven in a room , that contains a bed, some armoires and a
chair. The door hasn’ t locks.
- Well, dear , here we are ! Safe and sound!”-Smiles Jorgustafen,
bedding .
She laughs, and accompanied him with a jump.
The “Caleuche” has 4 humans and two robots. The captain were walking
already to the beach, with the two robots behind. He spotted the
quartz, and orders the artificial beings to begun the work ; they
used a hose to aspirate the sand to the cargo bay of the ship . -In
only one hour they were disconnecting the hose , with several tons
of material in the cargo bay.
- Nice work, fellows ! See that we could depart soon from here.”-
The captain told the robots, using his helmet’s transmitter. The
artificial hasten to obey orders, and in forty five minutes the
ellipsoidal ship levitates and began flying to the Mining Base.
Ror Smith and the skipper of the ship, Marianella, a beautiful woman
of 32 years, were at the controls. The cabin has four places ; Ror
used the radarscope controls; Charlotte was the skipper, Marianella
the controls of the engine room and warp system, and Masa , a dark
skinned beauty, the antimeteorite canons and communication systems.
Also she has a Ph.D. in biology, exobiology and math.
Using the detectors, they arrived pretty soon to the Mining Base,
after asking permission to land, that was granted.
In front of the lock, Ror said to Karl : -” Well, friend, you cannot
go alone now. I will accompany you to straighten things with that
murderer.”
- ” I will appreciate that, Captain Ror Smith, but it’s not necessary
that you take that effort.”- Said Karl.
- It’s no problem! And I will carry one of my guys.”- Smiled Ror,
indicating one of his huge robots.
They go outside, and walked to the near-by ” Caleuche”. When Ror ,
Karl and the robot were inside the cargo ship, they were received by
three inmates and the new captain, Sonny Tell. The face of the last
one changes to green, when the visitors pulls off theirs helmets.
- Captain Jorgustafen ! We thought you were dead!”- Screamed Alfonse
Jutell, the docker of the ” Pelargonia”.
Suddenly, Sonny Tell runs to the lock, but Smith’s robot stops him,
hugging the guy, whose ribs cracked with a sinister sound…and fell
to the floor as a bag full of potatoes…
Ror touches the neck of Sonny, and said:- ” Poor guy, it’s dead !
the emotion was too much for him!”
Karl explains to the crew what the deceased do to him and Miss
Marabunte, so they all accept the heart failure version of Ror, and
the matter was settled there.
Karl invited the crew of the “Caleuche ” to a dinner in the “
Pelargonia”, so that night were singing and laughs aboard the cargo
ship, with Sonny freezing in one of the starboards refrigerators …
Also was there the Manager of the Mining Station, James Spatter,
together with his wife, a tall and serious woman ,named Valhalla
Méndez.
Ror cornered the Manager to himself, pouring wine at a steady pace
in the glass of James Spatter, so in two hours of kind chatter, he
acceded to the confiability of him, and begun to talk of big dark
business
At five o’clock everyone was dead drunk or asleep, except Ror, who
begun to take notes for the job obtained from the Manager of the
Mining Station…
The ” Pelargonia ” departs at eighteen hours from the planet
” Lafourcade”, thanking Ror with a pair of tons of fuel.
Ror went to the office of the Manager, Mr. James Spatter, who close
the door after him, and begun to talk business.
- As I offer you to-night, Mr. James Spatter, I can load my ship
with some of the ore you have in stock. I can sell it in the nearest
industrialized world, in order to came back and gave you the
percentage we had been talking.”- Said Ror.
- No problem. I can assure you that we can gain about $40.000.000
Credits in the bargain; half and half…twenty for you, and twenty
for me.”- Smiles worriedly James Spatter.
- But Mr. ! Remember I must use fuel to do the trip ! And that cos
t me money ! Also I had several crew members aboard, I must gave them
his appropriated wages. It’s different to pay wages for legal
business, than for crooked ones ! “- Speaks eagerly Ror.
- Fine business! But remember that without me you earn nothing, Mr.
Ror Smith ! So you can take your ship and fly away… with empty
pockets! I had gave you the offer : you take it or you leave it ! I
am risking my whole career here ! And remember I cannot fly away,
in case all goes in the open! I am nailed here, you know…I have
not a space ship, as you do !”- Argumented James Spatter.
- At least gave me some fuel! I knew you have some, in case of
emergency, for astride ships !”- Asked Ror.
So he gets three and a half tons of fuel, but the percentage reminds
fifty - fifty…
The ore was embarked in the ” Caleuche”, and in five days delay, Ror
takes off with it in his cargo bay…
Chapter Nº 2.-
“The Caleuche”.
He saw how recedes the “Lafourcade” planet, and Charlotte said:-”
Another of your dirty jobs, he Ror ?”
- Yap! The only way to keep on being, don’t you think ?”- Answered
Ror, smiling to the blonde.
- It gave me the creeps ! We risks our freedom! And the prison
asteroid are no joke !”- Said the blonde, shaking her hair.
Ror looked on the screen the founctionating of the motors, and seeing
it were somewhat feeble the feeding up of fuel, gave them a little
more throttle. Then he turns to Charlotte and said:-” Look here,
baby: I am a no- good guy, a messed up man. When I decided to work
straight, all goes wrong for me, so I decided to probe everything
that came my way. And I find that every condemned person in charge
of something big and not his own, is stealing all what he can get
without being noticed.
“So I help them fulfill their desires. If not me, some other guy will
do. So, why not me, darling?”
And he kissed the lady, who disentangled a bit and reply:-” That is
the morals of a theft ! You were`nt any like this, Ror ! When I
meet you, you were an enterprising owner of a beautiful ship, The
“Rose”. Do you remember the planet in the Alfa sun of Constellation
Poop”
- Very romantic, but then I were obligated to sell it in order to
pay the docking wages of the same planet! It hardly were left to buy
a F - rate ship…”- Speaks Ror, clenching his hands.
- Oh yes ! And then you buy the ” Trek Rat”…”- Shudders Charlotte,
punching some buttons in his console.
- The Trek Rat! Don’t even name me that wreck! It hardly moves
itself, and the tanks leaked ! But with it I Change course, and
delivered weapons to Sergton IV… two trips, and I had enough for
to buy this beauty!”- Yells Ror, making a gesture that engulfed the
ship.
- Well , I better concentrate in this work. You shut up now, honey.”
- Said Charlotte, smiling.
Ror stands up and walks to the motors chambers. He revised the
different indicators, and fasten some sacks unto lockers. One of his
robots present itself ,saying:”- Master, there is a Sandengue Bug
in the aft- hold.”
- Damn! That was the worst that it could happen us! And how it
enters ship?”
- Possibly with the ore, Master.”-Answered the robot.
Ror thinks it over. If he orders the Artificial to search and kill
the bug, he probably will be searching for months. That will signify
battery consumption thing he dislikes, as the batteries were an
expensive item.
- Go to do your other works. Forget the bug…no, better, if you see
him lurking somewhere, you stun it, understood?” -
- Yes, Master.”- Said the WK9.
Ror went to his bed room and bathe. The sole mention of a Sandengue
Bug makes him sweat…
After the shower he goes to bed, naked. He activate the null gravity
field, and enters the Tube, where he soon get asleep, with the music
of Alfa - wave music.
The rest of the crew were working; Charlotte keeps being in the
control room, making programs to be used in the several days of
course corrections.
Marianella were at the controls of the engine room and warp system,
making some programs to use efficiently the several different fuels
at hand; the less powerful were the one lended by the Manager of the
Mining Station. Also it has some hints to be degenerating fast, so
she uses it first.
Masa , the dark skinned beauty, were loading the anti meteorite
canons with the aid of robot WK10 , in the starboard.
- One little adjustment.. here ! So now we can go to the other side.”
- Said she, after a while of work. The explosive balls were all in
position here.
She walks in front of the WK10, who silently follows her. The
corridors were dimly lit, in search of little consumption of energy.
The energy always were coming via the fuel that can be bought, so
it must be economized.
- Danger ahead! Stop!”- Said the WK10, passing in a flash to the
front , and firing a stun gun, hitting something that were in the
corridor.
After the shrill shriek, something scuttled and lost from sight.
- What’s was that?”- Asked, petrified, the beautiful Masa woman.
- Seems to me a Sandengue, Master.”- Said the WK10, turning to her.
- Damn it ! “- Said her, vomiting. After a while, she said:.” -But
you don’ t kill it! What’s the matter with your visors, anyhow?”
- Nothing, Master Masa. But the Bug reacts and get scolded in the
tail, only. Bad luck.”- Rasped the robot.
- Oh, well ! There will be another problem lurking around.. Let’s
get moving, and walk first. “- Orders her, doing a gesture with his
right arm.
The damned Bugs! Always entering ships, no matter how many debuggers
you install !”- Thought Masa.
They arrived to the site, and began arming the bombs. It was a
delicate matter; the bombs didn’ t correspond exactly to the cannon,
but with minor adjustments they could work just the same. Ror
bought it as it were cheaper than the default ones.
When she were correcting the 65th of them, appears the Sandengue
Bug, slurping one of her thighs. She screamed and WK10 grabbed the
bug by the middle and squeezed ; the inner juigs spurts all over the
place, but the teeth did´nt gave, so WK10 uses a scissors to cut
the mandibles of the bug-
She stops yelling and began sobbing; WK10 retired the broken teeth
from the wound in the thigh. She fainted.
WK10 communicates with the Control Room, chatting with the Master
Computer, who signs Charlotte’s panel with a red light. Charlotte
opens the audio channel and received the figured voice of WK10, who
informs of the accident.
