Home Run

  Zoya took a deep breath of the station air. It always smelled fresher than any ship. She suspected it was more psychological than anything physical, but every station seemed to have its own special odor.

  With a shrug she returned to the ship, keying the outer door closed before heading to her stateroom for a change of clothing.

  Chapter 38

  Mel’s Place:

  2368, February 25

  Natalya and Ahokas wandered through the station, checking out the various boutiques. “See anything you like?” Natalya asked.

  Ahokas wrinkled her nose a little and shook her head. “Not really. I’m more comfortable in a comfy coverall. Less bother.”

  “Chandlery?” Natalya asked.

  Ahokas nodded several times as she took a survey of the shops that lined the passageway. “Yeah. It’s over by the freighter docks, I think.”

  “Was the last time I checked.” Natalya grinned at her. “Come on. Let’s get you some fresh clothes, maybe a set of civvies?”

  Ahokas frowned and bit the corner of her lower lip.

  “Problem?” Natalya asked.

  Ahokas offered a small shrug. “Been so long since I wore them. Really, a coverall or shipsuit is what I’m most comfortable in.”

  “Your call,” Natalya said. “You’re the one who has to wear them. Come on.”

  They changed direction and wandered back through the docking gallery to get to the freighter docks on the other side. They didn’t have to look very hard to find the huge hangarlike structure that housed the chandlery for Mel’s Place.

  Natalya pointed out the signs for clothing and Ahokas picked out a couple of nondescript coveralls and a few underclothes.

  Natalya eyed the modest bundle and raised an eyebrow at Ahokas. “You know, you can get more than that.”

  Ahokas shrugged. “It’s all I need. Maybe some hygiene supplies.”

  “What did you do for fun on the station?” Natalya asked.

  “Everybody wore these pretty much all the time,” Ahokas said, her words slipping out from between her teeth as if she were biting them off. Her face took on a rosy hue and her brow furrowed.

  Natalya held up her hands, palm out in surrender. “Just checking.”

  Ahokas let out a breath and her shoulders sagged a bit. “Sorry. It’s just ... ” She shook her head, blinking fast.

  “Let’s get you into some fresh clothes and maybe check out that brew pub Zeke talked about,” Natalya said. “You hungry?”

  Ahokas paused for a moment as if weighing the question before shrugging. “I could eat.” A tentative smile curled the corners of her lips. “I wouldn’t say no to a good beer.”

  Natalya eyed the blank door.

  “You sure this is the right place?” Ahokas asked.

  Natalya looked up and down the passageway and out into the commons area behind them. “I’m pretty sure this is where Glitchy’s used to be.” She pointed up at the bulkhead. “There’s where the sign was.”

  “All I see is bolt holes.”

  “Yeah, but that’s where it was. The door’s in the right place.”

  “Maybe they’re not open.”

  Natalya shrugged. “That must be it.” She frowned at the door for a moment more and then turned to leave. “We’ll have to find someplace else I guess. There was a noodle bar down this way, the last time I was here.”

  They wandered a couple of meters down the passage and a couple passed them going the other way. After a moment Natalya heard an odd knocking sound and looked back. The couple stood close to the door and leaned toward it.

  “Are they talking to the door?” Ahokas asked.

  Natalya caught a flash of something for just a moment and the couple stepped back just as the door opened. They disappeared through the door and it closed again with a solid thump.

  “Did that just happen?” Ahokas asked.

  Natalya reversed course and headed back to the door. “Did you hear the knock?”

  “I heard something. Are we supposed to knock on the door?”

  Natalya shrugged and gave a tentative double-tap on the door with a knuckle.

  They looked at each other and shrugged when nothing happened.

  “Try a little harder?” Ahokas asked.

  Natalya reached forward and gave a solid three-tap knock.

  After a moment, somebody on the other side of the door knocked back, an odd syncopated pattern of knocks.

  Ahokas started giggling.

  Natalya felt both frustrated and intrigued. The strangeness of it gave her a frisson of amusement that tickled up her spine.

