Chapter 3: The Dark Arrow

No one so much as knocked on his door and the passenger liner set down on Zendi right on schedule a week later. Solan had managed to get a haircut during the voyage, so it was now buzzed close to his head. He hadn’t shaved for the weeklong trip, but the facial hair he’d grown could at best be called stubble. The first thing he’d done after leaving the safety of his room had been to dispose of his Syndicate clothing. A quick walk to the nearest garbage chute took care of that. They were now vaporized with the rest of the ship’s trash. The rest of the week had been spent roaming the ship or surfing the infonet for anything that could be found on the Zendi people and the used starship market.

Solan waited in the entry hall with the handful of other passengers getting off on Zendi. The hatch opened and the dozen or so beings jockeyed for position in the exit line. Rather than be trampled by the herd, Solan drifted to the back of the line. A couple of others with bulky pieces of luggage had made the same decision. All three nodded to each other and settled in to wait their turn. The line moved quickly and soon he was out in the open air again.

He was immediately glad that he had bought the worfal jacket. The ship had landed in a port on the west coast of Zendi’s northernmost continent. It was also late autumn for the planet’s northern temperate zone. More than one disembarking passenger was hurrying to get indoors. Solan smiled and shook his head. This planet was a paradise compared to 43821. He deliberately took his time moving down the ramp to savor the feel of the world that would be his home for the foreseeable future. The air was crisp and clean. It carried an earthy smell mixed with the fumes from the surrounding spacecraft. There was also a hint of something he hadn’t smelled in years: tree sap. The port he’d landed in was positioned in a large forest clearing ten kilometers from the closest city. His reading had taught him that although the Zendi were a technologically advanced species, they still held a great respect for the natural world. Most of their cities were placed in fields or along rocky coasts. There were stiff penalties for anyone that attempted to develop the wrong area.

The wind pulled at his clothes as he walked to the terminal exit. There was a small group waiting for their ship to come in, but other than that the building was empty. There was nothing inside indicating any kind of planetary transportation system. He moved to the exit wondering if he would have to walk the ten kilometers to town.

Outside, there was a small parking area that dropped off into dense forest. The leaves were all either purple or brown in color, although only half were still on the trees. The trunks only had a few meters of space between them and there were no paths cut through. A few hover cars were parked in front of the building, aside from that it was deserted.

Guess I shouldn’t have waited so long. Everyone else managed to find a ride out of here.

On his third pass around the parking lot a beat-up hover car dropped through the opening in the canopy and landed in the middle of the open lot. The front door on the left side popped open and a young woman poked her head out. She turned and spotted Solan across the roof of her car.

She pointed at him and called, “You need a lift outta here?”

He nodded and while he was pushing his things over, she got out and opened the cargo hatch. As he got closer, he saw that she was wearing grey mechanics coveralls that were spotted with engine grease. Her dark hair was pulled back loosely in a ponytail. As she helped him load his crates, he noticed her face and hands were smeared with black as well.

“Sorry for being late. I usually get here on time with the other cabbies.” She brushed a loose strand of hair out of her eyes and rubbed another spot of grease on her forehead. “Had a little engine trouble on the way over here.”

“I never would have guessed.” He looked pointedly at her soiled uniform.

She looked down at herself and laughed. “Yeah, I guess it is a bit obvious.”

The cabbie struggled helping him lift the second crate.

“These boxes weight a ton. Are you a rock salesman or do you just travel around with dead bodies?”

“I’d rather not say. But it isn’t bodies or rocks.” If the Syndicate tracked him here it would be better if as few people as possible knew what he was carrying.

They loaded the second crate, and the young woman blew another bit of hair off her face. “Secretive type, huh? I like that.”

She closed the hatch and boldly looked him up and down.

Solan didn’t have a great deal of experience with women, and he was getting uncomfortable. “Aren’t you a little young?”

She gave him a throaty laugh, “I’m in my twenties, so I’m pretty sure I’m older than you are, little boy. Just because someone is small doesn’t mean they’re young. If that dolly’ll fold up, you can put it in the back seat. Otherwise, you’re gonna have to leave it here. Hope you don’t mind sitting up front with me.”