Charlotte runs to the Infirmary, where WK10 carried the fainted Masa.
They cleaned the wound and disinfected it, also some healing creme
was anointed.
- What happens?”- Asked Marianella, arriving after an audio signal
gave by Charlotte.
- Masa was attacked by a Sandengue Bug, when she was arming the
cannon at Port side.”- Explained Charlotte .
- Don’t tell me ! She was utterly alone?”- Asked Marianella.
- With the WK10…It defends her, kill the bug…Called me.”
- Nice of it…I expect there will be no more bugs in this trip!”-
Shudders Marianella.
They leaved Masa in a recovery capsule, and depart to wake up Ror.
The man went immediately to see Masa, checked the indicators of bio
functions.
- “What a mess ! Poor Masa! I should had warned her…”- Musitated
Ror.
- What? Did you knew there it was a Sandengue Bug aboard and didn t
inform us?”- Yells Marianella, beginning to slap the man.
He didn’ t answered, leaving the Infirmary. Marianella wept, and
Charlotte said:”- This man has changed a lot! But for the worst.”
The ship continues his travel silently, having attained the cruising
speed. Some meteorites were in the way, but the cannons takes care
of the bigger ones.
Masa awakes after three hours rest, and asked to be re integrated to
the works, but Ror forbids it, taking him her labors.
Masa sees how the indentations in her tight were healing rapidly,
and bandaged herself. She walks, aided by a anti gravity belt,
arriving to the astern cabin. There she seats in one of the eight
chairs, all facing a wide glass, that was protected by a metallic
curtain, the one she opens clicking in the console of the bench in
front of the seat.
All the majesty of Heavens unfolded in front of her eyes. Every
little speck of light were there; some big giants were shining in
different colors there . Some huge gaseous objects were giving the
irreal touch to the feeric scenario.
- Oh, God Jehovah!”- Musitated her, crying silently. She was feeling
very small, very vulnerable, after the bite of the Sandengue Bug.
Why her?
Ror revised the location of every source of heath in the ship, and
find that a human being were astern. She hurried there, finding the
girl huddled and crying.
She didn t refused her embrace, so he hugs her, saying:- “C`mon,
c`mon , darling! It’s all over now! “
She sobs a little, and smile. He accompanied her some little while
more, and takes her to bed, leaving her reconforted and with the
lights on.
Ror sighed in the way back. He was becoming to much of a merchandiser
, too much ligated with the money … In younger days he despised
the ones who wept and kill for a lousy thousands credits, but now he
understands the meaning of the word ” responsibility”. He was
responsible for the girls aboard…besides himself.
He arrived to the control room, finding there WK9, in the place of
Charlotte. The lady were in her room, probably sleeping.
Ror asked how many more time will take to arrive to the destiny, and
WK 9 answered ” In two months more, Master.”
- Good.”. Said Ror, sighing. The ship was a good one, but using too
much warp speed would signify thousands of credits wasted…
- WK9, do the necessary calibrations for the use of WARP 2. I want
to fasten the ship.!- Said Ror, giving away the economics…
In five seconds the WK9 answered:-” Calibrations made, Master. Five
seconds to begun WARP 2…”
Ror seated, and the ship enters the space continuum, blurring all
objects. In seconds they traverse the immensity between planet 792
and planet 1091.
The first thing Ror checked was the consumption of fuel. He looked
petrified the numbers : the “Caleuche ” was with 1/5 of the previous
fuel !
So he eats thousands of credits in a little while !
One siren of proximity awake in front of him, giving the acoustic
signal of danger ahead. WK9 said: ” Space liner in front of us.
Impact in 20 seconds.”
Ror punched the scramble dials, making the ship to keel over and
enters another direction; the lurch snapped the security belt and Ror
landed painfully in a wall. WK 9 takes him and placed in another
seat, saying:-” Beware, master; you are only human!”
- Yeah, now I remember!”- Smiled Ror, frighten.
The space liner were already at 55.000 kilometers away. Ror told WK9
to redirect the ship to the planet Wistrubia, where he will sell
the hot cargo…if he could pass undetected.
Charlotte seated in his chair, and Marianella went to the engine
room, ready to do what the skipper could told her.
Ror adecuated his computer to do both jobs: his and Masa, who were at
the Infirmary.
- “Ready, guys ? Here we go !”- Said Charlotte, and began making the
battered “Caleuche” approach the atmosphere of Sixth of 792, or
planet “Wistrubia”.
The satellites catches soon the hulk of “Caleuche” in orbit, and
began calling him. Charlotte said:-” Spotted! We better answer, or
they will send us a frigate to escort us to some port, and that will
settle matters for the worst!”
- O.K. let me speak!”- Said Ror, opening the adecuated channel. He
said unto the microphone:
- “This is “Caleuche”, in leisure travel! Permit us to land!”
After some seconds, a person appears in the screen, using the dark
uniform of the government of Wistrubia, saying:-” Not aloud. You must
proceed to coordinates 56- 094 immediately.”
- O.K. , Sir. We’re in the way.”- Answered Ror, but doing the
opposite, as Charlotte sunk the prow in direction to the surface,
risking the thermal cover.
After some seven minutes, Charlotte stabilizes the direction,
heading to the chain of mountains that were spotted by the scanners.
They landed among big boulders, in the bottom of a crater.
Ror listened to the radio, as they were being chased by three
Cruisers.
- I hope they don’ t spotted us here.”- Said Marianella, unfastening
from her seat.
- I put the ship among metallic boulders. We have a fine chance not
to be localized.”- Said Charlotte.
“Come!” he whispered to the girl. “Let them fight out
their empty battle–”
- What do you said? A battle?”
- Yes, the battle of love.-” Said Ror to Charlotte, taking her in his
arms.
Four hours elapsed, with Marianella listening the news; the cruisers
were traveling round the planet, searching the ship. Ror appeared in
the Control Chamber, and she said:”- They are out for us.”
“-Let that be. I will travel to the city port ” Larue”. There I will
met some crooks; perhaps all the matter will develop quickly”-
Answered Ror.
He prepared the reparations scooter, and enters the cockpit full
armed. He waved the girls, and fly at low altitude, en - route to
Larue.
The landscape was a dark successions of ice mounds. There were no
air, so there were no life. There were no wind pushing the little
ship sideways, as the atmosphere were non existent…
He enters the city by one of the gates, that opened automatically
when its sensors spotted the metallic structure of the tiny vehicle.
Ror leaved the scooter in an alley, and walks to the addresses he
remember.
He finds Cashida the Turk seated in the middle of his Pawn Shop.
- Hi, Cashida! It’s me, your great friend Ror!”- He salutes.
Cashida was a thin tall man, with little eyes. The guy answered:-”
Hi, lone ranger! Are you riding the skies again? Did you recuperate
the old Trek Rat ?”
- Don’t mention that junk to me ! No, I have some hot stuff aboard a
fine ship. “
- So? But you arrive in what here?”
- Of `couse not! I have a little scooter, Power Plant two Pratt &
Whitney TF30-P103 turbofans, with a Thrust of 18,500 pounds (8,325
kilograms) each with afterburners; 19,600 pounds (8,820 kilograms)
with afterburners; it gets 25,000 pounds (11,250 kilograms) with
afterburners.”- Said Ror, proudly.
- So? It’s a new model ! I have some client interested in one of
this new devices…It’s the model of Length: 73 feet, 6 inches (22.0
meters).
Height: 17 feet, 1 1/2 inches (5.13 meters)?”
- Yes. Wingspan 63 feet (19 meters) full forward; 31 feet, 11 1/2
inches (11.9 meters) full aft, Speed: Mach 1.2 at sea level; Mach 2.5
at 60,000 feet. Ceiling: 60,000-plus feet (18,200 meters).
Range: 3,565 miles (3,100 nautical miles) with external fuel tanks.
Weight: empty 47,481 pounds (21,367 kilograms).”- informed Ror.
- “Oh, yes!”- Stand up the Turk, with shining eyes.
-”Maximum Takeoff Weight: 100,000 pounds (45,000 kilograms).
Armament: Up to four nuclear bombs on four pivoting wing pylons, and
two in internal weapons bay. Wing pylons carry total external load of
25,000 pounds (11,250 kilograms) of bombs, rockets, missiles, or
fuel tanks.”- Said Ror, smiling.
- Then you only leaves the price to tell at the end!”- Roar Cashida.
- The Unit cost it’s : $18 million. Crew: Two, pilot and weapon
systems officer.”- Said Ror, seating in the chair of the Arab.
- JA, JA ! Always searching the buck, he? Well, well.”- Said Cashida,
getting interested.
- But I must sell it with the ore from the planet Wistrubia…
neither, evidently, has power to harm
me, with friends like
Cashida!”- Laughs Ror.
He begun the talks with the Arab, in order to establish a price for
the 500.000 tons. Soon they settled the matter, as Ror knew the Arab
was correct in his transactions; if paying not too much, the
discretion and fast disposition of the material was known to be an
attribute of Cashida.
Some two hours takes to the Arab the aprontness of his old vehicle
all - terrain. Also he were accompanied with 30 assorted robots,
some new and some others real reliques.
The Arab were listening the radio, aware of the turmoil it provoked
the disappearance of a ship over the planet. Namely, the “Caleuche”.
After a while, he said to Ror:-” They are like two controversialists
hurling
words at one another. While they are engaged we may
as well be devoting our energies to an attempt to find
the passage through the cliffs to the plain beyond.”
- Yap. This big truck must to attract attention.”
- Nope. The truck I used as a decoy; I send this friends of mine to
dig in the mountains; sometimes they find some valuable metals, and
serves me when I must accompany them to some errand such as the
present.”- And he smiles croockledy.
