Chapter 37
‘Hmm.’ Mr Geiba mused as he tapped a pen against his clipboard. His eyes flicked over to Commander Reista. They did not look impressed. ‘Will you require more recruits from Astar to fill the vacant positions?’ Every word the man said was filled with contempt.
‘No, that’s not the issue.’ the Commander said, struggling to keep his voice calm. ‘We don’t have enough submarines. Sending more recruits is not necessary, Mr Geiba.’
‘I see.’ It was amazing how much a person could say with two words. And a perpetual scowl, coupled with a dismissive gaze. ‘I understood from the report sent to Astar, late,’ he hissed out that word, ‘that the Coastside submariners would no longer be able to protect the supply routes.’
‘Late was it? So sorry, Mr Geiba. The submariners can protect the supply routes. For the next two months the number of ships travelling those routes will decline. However the impact will be minimal on supplies. In two months the numbers will return to normal levels.’
‘Hmmm. I see. And perhaps, Commander Reista, if Astar had been notified prior to engagement with this… Molk, the mission would not have been so disastrous.’
‘Disastrous.’ Commander Reista stated. Bureaucrats! He thought. ‘What exactly do you think Astar could have done?’
Mr Geiba fixed the Commander with a sneer both condescending and contemptuous. He didn’t bother answering. Clearly, he thought it was obvious.
‘I will be conducting a review of the situation in Coastside for the Council of Astar, Commander. I suggest you don’t interfere.’
‘Certainly.’ The Commander answered calmly. Representatives from Astar came every few years to have a look around Coastside and report back to Astar. Though it had been nearly ten years since the last one, it wasn’t unusual. He remembered that man. He’d been more enamoured with the lovely, sun kissed beauties of Coastside than investigating Coastside. Well, perhaps that was investigating Coastside. Thinking how long ago that had been made him feel old. ‘Will you require a guide?’
Pity Azra hadn’t incurred any shore-leave requiring injuries in the Molk attack, the Commander thought. He’d dearly like to set her on this pompous little fool.
Mr Geiba was doing it again.
Vann almost expected to see his nose wrinkle.
Vann gazed back without expression. His grey eyes showed his anger at this man’s attitude, but the little man was too busy looking at him like he’d crawled out of a sewer to notice.
‘What are they wearing?’ the man demanded in outrage.
‘What are who wearing, sir?’ Vann asked pleasantly.
‘Those women! Behind you!’
Vann turned to look. ‘Clothes, sir. Do women in Astar not wear clothes?’
The man sucked in a breath, while Vann returned his look innocently.
‘What?’ his voice was so weak Vann hardly heard it.
‘Clothes, sir, the women are wearing clothes.’
‘Y-yes, but…’
Vann didn’t help the man out.
‘Ladies, you there, ladies!’ the man called. ‘Please, come here!’
The pair of young girls, a brunette and a blonde, glanced at Mr Geiba. When they saw Vann however they came over, blushing and giggling.
‘That!’ Mr Geiba pointed at the brunnette’s chest. ‘That!’
The girl covered her chest with her hands and glared at Mr Geiba. ‘What’s your problem?!’ she demanded.
Vann, personally, couldn’t see what the man could be upset about. The girls were dressed normally for a day out in the warm weather of Coastside. They couldn’t have been more than twelve or thirteen. The blonde had a knee length skirt and a sleeveless shirt. The brunette had shorts and a shirt with sleeves rolled up to her elbows.
‘Mr Geiba.’ Vann snapped. ‘Control yourself!’
Mr Geiba stared at Vann. ‘What? What? The thing around her neck! What’s she wearing?!’
The girl, confused, lowered her hands and held out her necklace. It was a small cone shell on a piece of string. She’d probably found it herself on the beach.
‘It’s a necklace, sir.’ Vann stated, his voice hard. ‘I’m sorry,’ he turned to the girls. ‘He’s from Astar.’
‘Oh!’ they said in understanding. The brunette smiled at him shyly as the blonde pulled her away.
‘What do you mean? Of course I’m from Astar? Why is she wearing a shell? It’s wasteful!’
Vann glared at Mr Geiba. ‘It takes a while to teach Astarians manners. Apparently they don’t have any in Astar.’ He walked off, not waiting for a response.