The brunette winked at him and got in on the driver’s side.

Solan folded up the dolly and was glad that he hadn’t put his foot in his mouth any further. He’d had her pegged for about sixteen. Her heart shaped face certainly looked young, and the top of her head would fit under his chin easily. He shrugged to himself and tossed his bag of clothes on the back seat. Better to make a bad judgement with a cab driver than with someone looking to shoot or arrest him. The hinges on the passenger door creaked when he opened it, but it locked and sealed itself like it was supposed to. “This thing isn’t gonna fall out of the sky, is it?”

The woman rolled her eyes and started the ignition sequence. “It’s never happened before. If you’re really scared, I’ll let you sit on my lap while I steer.”

Solan could feel his face going red. “No, that’s all right. I’m sure I’ll be fine over here.”

She gave him another appraising look, “Too bad. My name’s Xullii by the way.”

Solan tried to answer but the engine roared to life and drowned him out. Xullii pushed the throttle forward and the cab shot out above the treetops.

“What’s that you said?” She asked.

“I said my name is Solan. How come this landing field is so far out?” He could see ships coming and going from the city in the distance.

“The agency that runs that cruise line has a deal with the local transit authority. They build their ports way out in the sticks and sign a contract for exclusive transportation rights. The transit authority gets a little guaranteed income, and the agency gets a piece of the action. Everybody wins, except the unknowing traveler.” She turned the cab towards the city and increased speed.

Solan looked down at the forest underneath them. “It’s only ten kilometers. People could walk out.”

“True. But you’d have to get past the forest cats first. They blend right into the undergrowth. Most of them run about two hundred and fifty kilos. And if that’s not enough, their claws are poisonous. So, unless they don’t have anything planned for the rest of their lives, nobody walks.”

“What keeps them out of the landing field?” Solan held on as she swerved around a particularly tall tree.

“Sensors are posted all around the area that emit a high frequency pulse when anything gets too close. You got a destination in mind?” she asked.

“Anywhere I can find a place to stay and something to eat.”

Xullii’s brown eyes gleamed with mischief, “I know just the place for you.”

“Should I be nervous?” Solan was torn between imagining her taking him home with her or leaving him in a gutter.

“No. It’s a real nice place. You’ll like it.”

They circled the city a few times while Xullii pointed out places of interest such as parks, government buildings, and the city spaceport. He learned that its population was just over two million beings, most of which were involved in interstellar trade, legal and illegal. The city itself spread out along a rocky cliff above the sea. Shining alloy skyscrapers rose gracefully fifty stories into the air. Zendi architecture followed their respect for nature. Each building flowed out of the ground in smooth curves, straight lines being almost absent from the skyline. Intermixed with the taller structures were what was left of the old city. Silver domes on top of buildings made of green marble and rose quartz.

Solan was impressed by the city’s beauty. Even Callorna couldn’t compare to it. “Does this city have a name?”

“Roughly translated it means Gaze of the West or West Gaze. I can’t pronounce the Zendi name for it.”

“Will every city look like this?” He had a hard time imagining smugglers and other criminals working in this type of setting.

Xullii frowned before answering. “Not anymore. Most of them have gone over to the new design. Nothing but bright alloy and transpariplate as far as you can see. The palace in the capital over on the eastern continent is the only original building left in that city.”

“Why the change in style?” He’d been reading about Zendi for a week and nothing on the net had mentioned any of this.

“The Zendi wanted a modern look when their planet started getting more and more traffic from off-world. They wanted to be taken seriously in galactic commerce. It’s a shame too. The old cities used to blend right into the environment I hear. Most species aren’t comfortable with that though, so they changed to accommodate them and increase business. With the profits, they can ship materials in from other systems. Most of the population was ok with that because it meant they wouldn’t have to mine their own planet anymore and mess up the ecosystem.”

Solan looked across the seat at her. “You sound like you take this kinda personally. Are you half Zendi or something?”