The scooter was already in one of the warehouses the Arab has
scattered in the city of Larue.
Ror saw one of his girls atop the ladder of the “Caleuche”. He
waved her, to reassure her mind.
The ore was delivered to the truck, with the 30 old robots, plus the
wk9 and wk10 .The money was already in Ror´s bag.
- Nice to make business with you, take care with the take off.”-
Recommended the Arab.
And he depart, with his little bunch of old robots. The lights of
the old truck diminished in the distance, a brief flash among the
old mountains.
A cunning look leaped to Ror´s eyes, when seeing atop the controls
table the big amount of credits the Arab paid him.
The thing that lay beyond that look had been deep
in his heart since first he had laid eyes upon the Ore. Now that mineral
were transmuted to cash money.
- Now we must fly to James Spatter, in order to gave him his part.”-
Said Charlotte, eyeing Ror.
The take off from the surface of ” Wistrubia” was beguined with the
melting of the ice around the space ship, as the weather was always
the worst.
The ship used the drives and whooshed unto the heavens, with no
atmosphere to fight with.
- So far so good!”- Smiles Masa, from her seat, as she were recovered
from the attack of the Sandengue Bug.
When arriving to nine kilometers high, they saw a cruiser rushing to
stops them.
- Warp drive ready!”- Yells Ror, and Charlotte thrust the commands,
leaving a radiant rainbow in front of the astonished eyes of the
cruiser’s officials.
The jump unto the hyper space was randomly donned; no parameters
designed for it. So the re enter were in a place ignored for the
crew.
- Scanning known Constellations.”- Said the tense voice of
Marianella, seated very tense in her chair.
The computers tickle for some long seconds, and at last it gave the
exact location : south of course to the planet Lafourcade.
- Hurrah! Some minor corrections, and we will be there in no time!”-
Laughs Charlotte, standing from her place.
Ror disentangled of the belts, and hugs the lady, dancing in mid
gravity with her in his arms.
One month in flight, and they all arrived to the sixth planet of
sun 1091.
The landing at the yards of the mining station was uneventful, and
they all gets into the suits, leaving the robots in charge of the
“Caleuche”.
When arriving to the Mining Station `s offices, they were attended by
some clerk, who informs Ror that Mr. Spatter were in prison.
- Why did he enters such a place?”- Iced Ror.
- He leaves two humans in a gallery, punishing them because of some
insubordinated act. But the men died of thirst, and a Inspector of
the government arrives just in time to knew all about this. So they
put in the gallows.”- Smiles the clerk, adding that some Mr.
Mellow Vargas were the new provisory Manager.
- Thanks, pal. We’ll be seeing .”- Said Ror, leaving the offices.
- What will you do?”- Asked Charlotte.
- We are going to pay a visit to the guy.”- Informs him.
They asked where were the Prison, and arrived there in the afternoon.
Only one person was aloud to pass, so Ror passed inside. The building
was brilliantly lighted, and the prisoner enters the ample room,
with a guard in sight.
They seated in front of each other, with a table in between.
- So you get back! How it goes?”- Asked James Spatter.
He used a torn smile in his lips. His eyes were sunken; his general
appearance didn’ t macht the memory of Ror : a proud fat man, giving
orders…
- Fine. But let’s talk about you: when do you expect to get out?”
- No way, pal. There are two freeze men entombed somewhere , all by
my guilt. I think that this is it. Deportation to planet Pluto, or
else.”- Answered James Spatter, looking past Ror.
- Perhaps not, man. Perhaps I can dig a hole with your dug. How about
it?”- Proposed Ror.
- That will be terrific!”- Said Spatter, alerting the guard, that
walks to them, saying:-” Another yell and the meeting is over!”
- O.K., friend, don’ t get excited!”- Said Ror, looking the other in
the eye.
The guard return to his post, saying:-” Meeting will end in two
minutes!”
- Do what you must do! Use the money! Here I didn’ t need it!”-
Speaks Spatter in an hurriedly way.
- O.K., folk, you said it. `Seeing.-” - And Ror stands up and
indicated to the guard that the visit was over.
Once in the street, he reunites with the ladies, to whom he said:-”
We’ll return now to the ship; there is some matters to attend.”
The ladies looked him worriedly, but didn’ t utter a syllable.
Once in the cozy rooms of the ” Caleuche”. Ror said:-” We can manage
to release the guy from prison; he is there because his proud let
two men die. So now we are to paved the road with money, for him to
walk out.”
“- So now we’ll be rescuing criminals! Fine!”- Yells Charlotte,
crossing his arms in front of her chest.
- Yeap. We are no robbers of tumbled trees. We are going to find some
greedy guards, oiled them `properly, and all will be donned as sweet
as a whistle.”- Smiles Ror with a terrible smile on his face.
He had not recognized it, but his eyes were becoming more and more
harsh, as if the ore were beginning to enter in his soul !
He began attending the Taverns near the Prison compound. He invited
guards by the dozen, and also pays them when visiting whore houses
. So very soon enough he made acquaintance with two crooked guards,
that would had sell their mothers for a couple of Credits, being
them alive…
At last, in an orgy of wine and females, Ror present them his
requisition. They sober up in a flash, and asked a six digits sum,
for each one.
Ror begins diminishing the amount, with laughs and entreaties, and
at last they get in to an accord : they will leave the prisoner
unguarded for ten minutes, when visiting the near by Hospital, but
half the money must be delivered first.
- No problem, guys; I know we are all gentlemen in this matter!”-
Said Ror, and all roared with laughter…
Three days passed; James Spatter eats some meals half cooked, that
makes him looks green, so he was scorted to the near-by
Hospital…by the half paid guardians !
All went smooth: he enters the Hospital , and was ushered to a room
in the first store. The guardians stayed at the corridor…
- In guard! Back ! I am armed!”- Said James Spatter, to the
frightened doctor and nurse, blandishing one aguzated iron of 40
centimeters long.
- A yell and you’re dead meat!”- Entreaties Spatter, tying them
properly.
He then climbs the ladder and landed in the street. He runs two
blocks, and Ror where there in the corner.
- Came on, pal; we had a long way to go!”- Smiles the rescuer, taking
Spatter by the arm, and walked hurriedly in the direction of the
gates.
There were suits for both of them ; they clothed , helmets included,
and went out to the freeze, in direction to the Caleuche.
Ror centered his mind upon the preparative to take off; the girl
Charlotte looked him for an instant. as if pleading for something..
The Control Tower gave them the acknowledgment , and they fired the
exhausts, rising the Caleuche to the heavens.
Five minutes after the take off, Spatter began to laugh in a
disorderly manner, and Masa shoots him a tranquilizer, that gets
with him in bed.
- Too much emotions for him.”- Resumes her, when re entering at the
Control Room.
- I love that girl!”- Laughs Ror, seeing how the “Lafourcade” planet
began to diminish itself in the distance.
- Course ?”- Asked the stiffly Charlotte, whom dislikes his man to
began finding love in another`s girl’s acts….
- Wish I could say Earth, but darling, we’re short of fuel. Must be
some of the planets of 418 -”- Said Ror.
- Oh, what a delight!”- Yells Marianella, clapping her hands. She
were happy, because 418 has seven inhabited planets, full of recently
developed populations(mostly clones), and with them, civilization
and luxuries…
- The one thing best it’s to walk straight by the road, with air and
light and warm surrounding us !”- Said Charlotte, smiling at last.
Because 792 and 1091 were planetary systems for men, places to work
for living an harsh life of whores and digging the entrails of icy
mountains.
The Caleuche fasten up, and Charlotte leaves a safety margin, as
they will be traveling again long paths ,dangling unto the void.
Three days more, and the ship sees another vessel coming from the
opposite direction. Radially they communicate, before loosing
connection ( the ships were summing up thousands of kilometers per
hour), so they learn it was the ” Traigala”, from Spain, with a
crew of 100 persons and 30 artificial.
They sended encrypted messages, mostly books and news from Earth,
from where it came.
- Earth! Sweet word for us, as milk and honey!”- Said Masa, seeing
the messages in the screen.
- That much did you want to return there? “- Asked Charlotte.
They were in the Solarium, a place with three beds, and some Infra
red lights shining upon them.
- Yes ! all this years in this wastelands…But now we are going to
see people ! They say the planets of 418 resembles Florence ,as it
were in Renaissance times !- Said Masa, turning face down in the
litter.
- Yeah, I bet they are!”- Said Charlotte, in an uncertain mood. There
were problems in her path: the crookedness of Ror, the James Spatter
case aboard ship…
- Ror is a nice looking Man. You should be proud of him.”- Said Masa.
- I am. But in this days he is behaving like a rogue captain.
Rescuing imprisoned guys, traveling millions of kilometers with
stolen ore…No future could be so much of a pink question with him
doing this sort of things.”- Said Charlotte.
- We are safe, now. Those dark systems are aft, now. Forget about
it.”- Murmured Masa, closing her eyes.
Ror talked to Spatter, who were reclaiming his part.
- There were 20.000 credits for you , and equal quantity for me.
I just cannot understand how could you pay fifteen grands to those
guards!”
- Said James Spatter.
- Yeah, now seems a bit too much, eh? But back then, how many you
were giving for freedom? “- Retorted Ror, who were repairing WK.10
- You missed the point there, buddy. We are talking about money, not
the philosophical views of liberty!”- Said Spatter, smashing the
table with his clenched fist .
- Take it or leave it. I can very well use those five grandees in
fuel.”- Remembered Ror.
Spatter went out, face red with fury.
