Merker's Outpost Read online

  I think you're over reacting, lieutenant. They didn't drop anywhere near where you did. You would have seen them or traces of them…like shadows on the horizon or tracks in the sand. Come-on. Let's focus on…finding a place to rest and a moment or two to gather some strength. Gawds! I haven't felt this awful in a long time.

  Cautiously, she put one foot out to get a better look around the room. The light in the small room brightened, with one corridor coming alight. The scent in the air became stronger. She released her grip on the doorframe, stepping completely out of the elevator with the doors swishing closed behind her.

  Well, the one well-lit hallway looks inviting.

  It seems ta be a clear invitation. If ya should decide to explore the darker side, I presume that I don't need to point out to ya, that yer not exactly working on a full set of thrusters if n'ya run inta trouble.

  Don't worry, Harry. I'm not even tempted to explore for anything more than a place to rest. If I don't sit down soon, I'll be laid out flat like a lumpy carpet. Right now, that water fountain looks very good.

  Now that she had a better view of the room, like most waiting rooms, the water refresher was tucked in a corner. She wondered if it would work. Her throat was parched. She leaned against the wall and pushed the small activate button. The green light came on and a stream of water arched into the bowl. She sniffed it and did not find anything that would tell her it was not safe. Her thirst got the better of her and she sipped then gulped her fill.

  "Harry, this stuff tastes like lemon water," she muttered as she stood up wiping the back of her hand against her lips. "Well, I guess I'll just follow the light." She snorted at her joke. The lights in the corridor revealed ten strides of a carpeted hallway in front of her. Along the long hallway, pictures, paintings and sculptures decorated the wall space, giving Harriet the sense she was in a private art gallery, and that they were still well cared for. She could not see a spec of dust anywhere. The contrast between what she had been staring at for the last three months and this was like comparing a wasteland and a jungle…which meant there was still danger, just of a different type.

  It took her a long ten stan minutes before the lights stopped in front of one of the rooms and the door slid open with barely a sound when she was five strides from it.

  Well, Harry, this is my stop and a good thing too. First chair I see, I'll be collapsing in it.

  However, not wanting to commit herself until she had a good look at the interior, Harriet leaned over the threshold, hanging on the doorsill. The lights came up and revealed a cozy seating area in the center of the room.

  Wow. Nice. Roomy. I wonder who quarters here…or did.

  It did not feel like someone had occupied the area for a long time. She sniffed the air. Fragments of childhood tales of spending the night in strange places had her nervously looking around the room for monitors. Hastily she pulled out her HR and scanned the room. There were no active monitoring devices…that the HR could detect. She sniffed the air again.

  Scented. But not canned, stale or something someone would wear on their body…or, no one that I know.

  A long couch with throw pillows, two matching armchairs, and a low table between the chairs made up the sitting area. The promise of rest outvoted her cautious side and she stepped further into the room. The door swished closed behind her. Slowly, she turned around and admired the taste of the owner. More art graced the walls and sat on stands.

  "Wow," she shook her head ruefully. Look at all this space, Harry. A private library, sitting room, communications area and…a small kitchen…with a bot! After three months of living in a closet with myself as maid…this is looking nice!

  A bot about her height came active at her entrance. Warily, she watched its slow progress towards her. If it was more than a service bot she was in no condition to do anything more than surrender…though she was ready for that now.

  "I am Bach. Would you care for some tea and a light snack before your bath?"

  Harriet's weak knees barely held her up as she stifled her laughter. "I'll take some tea…." Her stomach queued her at that moment, "and cookies or crackers," she added, feeling reckless.

  Keeping the bot in sight, she peeked into the adjoining room. The bed started to move out of its wall storage area as soon as she stepped over an invisible line, and quietly settled over the carpet, leaving plenty of space around it. The carpeting was the second thing she noticed. The color was off-white and looked thick and soft. If she should collapse, it would be a good place to land. Stepping to the bedroom's control panel, she checked out what options were available.

  Look at this, Harry. Besides the usual adjustable bed size, it has mood settings. Oh, joy, it even gives time periods. You can also choose the season and on which planet. I guess whoever lived here didn't get much chance to travel off-planet. After my brief experience topside, I wouldn't want to go strolling on the surface even if I got the 'screamies' from being down here too long.

  A small ankle high bot moved out of its wall station and cleaned the trail of dust she was leaving. Guiltily, Harriet looked behind her noticing the tracks of glittery dust from the outside followed right up to her dusty boots.

  "This is not the type of carpet one should wear footwear with," she muttered. "Chair," Harriet ordered. The expected chair materialized from the wall next to the bed. Gratefully she sank down with the chair forming a comfortable bench allowing her the maneuverability to remove the AEG while sitting. The small bot moved forward to assist, helping to pull off her dusty boots, and removing her AEG.

  "It doesn't work, so if you got something that works better, I'll swap with ya," she joked. She tossed the gloves onto the pile the bot held, which then rolled to the wall where a door opened, dumped the clothing and then rolled back into its compartment.