  The odd, syncopated knock sounded again, a little louder.

  “Do it,” Ahokas said.

  With nothing to lose, Natalya did her best to replicate the pattern and jumped back when a little hatch opened at eye level and a face appeared in the opening.

  “Yeah? Whadda ya want?”

  Natalya stared blankly for a moment before Zeke’s comment caught up with her. “Joe sent me.”

  “Whyn’t ya say that before.” The little hatch snicked shut and the door swung inward revealing an dimly lit entry way and a somewhat portly man in an odd costume consisting of an open jacket with a long tail, a white shirt, black pants, and a tie in the shape of a bow at his throat.

  Natalya led the way in and the man closed the door behind them with that same thump she’d heard before.

  “Welcome to Speakeasy,” he said. “Do you have a reservation?”

  “No,” Natalya said. “Do we need one?”

  He smiled at her. “Not really, but some people do call ahead and we try to have the tables ready. If you’d follow me?”

  The doorman led them into a dimly lit grotto of tables and booths that bore absolutely no relationship to what Natalya remembered of the inside of Glitchy’s. The place seemed to be about half full. He stopped beside a cozy booth out of the main traffic flow. “Will this do?”

  Natalya nodded and slipped in across from Ahokas. “Thank you.”

  He smiled at each of them. “Your server will be right along. Enjoy your meal.” With that he sailed back across the dining room and disappeared back the way they’d come in.

  “Speakeasy?” Ahokas asked, leaning across the table.

  Natalya shrugged and swiveled her head around to take in the décor. “It looks classy.”

  “Am I underdressed?” Ahokas asked.

  “No, you’re fine,” a new voice said.

  They looked up to see a young woman in an elegant black gown smiling down at them. “Some people get all decked out but we get station coveralls and shipsuits here all the time. We want you to feel comfortable with us. My name is Stephanie. I’ll be your server, and thank you for joining us at Speakeasy tonight. Would you like to see a menu or hear the specials?”

  “It’s our first time here,” Natalya said. “Obviously. What do you recommend?”

  “Well,” Stephanie said. “Everything is wonderful here. What do you like to eat?”

  “I’d like an interesting beer,” Ahokas said. “I heard you brew your own?”

  “We do. Tonight’s featured beer is a lovely milk stout, not too heavy but with a bit of heft. Nice amount of hop with a smooth mouth and a slightly sweet finish. It’s wonderful paired with the evening’s special, a generous filet mignon cooked to order and flash-seared to seal in the flavor. It’s served with a garlic mashed potato and mixed steamed vegetables.”

  Natalya felt her mouth explode in saliva. “Yes, please.”

  “How would you liked your steak cooked?”

  “Medium,” Natalya said.

  “And you?” Stephanie asked, looking at Ahokas

  “That does sound good,” Ahokas said.

  “Very good,” Stephanie said. “Medium, as well?”

  “Yes, please.”

  “Would either of you care for a starter? Perhaps a small salad or soup? We have a delightful minestrone this evening,” Stephanie said.

  Natalya looked across the
table at Ahokas. “Not for me. Kim?”

  Ahokas shook her head. “I’ll save room for dinner.”

  “Wonderful,” Stephanie said. “Let me get this order in and I’ll be right back with some fresh dinner rolls and water.” She turned and sashayed off, disappearing behind a screen.

  Natalya saw Ahokas biting her lower lip and frowning at the table. “Something the matter?”

  Akokas leaned forward without looking up. “That’s the first time I ever ordered a meal at a restaurant without knowing the price.”

  Natalya grinned back at her serious expression. “My treat,” she said. “Thanks for keeping it together long enough for Zoya and me to help you.”

  Ahokas swallowed hard and looked up. “Wasn’t really a choice. Until you made contact, I thought I was going to die.”

  “But you didn’t.” Natalya reached across the smooth tabletop to pat Ahokas’s hand. “You didn’t.”

  Stephanie returned and placed a small woven basket in the middle of the table, then set tall glasses of ice water in front of each of them. “Your orders will be right up,” she said before moving on to the next table.