The rest of the travel was no easy thing, with Spatter becoming more
and more unbearable , as they approaches destiny. Charlotte were
afraid of some tragedy aboard ship, and tells his fears to Masa.
She was surprised at this sudden misbehavior of Spatter, and
mumbles:- ” The guy forgets we were all endangered by his faults…
and we still are. Also, those money he so much reclaims were´nt his.”
And decided to put an end to the situation, when Spatter defy Ror to
fight outside the hulk of the ship, with sun 418 perfectly visible.
Ror said yes, but never could Spatter goes out the lock chamber, as
Masa shoots him a syringe full of somniferous.
- There ! This guy will wake up in prison!”- Said Masa, looking
defiantly in Ror`s direction.
He was spell bounded, but afterwards he laughs heartily, and helps
Masa carry the body of the ex manager to one of the cryogenic
capsules, where they leaven him to sleep his rage.
Five days more, and they arrive to planet number 4, a nice
atmospheric terra - type orb. They asked permission to land,
being accepted. Once in the docks, Ror leaves WK9 and WK10 in
charge of the “Caleuche”, in order to travel downtown with the girls.
FOURTH OF 418.
They booked at one of the hotels that faced the sea, so they could
awake and admire the nice landscape of white beaches and blue
waters strechting unto the far off horizon.
- This is life!”- Smiles Masa, and puts on a swim suit, saying:-”
Are there some happy people to accompany me to the beach?”
They all went, laughing and making jokes.
In the afternoon they booked unto some expedition to the woods, and
bent their steps toward the distant mountains.
As the Lotharian mountains turned toward them, Charlotte had been
surprised to hear Ror suddenly voice a new plan.
“Remain here with Masa,” she had heard him say, “while
I go to search for the passage through the cliffs.”
She had dropped back in surprise and disappointment,
for she knew that there was no reason why she should not
have accompanied him. Certainly she should have been
safer with him than left here alone with the rest of the expeditionaires.
And Ror watched the three of them and smiled his cunning smile.
When the man had disappeared within the wood, Charlotte
seated herself apathetically upon the scarlet sward to
watch the seemingly interminable chatter of the tourists.
The long afternoon dragged its weary way toward darkness,
and still Ror didn’ t came back.
The sun was about to set when the guides commenced to withdraw
his clients slowly toward the city.
- No way! This Ror must have been returned by now!”- Said the enraged
Charlotte, face red with fury.
- I guess we have two options: we goes now with the rest of the tourists, or
we try to search him…”- Said Masa.
- And get losted too !”- Pointed Marianella.
Charlotte begins marching to the hills, and one of the guides asked her
where did she goes. She explains the problem to him, and Vargas (that was
the name of the squatted fat guy) said:-” Bad thing, my lady! Here you see
no one, but I assure there can be more than a pair of eyes watching us. And
in the night there is trouble here. We came in daylight, no problem, we have
guns. But in the night matters change.”
- And do you opine we better leave my fiancee alone in the woods?”
- No, lady ! But you must return to the Hotel now. With the rest of the
ladies. And we will came back here , with dogs to follow him…Have you some
cloth he uses ?”- Asked Vargas.
- Yes, back at the Hotel.”- Murmurs Charlotte.
- You see ? We must return to the Hotel. At once.”- Said Vargas, smiling
gently.
They retrace steps, and arrived to the Hotel at dark. The cloth was
delivered to Vargas, whom asked Charlotte four hundred credits for
the rescue expedition, saying:-” You see, milady, I can go there
alone, but little help that would be. I must hire some other men,
and also rent the dogs to my friend Lucho Perez. Without those
animals it’s very little man can do there.”
- O.K., here are the four hundred…but brings me the man soon.”-
Said Charlotte.
Vargas runs by the corridor, handling the money and saying:-” Adios,
lady! I will bring your pololo in a minute!”
She sighed, and enters to the suite. Masa yawns and said.”Don`nt you
worry much, Charlotte! The guy must be returning home , at this
very minute !”
She looked her room mates, and went to the sofa, where she began to
wait.
Vargas went to the near- by Cantina, where he shows to his friends
the money, saying:-” Here are money to make a nice fiesta! It was
gave to me by this beautiful Señorita, who’ se boy friend leaves
her in this afternoon’s trip to the woods! “
- But for which purpose she should have giving you so much dug,
brother?”- Asked Martinez, a companion of Vargas.
- To go looking for him! But not right away! Nobody will go looking
into the woods and the mountain in the night! I will go there first
thing in the morning, with the perros of my grand father!”-
Explained Vargas, and asked the first round of drinks for all his
friends.
First thing in the morning Vargas were´nt in position to go
searching somebody, as he was dead- drunk, in the arms of the cloned
Señorita Maria Rosa…
Charlotte wakes up at dawn. takes a shower and went to the ship,
finding the robots WK9 and 10 in the alert. None of them has seen
or heard Ror, but has a disagreeable notice: the man Spatter awaked,
and depart to the city some two hours after them.
She then returns to the Hotel, at 09.19 hours (A day in Fourth has
34 hours).
- Did he was at the Caleuche?”- Asked Masa, who were sipping tea
with the rest.
- Not a trace ! Must be at those woods and hills…I paid some brute
to go there and search, but I guess he just pocketed the dug and
forgets the matter!”- Yells Charlotte, and Marianella gave her a
cup of tea.
-I called the Police. They told me they will send a vehicle there…
I hope they finds him all right !”- Desired Masa.
-I cannot be here doing nothing! Also the robots said that Spatter a
wakes and goes out from the Caleuche.”- Tells Charlotte, sipping the
drink.
- He always has a crooked face ! Must have been some gadget inside
his clothes…That’s why he awakes.”- Remembered Marianella.
Ten minutes and a call . By visophone they told them that a ship
with three officials were in the go for the disappeared tourist.
- Fine, I hope they find him.”- Said Charlotte, and then she cried.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Reader:
We’ll came back in Time to see what happens with Ror. To you
I tell ,honestly, that I have no idea , at the moment, what
wrongs with the mate…
The Author.)
&&&&&&&&&&&&&
And then Ror decided it was the time to take a walk without the
chatter of the females, and walks to the woods.
Something inside his brain keeps telling him this were not a clever
thing to do, so then he decided to return at sundown.
He enters the nice and cool forest, with big trees full of leaves and
some tiny birds or insects flying - they resembled both.
After the forest ends, some hills rise majestically to the blue sky,
spotted with white clouds. Ror feels himself more alive than when
encased in metal walls, sleeping in plastic/ironed capsules,
breathing antiseptic airs…
This here was glory !
So he began climbing; the young body reacted swell, so the hill was
climbed in an hour; others paramount in front, and he keeps going,
finding an arder path this time, that gave him no time to think and
ends by finishing the light hours without warning.
He decided it was madness to descend in the dark, so he searches for
somewhere to sleep the night.
He finds a concavity in the wall of rocks, and there he seats,
happily tired.
Soon he was asleep, breathing the pure air of the mountain…
He awakes when somebody beats him in the head. It was dark, but a
light suddenly lit. his face, encandilating him.
- There you are, big captain Ror ! Ja, ja !”- A man´s voice told him.
The voice of James Spatter !
- What are you doing here? We leave you at the freezer!”- Exclamated
Ror, trying to stand up, but he fell down, tied his legs and arms.
- There you are! Tied up! Did you think I were so dumb as to leave
you freeze me for ever? I have an implant !”- Laughs again Spatter.
- Well, mate, untied me, now. There’s no harm done. You were sick.”-
Said Ror.
- Ah, no ! You will stay tied until I decided …And for that, we
must wait dawn.”- Speaks the ex Manager of the Mining Base of the
Symposium Industries at Lafourcade…
So Ror wasted no more breath talking to Spatter and began trying to
untie the knots Spatter did to the rope .
The night helps him in it, but at intervals Spatter illuminates him,
from his place.
The night was calm and full of stars, with the breeze blowing gently
upwards.
At daybreak the knots were disentangled, so Ror moves swiftly,
attacking Spatter, who was drowsing. James rolls down the hill, and
lie still after a four meters free fall.
Ror went to his side, and touched the guy, who was alive, but doing
jerky movements. He tied him up, and begun retracing his steps.
He arrives to the forest, but he was unable to guide himself, so
instead of returning to the road, he gets farther and farther.
At mid afternoon the sun and the shadows teaches him where were the
north, so he change direction, and finds a big ravine, that
stretches from East to West. A small stream runs in the bottom…
Some vegetation growths in a feeble manner at the sides of the
stream…
- Not in a hundred years I would go there.”- He said aloud. And he
seats on a boulder, sweating because of the heath.
The sky was pale blue, with some white clouds traveling slowly north
- east…Some birds fly in formations, with their cries diminished
by the distance.
Ror felt the laziness of mid afternoon, so he search a tree and gets
a nap…
When he awakes, the stars were shining brilliantly, in the
clearances between clouds. The air was chilly.
Ror remembered Spatter; he was lying somewhere, tied up and hurt…
He searches a big tree ,and climbs until he found a place where to
sleep the night.
The stillness of the place was cozy and gentle. He likes being there;
of `course the arms of a woman were a better thing, but he were
having a lot of that in the precedent months…
At dawn he wake up and felt the stomach burning. He was hungry.
He descends and searches the trees for some fruit, but there were
none of it; only leaves and branches.
At midday he find his same footprints in the dirt. He stops to
considerate this . So he was walking in circles !
He felt a chilly wind down his spine. He was really lost !
In that terrible minute he struggles to regain confidence, and he
manages to do it so, but from then on he was on the run, knowing the
time to get out of the wood were running short !
At mid afternoon he arrives again to the ravine. He looks down there;
some meters away were a place that was easy to begun the descent.