  She wiggled her bared toes in delight against the softness of the carpet. Grinning, she pulled the small console on the chair closer to her and studied the dials. They were the same selection as on the wall panel.

  "Hm. This is the closet." With that discovered, she pressed the closet button and the large double doors folded back revealing an empty closet with plenty of drawers, a full sized mirror, and an automated butler. Once the doors were completely open, the butler came out and the chair, unbidden, moved so that she faced the butler. Both she and the bot studied each other.

  "Nothing to unpack," she replied holding out her arms. After a few moments, the bot returned to the empty closet and the doors closed. She returned her attention to the buttons and pressed the icon for bathing room.

  "Your tea and crackers, Lt. Montran." The genderless voice of the bot startled her. Just as quickly as her thoughts focused on the voice, the chair turned, causing her to grab the arm rests that appeared so as not to be unseated. Suspiciously, she glared at the bot.

  "How did you know my name?" Her voice faded as her eyes were drawn to the tea and crackers. Her mouth watered.

  "It is on your uniform."

  "Oh, right." If it were possible to be embarrassed by a bot, she would have been, but her attention was on the refreshments. Taking the tea and crackers from Bach, her face creased into a smile at the familiar name of Estabol stamped across the cracker face.

  Sweet outside and tangy on the inside...highly nutritious. Hm… What a life! Harry, maybe I will be trying those dials for mood settings. Do you think it comes equipped with a metradame companion?

  If that's what ya be needin', ma dearie. Couldn't hurt ta be testin' it out. But, ah wouldn't be tryin' their wine menu. Never heard of any wines from this place.

  I'll keep that in mind when I order dinner, Harry. Nothing with squeezed berries, just fresh water and companionship with someone that knows how to carry on a nice conversation, give a good back rub, and then we'll just see where it leads. Just like any other stop-over for a weary soldier, huh Harry?

  Abruptly she turned to see from where the earthy and fragrant smell of blossoms were coming. Her teacup wobbled on it's saucer, doing as it
was designed and preventing the slopped over liquid from sloshing onto the drinker's lap as her eyes tracked to a doorway that had opened up to what looked like a tropical forest.

  "Bloody moon!" She jumped up from her comfortable seat. What is this place? She gulped some more tea and hurriedly handed the cup to the patiently waiting Bach, while still chewing her cracker. Feeling more energized, she walked about the bed and peered around one corner of the doorway.

  Handy to know where the necessities are. Well, Harry, most wilderness areas I visited didn't come equipped with a shower, flush toilet and something to clean up with. If this is a dial-a-mood, this is the best I've ever seen. Nope. These plants look like they have been here a while. She gently rubbed between her thumb and forefinger, a damp leaf to a vine near the entrance. For a moment, she believed she felt the life force from the plant, and then quickly discarded the feeling as imaginative and not realistic.

  A long two-sink counter separated the shower area from a trellis that supported scented flowers only giving the viewer a hint of what was on the other side. Harriet slowly walked towards the trellis looking around her for anything that may look like wildlife. The plants did not appear to be carnivorous or poisonous, but she was not a botanist. On the other side of the trellis was a large tub.

  "Goddess! It's big enough to have a bathing party!" Sharon would like this.

  A small bot hovered expectantly in front of her. "My name is Ald. Would you care for me to draw your bath now, Lt. Montran?"

  Harriet stared at it with an open mouth.

  Ooh. Harry, this is plush. I haven't had this much service since I left home.

  "Please do, Ald," she replied delightedly. I take back anything derogatory I had thought or said about the planet's Auto-R system. Harriet gave an inward sigh. However, if this is what a supposed deserted station has for people stranded here…there's going to be many crash landings on this side of…Harry, this must be the Mound of E. Maybe I'm unconscious…dreaming. Well, let the dream continue. It's the best I've had in the last few years, come to think of it.

  "This is Elesa balm and oil. Very good and soothing for tired muscles, headaches and frayed nerves," Ald explained as it poured some into the water. Ald's diagnosis of her bios was what the better quality bathing room attendant bots offered in the way of services. The aroma that filled the air when the oil hit the warm water was fragrant and did ease her headache after a few breaths.

  Looking around the bathing room, she noted a door up a few steps on the other side of the lattice that surrounded the tub.

  Another room?

  She stepped up to the door to test its sensors but nothing happened. Walking back to the shower, Harriet stripped down, tossing her uniform and other articles of clothing into a pile, which was quickly picked up by Ald.

  Phew! Oh, joy! These clothes are ripe! Oh, oh - and so am I. If anyone gets a whiff of me they would be giving me plenty of room and a free bath. Maybe that was why the bot offered to run me a bath.

  She stored her sidearm in the small niche in the showers wall, probably there for something related to cleansing and not for a weapon, but it was not like she had something on her body to attach it to right now, nor would she want to. Sometimes, one just had to make do when in unfamiliar territory. She did not want to get too relaxed so her sidearm would stay within reaching distance.