“Not exactly. My father’s a biologist that specializes in exotic mammals. There’s a lot of species here that can’t be found anywhere else in the galaxy. It’s the perfect place to study for a guy like him. I guess his attitude rubbed off on me. He liked Zendi the way it used to be too.”

“Well take me to this mystery location and I’ll buy you dinner to forget about it.”

Xullii grinned and dropped them down to street level. “So, you aren’t immune to charm. I was starting to worry about myself. Here we are.”

They were stopped in front of a building close to the space docks.

Like every other building in that district, it was built from reinforced sandcrete, which was cheap and soundproof. Just set up a mold, pour in the slurry of sand and chemicals, and a day or two later you had a finished structure. It could block out the noise of passing ships and wouldn’t rattle to pieces like the more expensive skyscrapers in other parts of the city. The place they were parked near was clean, its windows were small but brightly lit. There was sign above the door with the establishment’s name in at least two dozen languages.

Solan looked at Xullii questioningly, “The Iron Fist?”

“The name is a joke on the U.S. congress. The owner was a political dissenter on some hardcore U.S. world. Rumor has it that they tried to kill him twice before he got the hint to pack his bags.” They both got out of the cab, which Xullii locked behind them. “He made it out here, opened the bar, and as long as he doesn’t go back there to hand out leaflets again, they’ll leave him alone. What’s wrong now?”

Solan had stopped walking and was looking at his feet. “I can’t go in there. I’m not old enough.”

Xullii crossed her ams and and stared him down. “This is the Fringe baby boy. Plan Sec isn’t going to barge in and ask to see your I.D. just for ordering a drink.”

She walked back to Solan and took him by the arm. “As long as you don’t burn the place to the ground, nobody will care what you do. Now come on, you owe me dinner.”

Night had fallen during their tour around the city and the air had gotten colder. Xullii opened the door to the Iron Fist, and the warmth spilling out onto the street was enough to convince him. The bar was half full, it only being early evening. Patrons from a dozen different species sat drinking and talking. It wasn’t what Solan had imagined a bar would look like. The Iron Fist was so clean it was almost sterile. There were no shadowy corners for private business to be done under the table. Booths lined both side walls with small square tables filling the space in between. The bar covered most of the back wall. Pictures of landmarks throughout the U.S. covered the walls. And displayed prominently behind the bar was a photo of the congress building on Nurato, the seat of the Unified Systems’ government.

A pair of drone servers moved from table to table, fulfilling orders. They balanced gyroscopically on their single wheels, weaving through the chairs. A tall, dark-skinned man with a salt and pepper goatee stood behind the bar making notes on a datapad. Light shined on multiple earrings when he looked up to see who had just come in.

“Well, Miss Xullii, where have you been lately?” He shook her hand when she pulled Solan up to the bar.

“Dad hasn’t been feeling well, so I’ve been busy taking care of him. How’ve you been?” She pretended not to notice that he washed his hands immediately after shaking hers.

“The same as usual. Keeping drunks from being thirsty and giving crooks a nice clean place to do business. I see you’re still bringing in strays. I must say, this one is much more handsome that the others though. How’re you doin’ tonight?” The bald man grinned lasciviously at Solan.

Xullii rolled her eyes and snapped her fingers at the bartender. “He’s way too young for you and also not on your team. Penja, meet Solan Darkner. Solan, this is Penja Billund, owner of the Iron Fist.”

Penja reached out his hand to shake Solan’s. “You never know Xu. Everyone needs to try new things.”

Solan didn’t know how to feel about Penja. He was certainly pleasant enough, and he was also the most flamboyantly dressed person he’d ever seen. His head was shaved smooth and there were several earrings in each of his ears. He was wearing a silk shirt that changed color as the light reflected off of it. His pants were a deep green but looked like they were made of the same material. Solan knew enough about clothing to realize that Penja’s outfit must have been specially made. He was willing to bet the boots the man had on cost more than all the clothes he had stashed out in Xu’s cab.