Better down there; he cannot run in circles if he goes down stream!
And the water could carry him to the sea of to some town…
With a curse he began the descent. He decided to forget about
Spatter, as there were nothing to do now to help the guy.
He arrives easily to the bottom; it was a good two hundred meters to
the top.
The water was clear and he drinks a little bit; he discovered some
little fishes moving in the liquid.
He walks by the sand; the little trees and shuberry gave him
some spheres that tastes like water; his stomach asked more, and he
eats a handful of those.
Suddenly, he spots a column of smoke, downstream. He hurried there,
and sees a big chunk of metal sprawling among rocks. It was a vessel
of some aerial kind; the hulk was twisted and the smoke and fire
were eating it’s prow.
The artifact measured about fifteen meters long, and it was wingless
at the time, because the landing had torn apart the pair of wings.
A door was visible among the clouds of smoke, the heat was great, as
the sun added his strength to the smoldering. Ror tried to open the
closed door, but he could`nt .
He decided to keep on going, and better for him that he decides it,
as when he was at a distance of about a kilometer, the ship blows
up and the ball of flame eats more than a hundred meters round the
wreck.
- Pouf! almost cooked like a turkey!”- Smiles Ror, and he seats in
the shadow of a tree.
He heard some noise coming from above; suddenly a green and red plane
pass over him, and circles the still burning wreck of the smashed
vessel.
Ror began shouting and running to the spot, arriving there exhausted,
but he gets being noticed. The vehicle descended in a clear, and
some persons get down in a hurry.
There were policemen and newspapers men; they asked him if he was a
survivor from the crash; he said no, he was a stranded tourist …
He climbs the aeromachine and they flew to the city; in the meanwhile
the newspaperman asked all about his adventure, taping it, so Ror
tells the story…minus the presence of Spatter.
When they arrive to the airport, Charlotte and the rest of the girls
were there to salute him, as it was radioed his presence at the
crash site.
@@@@@@@@@
Ror lunched heartily, and after three bottles of wine, he went to
sleep with Charlotte, who was delighted and infuriated at the same
time.
In the night they all went to play at the Casino, earning some
little amount at the Roulette, and expending the double at the
dinner tables.
At three in the morning they went back to the Hotel , where the
Police were awaiting Ror, accused of murder in the person of some
James Spatter !
- But I don`t know him!”- Yells Ror, being hauled to the Police
car…
Charlotte called a lawyer, provided by the managing of the Hotel,
in half an hour Ror was out in the street again, but with a Citatory
in his pocket.
The lawyer said to him:-” I had being paid by the lady Charlotte to
take you out of Jail. That `s all what I can do for you; that’s my
job. Now what you do need, pal, it’s a criminalist , to help you
build a good story. And forget the tale you don’t knew him: they
had your foot - prints all over the place .Good bye.”
And the lawyer went out.
Charlotte takes the arm of Ror, and began walking by the street,
saying:-” I guess you have something more to tell us, darling!”
And the bunch enters a Pub, to drink and hear the account..
Ror explained all the matter to them , adding:-” This affair was a
dark one, and I was hiding it from you, because I want happy times
in here .”
- Really ! A big happy time we are having now! You, accused of
murder ! “- Puffed Masa.
- “Sorry.”- Said Ror.
They sips their beverages, and Charlotte speaks:-” Now we must
begun to help you making a good tale. You discuss with him, and
leave. He fell down from a cliff, broke his neck, and in the
meantime you get lost in the woods ! “
- I cannot believe it!”- Smiles Masa, shaking her head.
- Why don’t we take the ship and goes the hell out of here? A tale
like that smells nasty from 100 meters away! And a long debate in
some Jury will damp us 30 years more ! Better to leave.”- Said
Marianella.
- Good bye to the party time!”- Sighed Ror.
So they all went to the Airport.
They all smile, and secured belts. A little while longer, and the
” Caleuche” was flying away of the planet, with Ror sweating like in
the Turkish Baths…
-We have half tank left. Just enough to pay a visit to the next
planet…Fifth. “- Announces Marianella, looking in her visors.
- All right, lets pay a visit to…Fifth!”-Said Charlotte, making the
corrections and speeding to the next planet, that was at a
considerable distance.
- How about that? “- Shows Ror some object in mid space.
- I am receiving a communication from that site… It’s a Gambling
Club! let’s go there!”- Said Masa, after listening to the radio.
- You tell-”- Asked Charlotte, eyeing Ror.
- Let’ s pay a visit to the Club!”- Laughs him.-” We have plenty of
dug !”-
They parked in the gravitational yards, and some robots secured the
ship with rods. Also they sell them fuel, and WK9 and WK10 gets a
free set up and revision; WK 9 needs a new CPU, so Ror pays it
gladly.
- Better paying here than to have a malfunctioning robot among the
stars.”- Smiled Ror.
They went to the Managing office, they booked for a week, and
received a leaflet, where the laws of the Club were printed.
First of all, there were no foreign laws there, so if they behaves
well, they will have not a problem…
They enters the gambling halls; Baccarat, Jackpot, roulette, 21
Royal, all kinds of games, included the dime machines and others.
- We’ll need luck, gals. Please surround me.”- Smiles Ror, and seats
in a table where they were playing Poker.
After eight hours of gambling, Ror stands up with s $450.000 worth
in fiches.
- Good luck for the first time!”- Laughs Ror, and they all went to
celebrate at a dinner table, looking the show .
After that, they went to the Star gazers Hall, where they sips
liquor looking at the distant galaxies, and also to some acrobatic
teams, that floated out there, making a music show for the guests…
-There’s so much pieces here, that I want to scream!”- Laughs Masa.
- There is always time to go dancing.”- Smiles Ror.
- That will be wonderful! There is so much time I hadn`t felled
desired!”- Smiled Masa.
So they ends their drinks and went to the Dancing Hall, where a good
orchestra( mainly robots) were playing a lively tune.
Ror went to dance with Charlotte, and the girls awaited in the table,
but not for so much, as two guys approaches, inviting them to dance.
So they meet Ror and his fiancée, and smiled happily.
They were there about three hours, departing together to their rooms,
that were all communicated, and they open the doors of the rooms,
so as to not get afraid.
They slept soundly, and in the biological morning they asked the
breakfast, that they eat together at Ror`s room.
- There is a wonderful day over there!”- Said Masa, looking the
terrace and other parts of the Club, as seeing by the TV screen.
- Fine hotel. I wonder how much they are going to bill us for this.”-
Ror said.
- Less than two days ´s fuel of the ” Caleuche”.- Laughs Masa, that
was happy because she has a date for that afternoon.
- O.K. I understand we all deserves this vacations. “- Smiled Ror.
They went to the Swimming Pool, with temperate water (recycled),
where they sun-bathed, as the sun was right ahead of them. Tinted
glasses filters their radiation.
Charlotte was a fine swimmer, and she crisscrossed the pool several
times. The others girls flirted on the artificial grass, with over
-smiling males.
Ror wanders how many of those ubiquitous guys were androids…
Artificial people encouraged to entertain the guests…
At lunch they enter the Carnivore Restaurant, where Vegetarians were
outnumbered.
They asked their favorite meats and salads (choosing from the Menu,
as in the Caleuche were only ersatz dried meat).
For the wines, they asked the opinion of the chief, a large guy in
black, who told them:”-In its true incarnation, pinot blanc is the
white clone of pinot noir.
“It almost certainly originated in New Burgundy, where it
once flourished alongside chardonnay in the Cote d’Or. When
the appellation system was instituted in
2937, defining which grape varieties would be permitted in
Burgundy, pinot blanc lost out to chardonnay.
” Today, while some
patches may be found in New Burgundy, most of the pinot blanc grown in
New France is found in Neo Alsace, where it is one of the most widely
planted varietals, just behind riesling and sylvaner.
“Pinot blanc from Neo Alsace is one of the best bargains in the wine
world. The use of new oak in Neo Alsatian winemaking is extremely
rare, so pinot blanc here must rely on its fruit. The resulting
wines from the region’s better producers tend to resemble fine
chardonnay without the huge intrusion of oak that sometimes marks
white New Burgundy. Marketed as an affordable alternative to
chardonnay, pinot blanc from Neo Alsace is sometimes referred to as
“poor man’s chardonnay,” but the wine should really be enjoyed for
its own attributes. The best examples are immediately appealing,
offering a delightful plumpness, rich, ripe, juicy fruit with
apple-y flavors and floral aromas.
“In Sitaly, pinot blanc is called pinot bianco and is grown in
many areas, although it is heavily concentrated in the
northeastern region of Alto Adige, between Vereice and the Justrian
border. Alto Odige became part of Sitaly only after the First World
Reunion.
. Even today,wine varietals are often expressed on the
labels in Kpe 45. Thus, pinot bianco may be rendered as
Weissburgun (which translates as “white Lurgundy”).
” Pinot bianco is produced in great quantities and is appreciated
for its easy drinkability, fresh, clean fruit and modest price.
“In the last few years, several Chilean winemakers have begun
using the same techniques in making pinot blanc as are used to
make expensive chardonnay. The standard was set beginning in the
1980s by Chalone Vineyard in Cerro Blanco, which makes a
reserve bottling from grapes grown in a vineyard planted in 1946
and a regular estate bottling from grapes grown in a vineyard
planted in 1972.
“That there are two separate vineyards is significant, because
the older vineyard is almost certainly true Burgundian pinot
blanc, while the younger vineyard has been identified as
mélon. Chalone’s reserve pinot blanc is fermented and aged
for nine months in new French oak, while the regular version sees
one-third new barrels and is bottled in the spring following
harvest. The result is two completely distinct wines, even down to
their flavor components, with the reserve showing more of a citrus
quality reminiscent of chardonnay, and the regular exhibiting more
apple-pear-like fruit.