  Ahokas took a deep breath and blew it out slowly from her nose before sitting back in her seat. Her gaze skittered around the room as if she didn’t know where to look.

  The smell of warm bread pulled Natalya to the woven basket. Peeking under the napkin she found some crusty rolls, their tops shiny. The yeasty aroma gusted around her face as she plucked one from its nest and placed it on the bread plate before turning the basket toward Ahokas.

  Ahokas grinned and grabbed a roll. “Fresh bread? I don’t remember the last time I had bread warm from the oven.”

  Natalya grinned and rummaged around in the basket until she found a small pot of butter tucked under a flap at one end of it. Breaking her roll open, she slathered a healthy helping of the soft spread on the broken surfaces. The roll tasted divine. Warm, soft, just enough texture to bite into, and it all but melted in her mouth leaving a slightly tangy flavor of wheat, yeast, and butter.

  “If the meal is half as good as the rolls, this is going to be amazing,” Ahokas said, her eyes closed and a beatific smile on her lips.

  Natalya had to pull her hands back and flatten her palms on the smooth, wood-grained table to keep herself from grabbing another. “She better bring our food quick or I’m going to stuff myself with these.”

  Ahokas gave a quiet laugh, then popped the last bit of her roll between her teeth.

  Their server returned almost immediately and placed a pair of full pint glasses on the table, one in front of each woman. “Here’s your stout, ladies. I’ll be right back with your meals.”

  Natalya pulled the glass closer, admiring the creamy head crowning the black beer.

  “I expected it to be lighter,” Ahokas said, tilting her head down to look at the glass.

  “Because of the milk?” Natalya asked.

  “Yes,” Ahokas said. She looked at Natalya with a sheepish grin on her fact. “This might be the darkest beer I’ve ever seen.”

  Natalya checked the color of her own glass before taking a small sip. She rolled it across her tongue and swallowed. “Not exactly what I’m used to, either but it’s delicious.” She ran her tongue over her upper lip, tasting the foam residue.

  Ahokas gave a little shrug and took a sip. Her eyes lit up in obvious delight. “Oh, my. Yes. This is terrific.”

  Stephanie returned with two platters and slipped one in front of each of them. “There you go. I hope you enjoy it. Is there anything else I can get you?”

  Natalya looked at Ahokas who shook her head.

  “I have a question,” Natalya said.

  Stephanie nodded. “If I know the answer ... ”

  “What’s with the knocking and the password?”

  The server grinned. “It’s an ancient story from Earth. At one point serving alcohol was illegal. It didn’t work out well as it only drove the practice underground. To get it, you needed to know where it was, the password, and the knock. The police tended to turn a blind eye, but those people who weren’t in the know had a hard time finding the places and an even harder time getting in.”

  “That’s bizarre,” Ahokas said.

  Stephanie smiled. “Seems so now. When Mr. Carstairs opened this place, he drew on the old story and modeled it on an ancient speakeasy. So we have the doorman who sometimes doubles as the maître d’, and the door knocks and passwords.” She shrugged. “It’s weird but it’s really popular.”

  Natalya looked around the room, taking in the lack of crowd. “Popular?”

  Stephanie followed Natalya’s gaze around the room. “Doesn’t seem like it now. Give it about two stans and every table will be filled and stay that way until the wee hours.”

  “We timed it right, I guess,” Ahokas said.

  Stephanie nodded. “You did.” She paused. “Is there anything else?”

  Natalya looked at her meal and shook her head. “I think this will do nicely.”

  Ahokas lifted her beer in salute. “To weird.”

  Chapter 39

  Deep Dark:

  2368, March 1

  Natalya glanced over at Ahokas. “You’re looking a little better.”

  Ahokas snorted. “Did I look bad before?”

  “You’ve been through a lot.”

  Ahokas gave a little nod and looked away from Natalya, peering out the armorglass to starboard.

  “Sorry. Shouldn’t have reminded you.”