  Freshly scrubbed clean, she padded over the warm cobble-stoned floor to the large steaming tub. Kneeling at the edge, cautiously she sniffed; alert for any caustic elements that may have her skin peeling from the bone, then risked dipping a finger in the rising swirling waters to test the temperature. Satisfied the water was not anything more than what it appeared, she stepped into the bath and slid down so the water was up to her neck, holding her breath for a moment as the heat went from hot to warm. Closing her eyes, she let out an audible sigh.

  This is verrrry nice.

  Idly, Harriet caressed the surface of the rising water.

  Is this why Spinner's Tale is using this place as a stopover? Hm? No. It would be too difficult a secret for anyone to keep…however; it would explain one of the reasons why the crew is kept isolated. No. No. There are too many ships passing this place. It's near a major jump gate. They would note that Spinner's Tale was making stopovers here and would come for a look-see. It would be too tempting for one ship not to muscle in on another's good providence. It has to be something else…like smuggling.

  She sighed.

  That would mean I have to change my opinion of them and maybe they aren't so bungling and inept. Darn. Darn. I just hate changing my opinions. It means all those nice neat categories I set up have to be redone. It's worse than spring-cleaning at Amouish.

  Now, now, m'dearie. Yer ruin' the mood.

  Harriet touched the back of her ear.

  No humming or buzzing. So, which came first, the headaches or the humming? Well, both are diminishing, so that is good.

  That was a big relief. She ran her fingers through her damp hair then massaged her temples.

  "Would you care for a back massage, Lt. Montran?" Ald asked, interrupting her thoughts.

  "Please, and thank you." She rose to her feet and leaned forward. The sound waves from the bot started at the small of her back, gradually moving up. It was wonderful!

  "Ohhh. Yes…that really is sore." The pressure shifted and she heard a small pop. She sighed at the immediate relief. For now on, she was not going to accept service on any ship that did not have a bot that gave massages…or even a person…that would be much nicer.

  "Ald, are there other sentient beings here…guests or visitors?"

  "Here in this compound you are the only resident," Ald replied.

  "There are other compounds?" Alertly, she turned in the water to face the bot. So!

  "Yes."

  "Where are they located?"

  "I have no information on them. The information you wish may be accessed from the computer in the frontroom."

  That's just what I'll do…

  M'dearie, after a nap! Yer brain isn't exactly as sharp as an Amorialian blade. Besides, ya need ta take advantage of this hospitality while ya got the chance. No tellin' what yer gonna run up against in another day.

  Right, right. She leaned back and closed her eyes, forcing her body and mind to relax. A small beep had her looking about her suddenly, disorientated but for a moment. She glanced at her hands and they were puckered as if she had been in longer than 30 stan minutes.

  Eee gads.

  Standing up, she grabbed the rim and hoisted herself out of the tub. Decidedly relaxed, she dried herself quickly with the towel Ald provided and headed back to the bedroom.

  The bed covers had been pulled back on the left side for her to slide in, with sleepwear lying at the foot of the bed, consisting of shorts and a brief top. Nothing to get tangled in during a restless night of sleep and enough to give the appearance of being modest, should she get a visitor.

  Oh, right! And how did they know I sleep on the left side? Coincidence?

  However, all she really cared about was crawling into a very inviting bed and sleeping. Three months of light sleeping had finally ended.

  ***

  Chapter 2

  "Hey, Cadet! Wait up!"

  Cadet Montran cringed inwardly as she struggled to keep a polite smile on her face. She stopped and turned to face the civilian clad figure of a man she detested.

  "Alan. I thought diplomatic classes were on a semester break…" and you would have been long gone by now for your vacation. I will try to be cordial…for just a few moments, so you had better make this interruption quick!

  "I have some business to finish up." Even in the dark his eyes were disturbing; however, they rested on her briefly and then glanced around them as if looking for something.

  This does not feel right.

  "So…where have you been? I checked your quarters and you weren't there." He merely glanced back at her and then again looked around them, as if a mere casual inspec
tion.

  Cadet Montran held her first reply of indignation back. "Now that you have found me, what is it?" Who let him in the women's quarters? Or for that matter on Academy grounds?

  "The problem with you, DeMonte, is you're too impatient."

  DeMonte? Is that a slip of the tongue or was it deliberate? "Just tell me what you want to see me about, so I can continue my quiet walk back to the barracks - alone," she returned, hoping her voice did not give away her apprehensive feelings. So far, in this brief meet he had pushed most of her buttons, in addition to making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. If he were not from the same culture as she, she would have been critical of his teachings in the diplomat corps, because he was breaking a handful of social rules regarding this meeting and interchange. Single men did not start a conversation with single women without a coteage present to make sure social discretions were adhered to. It did not matter that she was an adult and had traveled to many different planets, alone, or that she was an officer in training.