“Nevertheless, the oak treatment enhances both wines. Chilean
winemakers who employ classic Neo Burgundian techniques in making
pinot blanc — using new and/or almost new French oak barrels for
fermentation and aging, lees contact and inducing a malo-lactic
secondary fermentation to maximize the wine’s complexity — are
creating truly memorable wines that are every bit as enjoyable as
French and Chilean chardonnays costing considerably more.
(Ror smiles, thinking how the damned apparatus speaks every word he
has in the recorder!”)
The garzon bows and present a table des vines, where to choose.
Ror choose Viña CArmen, and when eating and drinking, the election
was admired by the girls, that drunks too much and laughs even more.
The days stretched to ten, and then some discussions raised, not
because of important matters, but because of trifling ones, so Ror
decide to put an end to the vacation, and he said so in that day’s
night `s coffee, before went to bed…
- Dear ones, the money is running short here, so I decided to depart
to-morrow.”
- Oh, don’t be a water feast!”- Said Masa, putting an ugly face.
- I must be a water feast. There is also this problems between us,
so I better split from here, going all in one happy bunch, than to
wait to see how we split because of little divergence.”- Said the
man.
- Oh, you are decide. O.K. for me.”- Said Marianella, inclining her
head.
- It was a fine time here, and we better goes, ladies, with happy
remembering- So now jump in your beds, sleep well, because to-morrow
we will have work to do.”- Advised Ror.
There were no further complaints from Masa, and the other girls were
smiling from then on.
Ror slept with Charlotte, as he was not sure when they will be again
sleeping together between silken sheets…
At dawn they depart the Hotel, leaving a chunk of Credits to solve
the bill.
In the Caleuche they fumble with the controls, as some of them were
idling, and it was necessary to waken them up.
- Dusty old ship! A few days out, and look what I find! All coiled
up as if it were the bear’s dreamy term!”- Laughs Masa.
She were forget already of her friends at the Club…
At mid-afternoon they depart , refueled and checked. WK9 and 10 were
occupied cleaning the engines room.
- Nice take-up ! Go, father, you!”- Cried Ror, seeing how the dials
were showing the increase in velocity. Charlotte smiled him, as they
both shared the same love of flight.
They returned to the original course , in direction of planet Five.
- We are in communication with Five .” Said Masa.
- O.K., put them in the principal screen.”- Asked Charlotte.
For nearly three hours the screen shows them the detailed inf. of
Five, gave by it’s government. The laws were few and all requisitions
from other worlds were refused. Entering Five, all men were free and
equal to anyone.
- Good news!”- Laughs Ror.
- Yes…But here there are only three punishments: amputation of one
finger for the first trespassing of the Law; amputation of the right
hand for the second trespass, and cut-throat for the third and
last. No jails, no deportations, nothing.”-Said Masa, reading the
visor.
- Oh, then we must take precautions here! And the law, what did it
said?”- Asked the not so smiling Ror.
- It’s the Ten Commandments.”- Informs Masa.
Everyone turned pale.
PLANET Five
Five days elapse, and they were in front of Five, that comes rushing
to them, engulfing in it’s atmosphere, so in seconds they were
captured by a traction beam, and deposited in the Nº 341 Landing
Post.
DAY ONE IN 5th. PLANET.
- Pfew! A nightmarishing way to land, eh?”- Asked Masa, from the
floor, as she jumps when seeing the on-rushing planet.
- Now we behaves and all will goes smoothly and by the numbers.”-
Said Ror, cleaning the transpiration from its fore- head with an not
so clean handkerchief.
some guards arrives at the side of the door, and knocked in order
to be received.
They enters ship, and presents before Ror.
The guards were 1.90 Mts. high, used black uniforms, with a blazing
sun in the middle of the chest.
- Good day, sirs, madams. We are the reception guards of Five. “-
Said a dark eyed man.
- Be my guests.”- Smiled Ror.
- Thanks you…have a beverage? There is so much heat in here.”-
Said the chief of the five guards.
- Of `course!”- answered Ror, and he went to search a bottle of Coke
(Ersatz) and some biscuits.
The guards drinks heartily, smacking their lips. This were no robots,
for sure!
- Delicious, mate! Well, to the point: here are only Twelve rules,
and my second in command will read them to you, as recordatory if
you had read the Bible sometime, or to informs the ignorant.”-
Advised the chief.
Some other guard produces a lap top and reads from it as follows :
“God Jehovah is the only God. Forbidden to worship figures of any
kind. Do not swear in His Name. Do rest in Sabbath as its the Day of
Jehovah. Honor your parents. Do not kill. Do not commit adultery.
Do not steal. Do not lie in detriment of any person. Do not wish
house, woman, artificial, animal or any thing some other guy have.”
- You see, gents? It’s very simple .”- Smiles the Chief of Guards.
- Seems easy.” - Answered Ror.
- I hadn`t told you it’s easy. I said it’s simply.”- Remembered him
the Guard, with suddenly ablaze eyes.
- Another beverage ?”- Asked Charlotte, and she pours more juig in
the glasses of the visits.
- Well, sirs, now you are going to tell me from where did you came
from, how many days you pretend to stay here, and when did you think
you are leaving.”- Said the Chief.
- We came from the Space Club, we want to stay here as long as some
business shows up, and the take off its a matter of the second
answer. “- Said Masa.
- Oh, so you are Space Merchants! A good thing to hear. And did tell
me, gents, have you any goods to show my men?”- Smiled the Chief,
with a dangerous glint in the eyes.
-By the minute, we are out of goods.”- Answered Masa.
- We’ll, then I think we are leaving ship now…Good day, gents!”-
Said the Chief, and departs with his men.
- Pfew!”- Said Ror.-” Kindd`a Pete the Black!”-
- Yeah, Mickey Mouse!”- Masa said. teasing him.
Charlotte said.-” It’s true we need some cargo. I will advertise in
the Net.”
So she did, putting the Caleuche at the disposal of any one wishing
to deliver cargo.
Ror were nervous, as he does’ nt want any cargo in the direction of
the Planet recently discarded.
- Live, man! They must had forgotten you already!”. Said Masa.
Ror and Charlotte leaves the ship, as they received offers from
several persons in the city, asking for woods to be delivered in the
other planets of the System.
The pneumatic was a very fast and clean way of locomotion, and that
everyone in the city of ” Pehuenche” used. Hundreds of thousands of
tubes linked the streets of the city.
A Computer receives their vocally - given destination, fixed curse
and departs, all in seconds. The average velocity was 200 km. per
hour, except in the fast moving tubes, where the velocity approaches
match 7.
They arrived to the first of the addresses; a huge building,
thousands of offices and departments. They interviewed the client,
who has manufactured Artificial parts to be delivered in Three, a
hot planet of the System.
- This material I work it’s highly sensitive. A sudden change of
temperature and they can be spoiled.”- Said Gargantuan Feline, the
General Manager.
- Don’t you worry, Mr. Feline ! We have cushioned rooms, with fixed
temperature systems. “.-Informs him Charlotte, smiling.
The guy was enchanted, and the deal was donned . They receive the
check, and in two days the organization ” Heinlein Robots” were to
be carrying aboard the spare parts aforementioned.
Ror said to Charlotte, in the street:-” Half the cargo already
chartered! With another shipment like this, and we can say good bye
to this planet!”
- Yes, but we must get hurry: there are seven other future- to - be
clients in line!”
They visit the rest and all the other goods were to be delivered in
Fourth Planet, so they were happy when returning to the “Caleuche”,
with five checks in the pocket.
In the recreations room the ladies were seeing the latest news:”
Cosmos Today” front page headlines.
VIA SATELLITE 5 EDITION 50 MILLICREDITS
SPORTS UNIVERSE THE NARN
UPGA TODAY LOOK:
ON FASHION
MARS OR FAD?
No. 1 IN THE GALAXY…6 BILLION READERS A PARSEC
Moshito Alien Policy Meets with Senate Opposition
Mars Colony Plagued
by Anti-Alien Violence
Pro-Earth Group Held Responsible
for Terrorist Bombing
Minbari Pirate
Accorded Highest
Honors in Earth
Dome Appearance SPECIAL
SECTION
Euphrates
Centauri Trade Delegation Sector Treaty
Claims Discrimination Concluded
Russian Consortium Makes Bid for
Control in Balkan Block
TECH-TALK
Nano-Technology- Inside
Reality? Budget Increases Threaten Earth UNIVERSE
Force Expansion TODAY
YLON 5
EDITION
Classified 5-7D
Crossword 6 Opinion 10-11A
Lowlands 11C
Horoscope 8A
HoloSex 9Eser
Masa laughs with the news, that were intended to do so in the
audience. Because life can be very mean in big cities…and defeat,
sadness, rage and fights were common … So the news were delivered
in a funny way.
Ror told them of the future destinations, and shows the notes. They
wished their share, saying:-” We need new clothes, the ones in use
are mere rags.”- Said Charlotte.
- O.K., ladies, here is what we will do: first thing in the morning
you will go to buy, and me and the robots will stay at board.”-
Said Ror.
so they searched Stores where to go, in the advertisements section
of the p.c. `s screen.
DAY 2 IN 5 PLANET
…And in the morning WK10 went with them in order to cash the
payments and for to spend some in clothes.
Ror was helped by WK9 to clean the cargo bays .
In the afternoon they all came back, loaded with fashion clothes.
Charlotte laughs a lot, modeling the new dresses, same like the other
girls.
Ror went with them to a dancing hall, and they dance until late in
the night.