Vann had been ordered to show Mr Geiba around Coastside, so he did. Mr Geiba had a list of places he wanted to see. Where to buy food, clothes. Housing. Records. And so on. He’d asked for clarification, what sort of clothes shop do you want to see? Do you want restaurants or do you want to see the marketplace? Mr Geiba had given him a funny look at that and finally said he’d better see everything. Vann had already shown him around the Blocks. At least Mr Geiba hadn’t found too many problems there.
Vann didn’t allow Mr Geiba to catch up to him. He only stopped once they reached a dress shop. There were many in this section of the city. Perhaps Mr Geiba would get his fill here.
The shop had wide open windows filled with displays. There was a sign over the door with the name of the shop. The floor was carpeted in red.
When Mr Geiba entered he looked at the carpet as if it was trying to eat him.
Not long after they entered an energetic old man hurried out of a back room.
‘Oh! Welcome, welcome! How can I help you? Who are we shopping for today?’ He looked from Vann to Mr Geiba with a beaming smile on his round face.
Mr Geiba looked up at the man in a way that made it seem as though he was looking down. ‘What,’ he demanded, ‘is on your floor?’
‘It’s a carpet.’ Vann said testily. ‘And there’s nothing wrong with it. I’m sorry, please ignore Mr Geiba, he’s from Astar.’
‘Ah.’ The man said knowingly, his smile vanishing. ‘Well, I should show you around, Mr Geiba. I think you’ll find we have more options here than what you’re used to.’
Mr Geiba followed the man around the shop. He was giving him the same look he had given Vann. At that moment, Vann hated him. The shopkeeper had done nothing wrong, nothing to deserve such disrespect and contempt.
‘I can adjust any of the items you see here to fit you personally, sir. Fitted clothes look much better, you’ll find. If you would like some extra alterations made, we can do that too.’
‘Fitted.’ Mr Geiba said. ‘Why would you do that?’
‘You’ll see once you’ve worn clothes that have been tailored to fit you, sir. You’ll never go back, I can assure you.’
‘Wasteful.’
‘I think russet would suit you well, sir. I’ll show you some of our more simply cut items.’
They spent the rest of the day walking around clothing stores. Mr Geiba was no more polite to the people that worked there than he was to the first man.
Once it began getting dark Mr Geiba decided it was time to head back. The route back to the Blocks led them along the bay. Bureaucrats usually stayed in the Square though Mr Geiba had insisted, for whatever reason. Maybe he wanted to be close to the submariners?
‘What’s that?’ he demanded, pointing at the lights shining across the bay.
‘Dr Ralis’ house.’ Vann said stiffly, his gaze focussed on the water. It helped.
‘Why does he live all the way over there?’ Mr Geiba demanded.
‘I don’t know. The beach?’
‘The beach?’ Mr Geiba repeated. ‘Submariner Vann, you aren’t being very enlightening.’
Vann suppressed a sigh. ‘Dr Ralis lives in his villa over there with his daughter. They have a private beach which he pays submariners to patrol. His daughter likes blue and running people over. I’m told Dr Ralis prefers light beer. I’m afraid if you want to know more you’ll have to go over there and talk to Dr Ralis yourself.’
‘P-p-private beach?!’
The next day Mr Geiba insisted on continuing their inspection of clothing stores in Coastside. It seemed he wanted to go to every store in the city.
Altogether, it took them two days to visit every store.
Not all the stores offered tailoring services, still, the variety and colours found in those stores reduced Mr Geiba to an apoplectic rage.
The Commander looked over at Mr Geiba in amusement.
He was practically frothing at the mouth.
The Commander could only pick out a few words but he heard, ‘depraved’, ‘wasteful’, ‘rude’, ‘ignorant’ and lots of inarticulate screaming.
‘Are you having problems with Submariner Vann?’ The Commander asked pleasantly.
For a blissful moment Mr Geiba fell quiet. ‘He’s a depraved, benighted lout, an embarrassment to Coastside. He has no respect for anything. Why did you call me here, Commander, he’s supposed to be showing me around the market.’
‘I’m afraid Vann Hilyard has been reassigned.’
Mr Geiba was momentarily surprised. ‘Why?’
‘Oh, I’m afraid he was needed elsewhere.’ Mostly, the Commander thought Vann was going to take a lightning rod to Mr Geiba and throw him in the bay if he spent another second with him. Lart Reista had spent most of his life with the submariners, and knew many of them very well, particularly the orphans like Vann. Vann hadn’t said anything about Mr Geiba, but one look at his face was enough.