  “It’s all right,” Ahokas said. “Just caught me unexpectedly.”

  “You want to talk about it?”

  “Not really.”

  “Well, next jump takes us back to reality.”

  Ahokas took a deep breath, sighing out through her nose and turned a too bright smile on Natalya. “I’m ready.”

  Natalya grinned at her. “Liar.”

  The fake smile turned into a rueful grin. “Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.”

  Natalya winked at her. “I still say we should have gotten you some civvies.”

  Ahokas gave a quiet laugh. “Maybe next time.”

  The countdown timer hit zero and the Peregrine jumped back into UM17.

  Natalya checked the position and confirmed the jump. “We’re home.” She smiled at Ahokas.

  “How long before we dock?”

  “Looks like another half a day. You’ve got time for a nap if you like.”

  Ahokas shook her head. “I’m not tired,” she said. She stared out at the Deep Dark all around them.

  “Would you like a cup of coffee? I could use one.”

  Ahokas glanced at Natalya and gave her a little shrug. “Sure, if you’re going to make a pot.”

  “It’s that or take a nap myself,” she said.

  “Why don’t you?” Ahokas asked. “I can keep an eye open.”

  Natalya looked at her, the way she sat in the navigator’s couch. As if all the upbeat joy she’d displayed as their trip to Mel’s came to an end had evaporated, leaving her deflated as an old balloon.

  Ahokas turned to look at her. “Honestly, a little alone time would do me good.”

  The wan smile she offered Natalya seemed a bit tentative, flickering on and off at the corners of her mouth.

  Natalya nodded. “Fair enough. I wouldn’t mind a little rack time.” She confirmed the course was locked and that the computer had the ship under control before releasing her seat belts and standing. “You’re sure?”

  Ahokas grimaced. “I’ve done enough hiding. I think I’d like to sit here and watch the Dark.”

  “There won’t be anything to see for stans yet,” Natalya said.

  “I know. I’ve been out in the Dark a very long time.” Ahokas shot Natalya a look that was part sadness and part exasperation.

  Natalya chuckled. “All right. You win. I’ll be back in a bit.” She headed down the passage and ducked into her stateroom. She set an alarm for a stan and curled up on her bunk. She barely had time to
wonder if she could sleep before she nodded off.

  The beeping woke her and she had to blink a couple of times to get her brain moving again. The long hours stacked up on her and she really needed to get more sleep. She slipped into the head and splashed some water on her face before heading for the bridge. Ahokas snoozed in the navigator’s couch, her right leg off one side and her left arm dangling over the arm on the other.

  Natalya slipped into the pilot’s couch and started reviewing the displays. The long range looked off somehow but she couldn’t put her finger on the problem. She started flipping screens around and zoomed in on the Mindanao.

  “What is it?” Ahokas asked, a sleepy burr in her voice.

  “I don’t know. Something looks wrong.”

  Ahokas straightened up in the couch and scrubbed her palms over her eyes before leaning over to look at Natalya’s display. “I don’t see anything.”

  “It’s too many ships. When we left there only—what? Three barges and the Mindanao?”

  “Yeah. Rock Ripper and Dusty Sky were both already there with Rock Hound due, should have docked within another day.”

  “There are five blips out there, now.” Natalya pointed them out. “Maybe a sixth one lurking behind them. It’s hard to tell from this range.”

  “Maybe a couple of the barges came in earlier,” Ahokas said.

  Natalya pursed her lips and considered it. “That’s possible. We’ve only been gone a few days. What was the next barge coming in?”

  Ahokas shook her head. “Sky Fall, I think. Maybe Hazel A.” She looked up at Natalya. “What’s the date? We had a tractor coming in.”

  “March first, but they’d still be out beyond the Burleson limit. It would have taken them a hell of a lot longer than it’s going to take us to get to the marshaling yard.”

  “Speaking of the marshaling yard,” Ahokas said, pointing to the scanner. “Is that a ship docked there?”

  Natalya tried to tighten the resolution but the blob didn’t resolve. “Too far out to tell. It could be.”