In his years of space travel, Corsair had been in some dive bars before, but this was the worst. Nostril-searing odors pungently punctured the near-darkness, and stains of blood, vomit, and other substances permeated the discolored walls. But Corsair could hardly afford to be choosy with Emperor D'Ken's Imperial Guard closing in on his trail for what felt like the millionth time. The outskirts of the empire could afford him enough safety to catch his breath and get a drink.
It was only a few years since Corsair's escape from the slave pits of the empire's throneworld of Chandillar, but it felt like decades. The camaraderie of his fellow pirates could only go so far to soothe the death of his wife and the absence of his sons...who, if they were still alive, would be teenagers by now, which made his feel very old. Then, too, no matter how much he tried to get comfortable in outer space, he was still a native of Earth and, as such, an alien.
Suddenly, his sorrowful murk was pierced by a sexy female voice arguing with the six-armed bartender.
"You've used up the last of your credit, lassie," roared the bartender, "now pay up or else!"
"Please," begged the woman, "have mercy! I'm in an awful way!"
"Aren't we all?" sneered the bartender. "That ain't gonna work this time!"
Feeling brave and bold from heavy drinking, Corsair stood up, flashed his best grin, and said, "I'll pay your tab, lady."
"Oh, thank you," said the woman, "thank you, kind sir!"
Once the money was in his slimy hand, the bartender went back to polishing glasses. Corsair took the seat directly next to the woman and took as good a look at her as he could in this barely-lit bar. Her face was attractively humanoid, and her pale blue skin was flawless. She was of muscular build yet very feminine, with long, sensuous black hair. She smiled at Corsair, took out a cigarette, and put it against her full lips. Within a split second, Corsair had drawn his lighter and lit the cigarette with a flourish.
"I am Dushemia of Seti Tatola IV." she whispered.
"That's one rough place." replied Corsair. "I'm surprised you got out alive."
"It has been a hard life," she agreed, "and I can tell you've had one, too." She gently stroked his shoulder. "I seek the comfort of companionship..." she paused, "...and I sense you do as well." She took a long draw from her cigarette, exhaled, then turned her head to face Corsair again, and smiled radiantly.
Corsair was about to make his smoothest move when his communication device crackled and spat out the rich deep voice of Corsair's fellow Starjammer, Ch'od.
"A thousand pardons, my friend, but Waldo senses the approach of the Imperial Guard. We had best make haste."
"Yeah, all right." grumbled Corsair in response.
He got up to leave...but first extended his hand to Dushemia and grinned.
"I have to take off, and I sense you've got nowhere better to go than my ship."
"Quite right." whispered Dushemia, daintily taking his hand and following him out the bar.
Within minutes, the Starjammers' ship was rocketing toward their next adventure...one they could hardly be prepared for.
posted
ACT TWO: The Starjammer's ship had hyper-leaped a fair distance from the pursuing Imperial Guard's ship. Once the ship was stabilized and back at normal speed, Corsair turned to face his crew and his unexpected guest.
"Now that we've bought ourselves some time," said Corsair, "we can have proper introductions. Starjammers, meet Dulshemia of Seti Tatola IV. Dulshemia, meet my mates: Raza Longknife, the scourge of untold galaxies..." he gestured towards the cyborg with his red hair in a topknot, "...Ch'od, who talks as good as he fights, and his pet, Cr'eee..." he gestured towards the bipedal reptile with a cute little furry creature on his shoulder, "...Hepzibah, best two-gun shooter in the universe..." he gestured towards the bipedal skunk-woman with blazing yellow eyes, "...and our sawbones, Sikorsky." he gestured towards the bright green-and-red flying insect.
"It is a pleasure, milady. Welcome to our humble abode." said Ch'od, kissing Dulshemia's hand.
"Welcome you, too, does Sikorsky." said the insect in a nasal vibrato.
"I doth hope thou can carry thy own weight." said Raza coldly.
Hepzibah said nothing, but her jealous scowl expressed what words could not.
A crystal-clear robotic voice piped up. "If I may, Corsair?"
"Yes, Waldo," replied Corsair, "sorry I forgot to introduce you. Dulshemia, this is the ship's artificial intelligence -- call him Waldo, we all do."
"Greetings." said Waldo in the same flat tone as before. After a split second, he spoke again. "Corsair, I calculate that the Imperial Guard will catch up with us within 24 hours. We lack the fuel for another hyper-leap. What are your orders?"
Corsair frowned and stroked his chin before responding. "Y'know what? I'm sick and tired of always running away. Waldo, find us the nearest planet with a breathable atmosphere and take us in for a landing. We'll wait for the Imperial Guard and make our stand."
"As you command." came Waldo's flat robotic reply.
********
Later, aboard the Imperial Guard's ship, spirits were high.
"Oracle to Chandillar." spoke the team's field commander, a beautiful woman with alabaster skin and periwinkle hair, into the ship's radio. "Our scanners show the pirates' ship landing on a nearby planet. If they don't move from there, we can pounce on them in about half a day. And this time, they shall not escape."
"Splendid!" replied Gladiator, the Imperial Guard's leader. "Remember, however, that they must be captured alive. Emperor D'Ken wishes to execute them himself. That means none of your killer blasts, Starbolt."
"Ahh," groaned Starbolt, the living solar battery, "you're always spoiling my fun."
"Think of the honors that D'Ken will bestow on us, lover." said Oracle to Starbolt. "This will be one of the most important captures in the empire's history."
"Do not savor the victory prematurely, Guardsmen." said Gladiator. "Remember, those blasted pirates are slippery creatures. May Sharra and Ky'thiri watch over you. Gladiator out."
"Always bringing us down." remarked the muscular, sparkle-skinned Neutron.
"He's merely being a realist." said Mentor, the Imperial Guard's green-skinned chief scientist. "Given these pirates' history of close escapes, the probabilites of our victory are..."
"Not now." said Oracle. "Morale is important too, you know."
********
On the surface of a small planet, in a serene forest, Corsair and Dulshemia stargazed from atop a hill, while, out of earshot, Hepzibah, Raza, and Ch'od huddled around a fire.
"Liar, she is." sneered Hepzibah. "Too soft and delicate to be from Seti Tatola IV."
"Didst thee notice," inquired Raza, "she nearly curtsied instinctively during introductions, only to stop herself?"
"We shall have to watch her carefully," admitted Ch'od, "but I have not seen Corsair so happy or so confident in many an age. That alone justifies her presence."
"Watch her we must, and watch her shall I." said Hepzibah acidly. "And no matter what Corsair's feelings, no quarter shall I give if traitor she is revealed as."
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