The looks Penja was giving him were unsettling, however. At least it gave him an idea what he had been protesting before he became a bartender. The U.S. was very intolerant towards what it labeled ‘unorthodox lifestyles’. Citizens were meant to fall into a certain category. Say and do all the right things so you can move up in life, and you’d be just fine. And don’t forget to pay your taxes. If you didn’t fit the mold, they would try their best to push you into it. Clearly Penja felt differently.

Xullii was sympathetic at least, “Don’t let him bother you. He does that to every guy I bring in here. For some reason he thinks it’s hilarious to hit on straight guys.”

Penja just laughed at the angry look she gave him. “It keeps the wrong sort of people out of my bar.”

Solan and Xullii sat down at the bar and Solan tried to relax. “Am I the wrong sort?”

“You didn’t run out of here or try to hit me, I guess you’re alright. Xu here thinks you’re worth the time, or she wouldn’t have brought you here. So, what can I get for you?”

Xullii answered before he could, “He’ll have a supernova and I’ll have whatever your most expensive dinner option is tonight, he’s buying.”

Penja called her order back to the kitchen and handed Solan a small glass of orange liquid. He smelled it but didn’t drink it right away. “What is it?”

A server brought Xu a plate with a dark yellow steak on it along with some root vegetables. “If you can drink that without makin’ a face you can drink hyperdrive coolant. It comes from Diroont.”

All Solan knew about Diroont was that it was part of a collective of worlds fifteen sectors further into Alien Space. The drink didn’t smell too strong, and it would be rude to refuse. He brought the glass up to his mouth and dropped his head back.

If anyone asked him what it would be like to taste fire, he would be able to describe it perfectly after taking that drink. As soon as it hit his tongue, his throat seized up. He managed to set the glass down before he started coughing too hard to sit still. The room started spinning and he found himself on the floor. After a moment or two the sensation passed, and he felt better. His eyes were watering, and he was still coughing a bit. Penja came around the bar to help him up and back onto his stool.

Penja looked reproachfully at Xu while patting him on the back. “I may have tried to shake him up a little, but at least I didn’t try to kill him. That was a nasty joke to play. I wouldn’t have served it to him if I knew he never had one before.”

Xu merely shrugged and bit into another piece of steak. “I didn’t expect him to try and drink the whole thing in one mouthful. Besides, he’s fine.”

Solan was indeed feeling like himself again. The coughing had stopped, and he could feel his throat as well. Xu rubbed his back and handed him a bite of her dinner. She kissed him on the cheek and grinned at him. “Welcome to the Fringe baby boy.”

He frowned at her and swallowed the steak, which was a little overdone for his taste. “What was that?”

Penja answered him, “It’s made form a fruit grown near Diroont’s north pole. The natives process alcohol through their systems a lot faster than humans do, so their drinks are quite a bit stronger. Any liquor exported to the U.S. is listed as a controlled substance. That glass you just drank could get you six months in a federal pen if you were caught with it.”

The glass he’d just set down was slightly smaller than his fist. “Six months for that?”

The bartender picked it up and set it in a sonic cleaner underneath the bar. The high frequency vibrations would have it clean in seconds. He filled another glass with something clear and set it in front of Solan.

He eyed it skeptically, “What’s in this one?”

“Water. I think you’ve had enough for one night. Just be glad you weren’t selling a supernova, that gets you two years.”

Solan inhaled sharply and choked on his water.
“That’s one of the reasons I’m out here and not back comfortably at home. The Congress likes to run too tight a ship for my taste. The Fringe is a lot more relaxed for the most part. Sure, each planet has its own restrictions, but nothing as all-encompassing as the Congress’s ruleset. As long as a man doesn’t cause an obscene amount of trouble, he’s free to live how he wants.”

Solan had had no idea things were so restrictive on his homeworld. When he had lived on Callorna he’d been too young to pay attention to laws and regulations. He remembered people being relatively happy, if not thrilled with the government. After he’d left with his father, the Syndicate’s code of conduct had mapped out how he was to do everything, so even if it wasn’t against the law, it would be against a company policy if it wasn’t geared towards raising profits. He sipped at his water in silence for a few minutes before Penja broke him out of his introspection.

