Take the Stars

THE BROTHERS GRIMM

Galger was a terrible sort of place, if one was accustomed to luxury. It certainly didn’t hold a candle to Ariel, with its soaring buildings, grand banquet halls, beautiful dancing girls. He thought longingly of their elegant hips and silk skin… the Companions were probably soaking naked in perfumed baths even now, preparing themselves for the night’s festivities. What’d he give to take just one lingering peek inside their temple…
But that was long past him. Even now, the authorities had probably set out a wire for his capture. Ariel was his past. And this… this was his future. This wretched bar where the local nobility tried to convince itself it was important. Everywhere they lounged on satin pillows, drinking in the heavy scented air, dressed in cheap furs and gaudy silks. Curtains of crimson blocked out the daylight and the curious public, so the rich could have their privacy, but still he felt exposed. At any moment someone was going to recognize him, and he’d be right back where he started.
But Lord Rein was not an anxious man. Coolly, he took a drag of his oxygen cigarette, letting the euphoria wash over his senses. He was in pause, in transition. He had been on this barely-civilized rock nearly two days, and nothing had occurred. He had heard tales of high adventure in the outer rims, yet there was nothing even remotely extraordinary about all this. He felt common, but that was all he felt. He was likely to go mad if this continued much longer. Where was the action? Where was the adventure he longed for?
And almost as if in response to his plea, she walked through the door.
His eyes took to her at once. The bounty princess, dressed in harsh combat boots and canvas bibs. She carried on her curved hip two holsters, loamed to the brim with auxiliary, and she peered around the crowded nest of asps as if she could crush each and every one of them with one careless unleashing of her will.
Yet for all her cautiously crafted brutality, she could not hide her beauty. She would not have seemed out of place with any Companion, on any planet moon or star. Her chocolate curls tied high back on her head, cascading down her pale neck, just brushing her feminine shoulders… She was a goddess, and oh how he wanted her.
But the Goddess of Death took no notice of him. She motioned over her shoulder, and a man came to her side; a man a few years her senior, with skin the color of carefully crafted leather, looking just as rough and tumble as his commander. Together they moved wearily through the crowd, and disappeared behind a drape into a back corridor.
He was on his feet in a moment, and followed them.
The corridor was long, and empty. Everywhere there were doors. At first he was afraid he had lost them… but he heard voices to his left, and cautiously he crouched beside a doorway. The woman was speaking, a hard drawl, obviously outer-rim,” So you heard about our run-in with your lovin Governor?”
“Bad spot of luck, that,” a deep voice answered,” But it doesn’t change the fact that we were in straights over our merchandise.”
“That we were,” another voice agreed, higher pitched and frothy,” Thought you’d gotten yourself blown up.”
“I got you your merchandise just fine,” the woman replied harshly,” You owe me my fair share.”
“What say you, brother?” the frothy man asked pleasantly,” I hate to see a lady in distress.”
The deep voice chuckled,” Captain Reynolds ain’t no lady.”
“Mayhaps I ain’t,” the woman quipped,” But I’m a partner, and if you want any more off-world jobs done, you owe me.”
“Oh, listen to the lady, orderin’ us around!” the frothy voice cried dramatically, but the other quickly interrupted. “You’ll pardon the captain, Sid, she’s havin’ a rough mornin… what with losin’ her ship and all.”
“I ain’t lost it,” for the first time, Captain Reynolds seemed angry,” You gimme mine and my crew’s share, we’ll have it back by auction.”
“Auction’s tomorrow morning, love, and last I counted, you barely have enough tassels to keep your boat afloat, even with your share.”
“I’ve got some saved up.”
“Enough to outplay the Governor? He’s got a harsh fixin for you.”
“You worry bout your cut of profit, and I’ll worry about my ship, if it’s all the same.”
“Oh, I think we have offended,” the frothy gentleman twittered with glee.
A fourth voice suddenly rang out,” Let’s forget it, Captain, these monkeys just wanna play with our minds.”
“Or perhaps something else, if you’re willin’,” the frothy gentleman suggested with a heavy accent. The Captain quickly cut in,” You’ll be leavin my crew alone, Sid. Now, what do you say?”
“Oh, pay the lady,” the deep throated man finally replied,” But I like you, Reynolds, so I’ll warn you… it won’t do any good. Come tomorrow morning, Serenity ‘ll be property of Governor Orblacs.”
“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Captain Reynolds replied, and the deal was closed.