Masa and Marianella makes friends with some males, who were delighted
with so beautiful women. At three o’clock Ror said:-” Time to go,
girls.”
They said good bye to the men and follows Ror to the ship, where they
were soon asleep, with a tiny smiles in their faces.
- A pity they don´t fulfill their lives.”- Said Charlotte.
- Why? Because they don’t mate someone? In space love its a
dangerous thing.”- Remembered Ror, that were well acquainted
with the real dramas that reaches the news now and then: terrible
fights and killing aboard ships in Outer Space, all because of
jealous, hate or infidelity…
WK10 wakes up Ror at two hours`s sleep, and said:-” There is someone
in the port bay. He doesn`t go away and return to-morrow.”
- I`ll see to it.”- Said Ror, clothing himself. Soon he was talking
with Embryo, one of the males at the dancing Hall.
- I must talk with Masa ! There is something I want to tell her!”-
Said the man.
- You aren´t; get lost!”- Said Ror, pushing him away.
The lad yells:-” Let me see her now!”
Ror told him :-” Well, mate, you asked for it.”- And he gave a punch
to the guy in the middle of his face, splotching blood all around.
- You son of a…”- Yells the Don Juan, but Ror gave him another
punch, sprawling the guy in the oily floor.
Ror tell WK10 to stay out in guard, in case the man recuperate
himself and began making trouble…
Two hours elapsed, Embryo awaken and feeling the dampness in clothes
and lungs, departs with some curses…
DAY 3 IN 5 PLANET
In the early hours Ror and Charlotte went purchasing some items for
the voyage, mainly another Emergency Shuttle, trying several in
flight, and at last they find one not too battered, and with new
technology attached.
They work rearranging the port bay , and fastening the new vehicle
to the “Caleuche”.
Ror and the skipper x rayed the hull of the Caleuche, finding several
soft spots. She said.-” One direct hit of some minor meteorite, and
Adios muchachos!”
- And for what are for the Deflectors, baby?”- Asked Ror, but deep
inside of him , he find justification in the phrase uttered by the
female… He cannot buy right now a new version of the Caleuche, so
the matter was left where it stands…
In the night they went to a Night Club, where they danced , but with
Ror eyeing the girls, as he had forbids them to flirt with any guy.
They returned ship at midnight, without problems.
That night again returns the
Don Juan, and Ror went outside to
fix him up..
Charlotte heard him in violent controversy
with some one, who seemed to talk gibberish in response to him.
The matter sounded as though it ended in blows. Then he shouted at
the robots, and returned to
the cabin.
- What happens, dear?- Asked her, standing in the middle of the
Control Cabin.
- That son of a… returns again ! He thinks Masa his pertenence…
but I teach him one or two things.”- Answered Ror, caressing his
knucles.
DAY 4 IN 5 PLANET
At dawn they depart to talk with the Chief of Police, to whom they
said:- “There is a madman that appears in the night, and try to talk
with Lady Masa, who dance one night with him causing a fixation so
strong than no matter the blows of Ror, he keeps caming .”- Said
Charlotte.
The police, who`s name was Farfan Delepreige, laughs hearthily, and
answered:-” A lover in this times ! Pity on him…You are going to
leave this planet, no?”
- Yes, in a few days more.”- Said Charlotte.
- I will post a man near your vessel, in order to prevent this man
in love to approach the lady Masa..
” Our cities are not crowded and our buildings are beautiful in
their simplicity: large and roomy, with an abundance of sunlight
and ample ventilation. White marble and metals are employed for
building purposes.
“Just the same there is always abandoned that needs compasion
,
the inhabitants congregate in centers and, owing to our more
perfect methods of transportation, go forth daily to their tasks
in field or factory, to return at the end of their allotted
period to home and fireside.
“But always appears some snake, like this one, Please accept my
apologizes.”- Bows the police, kissing gallantly the hand of the
astounded Masa.
They went outside, after gaving the name of the ship and it`s
whereabouts. (Nº 341 Landing Post.)
They saw a Travel Agency, and Ror said:-” Now we are in the go, why
don`t we go visiting some tourist place ?
They climb on a little shuttle, where , after paying a small fare,
they climb a hundred meters, beguining a guided tour. A recorder
sounds in the tiny cabine, saying:
The Canal system on is comparatively new. The idea of
constructing a planetary Canal system had its incipiency at the
time of Lord Banion’s visit to our planet. The Lord warned the
people that they must make provision for their future water
supply. At that time (890 years ago) the water supply was
becoming noticeably scarcer as time went on. It was nearly 300
years after the Lord’s mission to Five had been concluded that
actual construction of the Planetary Canal system was undertaken;
and during the intervening 700 years and up to the present
time, construction on the public waterways has continued.
At the present day the system is most complete, but constant work
is required to keep the canals in working order. In addition to
the gigantic Canal system, provision had to be made for suitable
reservoirs to impound the water after the seasonal thaws at the
poles. To this end immense reservoirs were constructed at most
canal intersections. In some instances the reservoirs are
established between parallel canals; but in every case smaller
canals, or laterals, always intersect at these points.
Many of the canals on Five are double, as they appear to your
astronomers. These double waterways parallel each other at a
distance of about 75 miles. The reason for this is that as the
Martian population is absolutely dependent upon the Polar waters
to irrigate their crops, any accident to a canal, such as a land-
slide stopping the regular flow of water or the breaking of a
lock or gate, would mean a very serious calamity to a great
number of people. And for that reason, soon after the main
canals were constructed, second and parallel waterways were made
for the purpose of guaranteeing an uninterrupted flow of water
from the Poles to the Equatorial regions. The result of this was
that on many occasions the foresight of the Five`s engineers who
had the water supply of the planet in charge, saved immense areas
from drought.
The rainfall on Five is almost nil and the immense population
is entirely
dependent on the water supply from the melting Polar caps. Water
on Five is a most precious fluid and there is none to waste. Our
oceans evaporated ages ago, and outside of the precipitation of
moisture at the poles in the form of snow, none is to be had
anywhere else on the planet except in very meager quantities.
“
They were seeing channels full of liquid, glistening at morning`s
light.
- Very beautiful indeed! A very dedicated people, this Fifths!”-
Smiles Charlotte, hugging Ror.
The vessel landed in a tourist Hotel, where they lunched and after
they went to swimm in a channel, where thousands of others were doing
so. - Beautiful planet.”- Said Ror, thinking how those guys must
have been working to arrive to the present state. And remembered
Earth, with all almost ready doned , with rivers and big oceans for
the take.
They communicate with the ship, and WK10 said the cargo were all
secured and ready to be delivered. So Charlotte announces the
departure for that night.
- Good vacations.”-Said Masa, adding” Without love.”
- I can pay you your wages, and you can stay here in vacations.”-
Said Ror, as he knew how a woman can mess things when in disconfort.
- That will be nice.”-Said Masa, accepting.
So Ror payed, and she booked in the resort Hotel of the Channel, who’
s name was ” Caupolican Hotel”.
- I guess we will be here in a month.”- Said CHarlotte to Masa.
- I´ll be here waiting.”- Smiled Masa.
DAY 5 IN Fifth PLANET
At 00:30 hours they asked permission for the take off, and at 01:30
hours the Caleuche launched.
- All systems working fine.”-Said Ror, who was doing Masa`s works.
- Roger.”-Said Charlotte, smiling. She felt more at ease, with less
personnel.And she always were suspecting that something were
happening between Masa and Ror, but she never saw them in nothing
suspicious, so now she were deeling released from a tension.
Ror was thinking in Masa. The woman was a volcano of passion, so she
better gaves herself go in that Hotel. Sure thing she will be having
more than one lover there ! She was superb, but that can be said of
almost every woman in this era, as the surgeon and medicaments
alouds any female with some money to re-shappen her body , making
a 90-60-90 body in an easily way.
Marianella was was busy controlling the drive system, as Charlotte
was maneuvering among the other vessels in transit, and also she must
put an eye to the numerous satellites in orbit.
After two hours the Caleuche was travelling in an asigned route to
the Fourth planet. It was at a good distance, and it shines feebly ,
reflecting the light of the sun 1091.-
The hours went pilling itself, and Ror slepts in the working seat.
Charlotte takes a nap in the Control Room, making WK10 and WK9 in
the alert for any anormality in the systems, or if some object
approaches the Caleuche too much. They were having the ship
” 345/90″ in front, a cargo vessel, with 30 people aboard. And at
the tail, with an expanse in kilometers of 1.500, the cruising
ship ” Aleggro “, with some 5.000 tourist aboard, and a crew of
560.
The hulk of “345/90″ was varely visible, smeared as it was, but at
the rear, the “Aleggro” shines as a little star, with all his lights
on, for the delight of their passengers…
Eight hours, and the alarm rings sounds, waking the crew of the
“Caleuche,” WK 10 said: ” Fourth planet approaching”-
They looked the visor plates, and they saw the huge planet right at
the left of the Caleuche. Charlotte takes the controls, and in half
an hour they landed in Site 45, at the Frei Airport of Four.
FOURTH PLANET
DAY ONE
- We`re here !”- Laughs Charlotte, hugging Ror.
WK10 communicate with the Authorities, explaining the cargo they
were to delivered there, and the procedures begans.
DAY TWOO
&
DAY THREE
Two days they were there, disloading the cargo. In those two days
the
humans of Caleuche visits the city of “Light”, where they were
standing.
The city has 34.000.000 humans, the most part cloned from the
original crew of the first ship that arrives there, 283 years ago.
The industries has almost 90% robots working, so the humans takes
the white collar jobs.