“Enough of my complaining though. What brings you to Zendi, and more importantly, what brings you to the Fist?”

Solan hoped he could find out what he needed to know here. “First, I need a room for a few days. After that I need to find a good ship dealer. Xu said I might find at least a room here.”

Penja looked at Xullii who nodded. “You can have one of the rooms upstairs for a while if you want. Unless Xu has a space open for you...”

“No. I look terrible in the morning. I’d hate for him to see me like that.” More hair had come loose from her ponytail and her face was still streaked with grease.

“Alright then, what kind of ship are you looking for? My regulars have told me about a few places, but it depends on what you need.”

“I have no idea. Something like a small freighter that I can run on my own. Just doing freelance cargo runs.” He’d avoid becoming a smuggler if he could.

“There’s a guy over in the East End with a decent selection. He’s a Zendi, so as long as you ask the right questions, he won’t jerk you around.”

It was the best plan available. If it didn’t work out, he could just as easily set out on his own the next day. He was tired, so he asked to see the room he’d be staying in. Xullii offered to show him and to help with his things. After loading everything onto the dolly she led him up a staircase behind the bar. Once they were inside, she opened the second door on the right and stepped aside to let him go in. The room was set up much like the one on the starliner that had brought him to Zendi. A bed against the far wall with the closet and bathroom on either side. He pushed the cart with his belongings into the closet, then turned to look at his new friend.

“Why are you helping me?” It had been bothering him since she pulled him into the Iron Fist.

“Because you’re fun to mess with.” She walked in and hopped onto the bed.

“Seriously Xullii, why? You don’t even know me. And I’m sure I wouldn’t be in this room without your help.” He moved to stand by her, looking down at where she sprawled on the mattress.

“Don’t call me that. Everyone calls me Xu. You seem like a nice person, and I’ve always wanted a little brother. Be glad I decided to help, otherwise you’d be stuck in an overpriced hotel.” She got up from the bed and reached out to take Solan’s hand. “I’m not looking for anything from you except friendship. Can you handle that?”

Solan looked down at her hand and took it in his own.

“Good. Now get some sleep and I’ll pick you up tomorrow to go shopping.” Her smile let him know she was teasing him again. She let go of his hand and gave him a brief hug. “See you in the morning.”

Something kept poking Solan in the stomach. He’d fallen asleep only a minute after Xu had left. The bed was quite comfortable, plus there was no danger of uniformed men breaking in to arrest him for the first time in a week. There hadn’t been any lumps when he’d gone to sleep, but now something wouldn’t stop jabbing him in the stomach.

“Wake up! Coma patients don’t sleep this deeply. I’m missing work for this, so get your ass out of bed!”

Solan cracked one eye open to see Xu standing over him about to punch him in the stomach. “Wait, wait! I’m up, you don’t have to hit me anymore.”

She stepped back and lowered her fist reluctantly. She was dressed in another set of mechanics’ coveralls today. Blue this time, and she hadn’t managed to get any grease on them yet. “Good. Now get up or Penja’s gonna throw your breakfast in the trash.”

“I would if you’d go outside and wait.”

Xu smiled and started to lift up the blanket, “Why? Do Callornan boys have something that the rest of us humans don’t?”

“Go wait down by the bar and I’ll be there in a few minutes!”

“Fine. But if you need help putting your pants on let me know.” She winked at him over her shoulder at the door and then she was gone.

Twenty minutes later they were out on the street getting into her cab. Solan noticed that without the grime covering her face it was easier to tell how old she was. The coveralls she had on were a little tighter than the ones from the day before, making her figure more noticeable.

“Are you actually missing work? Because I can find the place on my own.” He felt bad wasting her time when she could just as easily be out making a living.

The cab lifted off and moved through the crowded city. She pulled away from the bar and swung them up into a stream of hovercars cruising over the tops of the buildings.

“No, that was a lie. There aren’t any flights in ‘till the day after tomorrow. Got you out of bed though.”