Hard Luck Hank Screw the Galaxy(46)

“Could it be coming out here for another reason? You said the telescopes saw stuff around here.”

She looked at me and seemed tired. Garm was never tired.

“Hank, there is no reason whatsoever for a ship of that size to be so far away from home. Out of the millions of ships the Navy has, they’ve got seven dreadnoughts.”





CHAPTER 16


I picked up some food at a corner joint and from there headed to Jyen and Jyonal’s apartment. I wondered if I should grab some kind of gift, but I didn’t want to contribute to them feeling at home. The sooner they left Belvaille, the better.

I buzzed the door and Jyen let me in.

“Hank!” she said, looking thrilled. She gave me a hug straightaway, wearing a robe that was obviously for lazing around the apartment. “We weren’t expecting you.”

“I figured we could do dinner, I brought some food,” I said.

“Let’s go out. We hardly ever leave. You know the station so well.”

“Uh, sure,” I said reluctantly.

“I’ll get changed and let Jyonal know.” She practically danced out of the room.

Left alone with three hot meals in my hands, I looked around the apartment. Much to my concern, it seemed even more domestic. Desks crammed next to couches next to tables next to chairs. Whether Jyonal had conjured them up or they had purchased them was unknown to me.

After a bit, Jyen returned wearing a low-cut blouse and skin-tight slacks. She had Jyonal in tow, who looked terrible. He could barely stand, the skin on his face was considerably darker, his hair had fallen out in patches, and he looked emaciated. He had seemed so healthy last time I saw him.

“Some days are worse than others,” she explained, seeing my expression.

I needed to take them to a place that was inconspicuous or where I didn’t know a lot of people. A low-class place might not be phased by Jyonal’s dubious eccentricities, but it also might have clientele with no manners. I could take them to some small restaurant in a business district, but then it would be obvious I was trying to hide. I didn’t feel it was wise to offend them.

I decided on Daavisim’s club. He was an old boss I had worked with long ago. Smart guy, mostly kept to himself. I wished I could work with him more because he had no drama, but because he had no drama, he never needed my help.

Jyen was absolutely tickled to be out. She was almost skipping down the street as we headed for the train. Jyonal was another story. He had yet to acknowledge my presence and only seemed to be following Jyen out of habit. I can safely say it troubled me having a mutant of his power scuffing his feet and wobbling along next to me.

I didn’t know the doormen at the restaurant, but it was clear they knew me, as they stopped talking when we approached and nodded in the way tough guys do on recognizing another tough guy. Jyonal was invisible to them. Jyen got more than an appreciative glance.

Inside, the place had been redone and it was all bright lights and open tables. It seemed mostly to be a dancing and drinking establishment now, with the tables occupied by working girls and guys.

I asked someone nearby by if they still served food here and he said he thought so.

“Let’s stay,” Jyen said, excited. “Even if they don’t have food we can have some drinks. You want a drink, Jyonal?”

“Yeah,” he said immediately, which was the first sound I’d heard him make all night.

I led them as far away from the main floor as possible and we got a small table in the corner.

A waitress came by and asked for our orders. I was thinking of the weakest alcoholic drinks to get everyone. I ordered a Fizzback, a weak girlie drink, and told Jyen it was really tasty in hopes she would order it too.

“Double Gofuse,” Jyonal slurred. It was one of the strongest mixed drinks there was. Jyen also ordered a Gofuse.

“The News said you’ve killed people before. What’s that like?” she asked inquisitively.

“Well, I’ve never killed anyone who wasn’t asking for it. Or, anyone I wasn’t paid to,” I amended after a moment. “I don’t go around shooting people. But some guys are just stupid. A lot of guys. If given the choice between backing down and living, or standing tall and dying, a lot will choose dying. Even though no one will remember what you did a month later.”

“Do you have a girlfriend?” she asked, those brilliant crystal eyes peering into mine. “Oh, I’m sorry, I don’t know how it is on Belvaille. And with your culture. Please tell me if I’m being rude.”

It felt odd talking like this in front of her brother, even though he was only slightly more active than a lamp.

“The station is a really small community, only like fifty thousand people here. So everyone knows everyone else’s business. You know.”