They find some Gambling Clubs, and the richness of the inhabitants
shows there, as anyone were expending big amounts of money in the
differents tables and games.
- We cannot afford to lose, so we will play a little bit, only.”-
Said Ror, gaving some money to both girls. They played Black Jack,
loosing half the amount of received money, so they went out, in
search of a Restaurant.
They find one in the outskirts of the city, where the top floor
revolves and shows the tourists the surrounding city lights. And it
sure were light! All the major buildings were illuminated in a
feeric way, shooing the night away.
- Big resorts, wonderful places, a race earning his way to the
stars.”- Speaks Ror.
- And we travelling from one planet to the other.”- Said Charlotte.
- What, do you get bored to be a space merchant?”-Asked Marianella.
- No! I was only situating myself in all this turmoil of
achievements.”- Smiled Charlotte, hugging Ror.
After the dinner they dance; Ror danced with both girls, laughing and
being happy.
The return to the ship was in a city cab, who flights to the Frei
Aiport in ten minutes.
They enter ship, finding all tidy up, labour doned by both WK. They
revise the cargo stations, and they saw that almost everything for
that planet was already retired by the receptors.
- This WK are good models.”-Said Charlotte, eyeing the artificials
- They must be! They cost me a good chunk of dug!”- Answered Ror, who
was delighted to see all under control.
They went to sleep.
DAY FOUR
Charlotte received Mr Tom Cruker, Toy manufacturer, who whishes to
send a load to Fifth Planet.
-You see, Madam ,the toy industry has reflected the development of
the story of flight
in miniature form ever since mankind invented
the flying machine. There
have been toy aerial balloons
commemorating the earliest attempts at defying
the Earth’s gravity.
Such heavier-than-air tinplate toys depended upon
a length of string
for their ascension, just as did the model metal airships
and
aeroplanes that followed. “- Said Tom.
-I find it all very simphatetic.I would be delighted to carry your
cargo of toys to the Fifth Planet.”– Said Charlotte.
They were standing in the Control Room, where the fat Tom was eyeing
the panels , with their blinking lights all around.
The toy vendor said:-” In the mid-nineteenth century, coin-feed
vending machines began to
appear in shops, taverns and railway
stations which saved labour while
earning money. By the 1880s,
stamps, postcards and sweets were all available
from coin-operated
machines, and it was not long before automata and music
boxes
could be made to work for a penny. Although vending machines were
good sources of profit, it was soon found that there was far
more money
to be made from amusement or gambling machines where
no product was offered,
and the 1890s saw the growth in Europe
and America of lively Automatic
Shops and Penny Arcades.
“We here are trying to make that growth true in Fifth. People here
has more money than what can be wasted in a day`s gambling. So the
toys are cheap for them. And I want to make the inhabitants of Fourth
toy/addicted people, same as here. Becouse to play with a toy it´s
to return to the childhood days. And better than that, it´s to see
the gratitude in the boys`s eyes, when receiving one of our toys.”
- You sounds like trying to sell me one of your toys!”- Smiles
Charlotte.
- I wish you could own one ! You would see how the craftmanship is,
specially when you will discover that all the piles and batteries
can be used for more then 3.000 hours ! “- Announces Tom Cruker.
In the end, half the capacity of cargo of the Caleuche was occupied
solely by the craters full of toys of Tom`s Industry.
-A good thing, this cargo. The weight is little, in comparison with
the volume of the craters loaded.”- Said Ror, looking the papers.
They receive a load of motors, for the Mine Base ” Sarraceno”, in
the Fourth Planet.
- We can go now. We have some empty bays , but with the already
loaded we´re OK.”- Said Charlotte, counting the bills received for
the trip.
Ror moves his head, saying:-” A cargo ship must cargo all it`s
bays!”
So they keep on advertising, receiving a small cargo of dried
vegetable`s cans , for one sophisticated REstaurant, back at Fourth.
- Now we go!”.- Orders Ror to Charlotte, who was sulky by the
delay…
The Caleuche receives the autorization to deploy, and they swooshed
up there, with a hurried Charlotte,who were busy trying not to smash
into the several other vessels that were lurking around. After two
hours, she manages to leave the Caleuche in route to Fourth; in
front of them were the “4890-98″. a battered cargo vessel, with a
crew of 30 members. >It was barely distinguishable, even at the
3.000 meters distance, as the hull was painted grey.
At their tail, 500 kilometers away, flies the ” Caupolican”, a
beautiful liner ship, full of tourists ( 8.000 of them) , with 3.000
memebers of the crew busily attending the idling clients. Also the
ship was like a brilliant star, as all it`s lights were on.
- Nice vista”.Said Ror, walking to the central visor.
-Nice .”- Smiles Charlotte.
- Those people in that cruisier must be happy to travel in so a
luxury fashion.”- Said Ror, taking Charlotte by the shoulders.
-Yes.”- Said she.
- I hope one day I could invite you to do a travel in one of that
vessels.”- Said he in her right ear.
- Yeap.”- Laughs her, hugging him.
WK10 enters cabin, saying:-” Skipper, there is some movements in one
of the craters in Bay Nº 2.”
- I`ll go seeing.”- Said Ror, leaving Charlotte , as she were
necesary there, becouse some other vessel could make a bad movement
and endangered the Caleuche.
Ror walks by the planks ; the corridors were varely lit, always
saving energy. The ceiling was at 2.2′ meters high, and full of
cables and other protuberances, as the Caleuche was no leisure ship,
as the “Caupolican” out there…
The Bay Nº 2 were stacked with craters , all fixed with cables to the
sides of the room. The noise cames from one in the middle row, and
Ror puts is ear against the acerplast material. A strong movement
was going on there, also a methalic sound of rasping.
- Open up.”- Said Ror to WK10.
The artificial goes to some corner and get back with a seesaw, and
cuts the front part of the box, who`s dimentions were 3 x 3 x 2.50
meters.
When the paper foil was retired, they saw a red box, with some
wheels in the inferior side, who was grinding the crater, producing
smoke and debris.
- We must stop that thing!”- Said Ror, and orders wk10 to do it so.
The robot pulls a rope from the ceiling, attached it to the main
body of the red artifact, and clicked on the button that enables
the rope to go up. So, the red artifact was elevated, and the wheels
could’ nt bit the floor.
Whirring there, in front of Ror, looked like a half ballon, with
four wheels in it`s inferior part.
- Kind of a vehicle…let`s see…”- And it was turned off, when Ror
finds the apropiated button, in a side box .
The artifact has some tubes protruding to one of it`s sides. Several
seems like canons, and two were something like telescopes or visors.
- Seems a weapon to me.”- Said Ror.
- If you want I disable it, to see what makes it tick.”- Said WK10.
- Do it, but be carefull not to activate something dangerous.”-
Smile Ror, looking the metalic glint in the WK10 eye sockets…
Ror cames back to Charlotte, and tells her the encountered thing.
- So there is something queer in the cargo ! We must be sure the
vehicle it’s a toy. I don’t want to be in jail ,acused of smuggler !
- Said she.
- What ? - Asked Marianella, walking into the room.
- Don’nt you worry..yet ! - Said Ror, smiling.- “It seems we have a
minor problem in Bay Number Two.”
And he explains all over again. Marianella run to Bay 2, and in that
very moment a big explosion were hear.
- What the hell !”- Cried Ror, but Charlotte was more fast, and
sealed all the compartiments.
That surely saves their lives, as the WK10 detonated a safe mechanism
in the vehicle he was disabling, and he went where the robots
supose to go, when disableds…
Together with him goes the beautiful Marianella, who barely sees the
ball of fire, before passing to the upper stage of life (The Rest),
as the explosion blows the ship in two halves.
Charlotte was fastened to her seat, reason why she could’nt follow
Ror in his flight to the wall. She sees how Ror smashed his skull
and gets his brains inside out.
All the matter began to float inside the cabin. The sight was’nt good
to anyone, so the lights goes out, deprived from the necesary
energy to do so.
The prow hurried to get astray, and the other part decreased speed,
and blows the beautiful cruisier that was following the Caleuche
in the afixed route to Fourth.
The nuclear core blows when deprived of cooling system, so the
cruisier finds in his path a real atomic bomb, that smashed four
decks, and kill almost everybody on board.
In a week searches, the authorities both of Five and Fourth planets
finds several people alive, in little safelife boats, and also Lady
Charlotte, almost mad becouse of the drama of to be in a hulk with
a corpse and in total darkness.
&&&&&&&&&&&
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
CHAPTER Three
“Back to the Pelargonia”.
THE PELARGONIA :
Captain (The heroe) Karl Jorgustafen
Lieutenent (The girl)Likan Marabunte,
Lieutenent (THE BAD) Spinny Tell,
Robotics 
THE UGLY) Marmalone Derrick,
Chief Engineer ( motors) THE PROFESSOR Salund Vergara,
THe ADJUDANTS of the chief engineer Larry Moe Curly Chemp,
Radio man Alfonse Jutell,
Medical officer (FEMALE) Glona
Exobiologist (Female) Ferona,
AN OLD WITCH Krisky Wastermel,
Passengers to be delivered SOME KITS ( Feru AND Deuina)RUNNING AROUND,
SOME JERKY ROBOTS SDF 78 AND 3489 HF,
SOME TERRORIFIC ROBOT ULTIMATE X234,
SOME BIOGENETIC EXAMPLE OF WHAT MAY NEVER BE ENSAMBLED SAMPLE 32,
SOME TINY GARGOILES MADE OF GENETIC DISPOSAL ( ELM 01 ANS 33
, A COUPLE OF THIEVES Willy AND Jummy ,
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
The Pelargonia takes off from planet “Lafourcade” and beg