Eric Olafson, First Journeys (Vol 2)
Copyright© 2018 by Vanessa Ravencroft
Chapter 10: The Planet Austin
Arriving at Austin planet it became clear to me what an ultra-corp really was. The entire planet was owned by Enroe and it was a world with over 8 billion inhabitants. There were nine more planets and fourteen moons in the system and all were owned and developed by Enroe Corp. It was only one of many systems they controlled.
The spaceport we had touched down in was a Class A port and it was busy with dozens of capital ships landing and taking off at a constant pace.
The American Spirit no longer looked shiny and beautiful, she had scorch marks all over her and a gaping hole in the lower hull, Two of her ISAH pods were completely missing, a third was just a mass of black and twisted metal. Alex said she’d be repaired and look as good as new in a few weeks. Captain Letrah put her paw on my shoulder. “If they don’t make you a Captain, you can join us anytime.”
Alex smiled and nodded. “You can change your mind right now and I promise you the command of a ship in a few years.”
“I thank you both and if the Union Fleet thing doesn’t work out I might come back for that offer, but I’ve already signed up with them and I don’t like backing out on a commitment I made.”
The feline captain brushed her agile tail across my face. “I’m going to home to the Togar Empire to visit family. My ship is smashed up and she’ll be in dock for a while. You could come with me and I’ll show you the great golden tundra of Togr my home world and we could hunt grass beasts together.”
“I’d actually like that, but then I might end up invited to a Togar dinner party as the main course.”
“I’m a Togar female and it’s we who are the warriors of our world. You don’t want to be protected by a female is that it?”
I replied, “Of course not, Captain, but from what you told me about your world that’s all you would do, protect me. What kind of vacation would that be?”
“Alex here is protected by the Queen herself. He could sleep naked covered in bacon grease in the middle of High Togr and during the last day of seven-day fasting and no one would touch a hair on his body,” she said.
Alex laughed. “While this is probably true, I wouldn’t be brave enough to try. Besides I don’t think I’d want to sleep anywhere naked and covered in bacon grease.”
I said, “I’ll try to visit Togr one of these days with you Captain.”
“Call me Calia and I’ll hold you to that promise. Togar girls could show a Human male some things you would like very much.”
She whisked her tail across my cheek shook my hand and said, “You saved my ship and my life. I’ll never forget that.” Then she walked off and stepped on a slideway that carried her away.
Alex said, “She likes you and that means a lot. As you know Togar have a hard time liking others.”
“I’m honored I’m sure, but I think it’s my cue to say good-bye to you as well. I really need to get to Arsenal. I’ll go to Corri-Door and wait till it’s time. No more detours for me.”
He laughed. “I can understand that, knowing your recent adventures.” He handed me a data chip. “Here’s my personal card. You can call me anytime and direct. I won’t offer you any material rewards, because I think you would reject them but I offer you my friendship. I hope you’ll call just to say hello once in a while and if you need help you’ll call me too.”
“That’s the best thing you could have offered. I promise to call.”
“Well, there is a little more. As of today, you’re a Special Executive of Enroe Industries and it might come in handy. I have the Swift Tornado standing by to take you to Corri-Door anytime you want to leave, but how about some lunch before that? I know a great rib place in town.”
“I’m sure there’s time for that. And if you go back to Gore, can you send a poster and a T-shirt to a friend of mine?”
“If you give me your friend’s address I’ll make it happen right now.”
GalNet Entry: Narth
>>> The Narth are a Union member civilization and they occupy a planet around a type DX white dwarf star on the outermost regions of the A1 Outer arm of the M-0 galaxy in the Upward sector. The system is off limits to all space traffic and has no known Union installations. All traffic and communication ends at a deep space station just outside the heliopause of the star named Narth Gate.
No space ship, accidentally or intentionally, has ever managed to approach the star closer than one light year. Space travelers are apparently diverted and not able to navigate closer.
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