‘I hope you find Submariner Jeris more to your liking.’
‘Well, does he walk as fast as Officer Vann?’ Mr Geiba demanded. ‘Does he know his way around the city?’
‘Oh, I thought you didn’t like him.’
Mr Geiba gave the Commander a level look. ‘I can still appreciate competence, even if he has no other redeeming qualities.’
‘I was unaware Coastside had so many fish.’ Mr Geiba said, his mouth set in a thin line as he eyed the silvery mass on display at the market stall.
The fish markets were located near the docks. They were open stalls, with colourful banners erected above announcing wares and prices. Further back from the bay as you walked away from the fish stalls were other stalls. This was where many of the hobbyists sold their wares. You could find many of the items sold at the open air markets at regular, permanent shops, though the prices and quality were different.
‘Oh, yes, sir.’ Jeris said, his eyes wide. ‘We have lots of fish. Would you like some, sir? The Net is very good, sir, very affordable. If you’re feeling a bit more spendy then The Sea Captain or Leili are other options.’
‘No. Tell me, how are they priced?’
‘Oh, quite reasonably sir.’
Mr Geiba turned his stony gaze on Jeris. ‘I want numbers, Submariner. I want to know how the prices are staggered. I want to know how much fish come into Coastside.’
‘Oh.’ Jeris thought about that for a few moments. ‘I don’t know the numbers, sir. And the fish prices aren’t staggered.’
‘Aren’t staggered?!’ Mr Geiba’s voice started getting higher. ‘Aren’t staggered?!’
‘No, sir. Same price, however many you buy. Though I think you can get a discount if you buy lots, hmm… I guess they are staggered then!’
Mr Geiba started making choking sounds.
‘Is something wrong, sir?’
‘Oh, very wrong.’ he screeched. ‘I can’t tell you how wrong it is!’
‘Oh! Well, follow me sir!’ Jeris set off at a good clip, leading Mr Geiba through the labyrinth of stalls as easily as if he was following a map. ‘Is it a headache sir?’ he called back. ‘Or your stomach? Something else?’
As he followed the fishy stink faded.
They entered a different section of the market. Herbs were tied from stall roofs while jars and bottles and packets of stuff were arrayed on tables.
‘Stop!’ Mr Geiba commanded. ‘Submariner Jeris, get back here!’ He needed to know what all this merchandise was!
Jeris heeded Mr Geiba’s call and trotted back.
‘Yes, sir, what’s wrong? And please, call me Jeri, everyone does.’
‘I will not! Submariner Jeris, I want to know what all these things are!’
‘Oh, well, ok then.’ He walked over to the nearest stall, apparently unoffended by Mr Geiba’s reaction. He looked down at the mess on the counter. ‘I dunno what this is, sir.’
‘Surely the owner will know.’
‘Yes, but I wouldn’t trust him.’
Without waiting for a reply he continued onto the next stall. He zig-zagged from stall to stall, sometimes he’d point and say something. Mostly he’d just look and say, ‘No idea, sir.’
Finally though, they came to a stall he knew. He had a big smile on his face.
He pointed at the table full of powders and liquids. ‘I know what this is!’
‘Well, what is it?!’
‘You don’t know?’ Jeris asked, surprised.
‘Of course I don’t! What is it?’ It looked no different from any other table to him.
‘Well, it stops a girl getting pregnant!’
He pointed at one half of the table, ‘girls take these,’ he pointed to the other half, ‘guys use these.’
‘What?’ Mr Geiba’s face went slack.
Jeris gave him a funny look. ‘You know, sir, so they don’t have babies.’
‘B-but…’
Jeris frowned at him.
‘Why,’ he finally managed, ‘is it necessary?’
Jeris looked at him blankly. ‘I don’t understand, sir.’
‘Why,’ he said, clipping out each word sharply, ‘would you engage in child producing activities if you didn’t want a child?’
It was now Jeris’s turn for his face to go slack.
Suddenly he turned to the table and gathered nearly everything on it into his arms. He held his contraceptive filled arms out to Mr Geiba.
‘Please, sir, it’s on me. I think you need it.’
Mr Geiba left for Astar that night.
Jeris was called to the Commander’s office. Commander Reista wanted to know what he’d done to Mr Geiba.
When Jeris was done explaining he was very surprised and pleased to get his lightning rod back.
Sometime after Jeris left, laughter could be heard coming from the Commander’s office.