yojimbo sharp teeth

Chapter 10 remembrances

2011-05-01T09:48:00.001-07:00

Chapter 10 remembrances

I was born in 2198 on Titan. My family wore farmers.

We’d all work on the farm and get a share of the quarterly profits. It’s actually how I run the Yojimbos.

When mom and dad were not managing the farm they were on a lot of planning boards. My mom also had a medical practice everybody loved her because she did house calls for a long time. I myself would come along and carry mom’s bag on her house calls before my short time out in the fields. I never was a farmer. That’s why when I was twelve I went to an off world academy for the mixed martial arts. Wushu, kung fu, ninjutsu, tae kwon do, and others under the U.P.M.D.U. grand masters. I don’t mean just learning to fight. I learned how to avoid confrontation. How to read the emotions of the people around me. Human history and military history. My rights as a citizen. And over twenty different languages. I went to dance and art schools then I went to tech school. I made some fun weaponry at robotics school. I made a way to stop the opponent without hurting him I still have it in the back maybe I can show it to you later, I started to do experiments on my fun stun gun as I called it or the orgasmonater as my mats dubbed it. Jen looked over to look at Tim with a cocked eyebrow. “What!” Tim nodded in the affirmative “Yes that’s what they called it Scot’s word.” “I guess I’ll have to see it, go on.” Said Jen. “Soon my brother joined me at the academy. I had already finished with my apprentice ship in martial arts. By the time Conner got his masters I was one of his teachers. That was always a point of annoyance between the two of us. Teachings with the masters put a blot on our relationship. He was looked down upon because of being my brother. After a rather bad time I decided to take my craft back home.

I opened my own school combining everything I learned at UPNMDU and dance and art and tech schools. I decided to buy part of the farm from my family just six acres not much and I built the school there. I ran the school by myself mostly. soon enough some of my friends from the schools came to get a job from me. my school grew to not need me.

But soon I got tired of teaching so I stepped down. I split the schools into shares. I owned a percent of the school as a temporary headmaster. Avenchaly I went to a bartender gig at a private club. Then to smithing then to farming. I’d change my job the way people would change their shirts.'' Jen frowned. ‘‘Why did you do that?” Don’t you know of the saying jack of all trades master of none.'' Tim nodded. ‘‘Yes I have. I think they’re people trying to sound smart to cover up their ignorance. There are problems with old sayings for example. The early bird gets the worm means don’t wait around for your chance to grab your desire.

But... the second mouse gets the cheese meaning tread softly don’t rush in. Both good advice but you see what I mean. A jack of all trades I can live in any profession.

If you’re in a situation and you know nothing about how to fix the problem. If you only know how to fix electronic cars and you have to fix a combustion engine. Then you’re screwed and not in a good way. That’s the old way to live. But there is one saying that I like and that saying everything in moderation including moderation. You just have to weigh the benefits and consequences say with the hamburger and fries if the pleasure is better than the pain then I’d say it’s a good exchange.

Sometimes you risk getting sick with new food but it’s normally worth it. We only have a limited time so have fun you only go around once

“When I was a bartender for a local host bar I met my future wife there.”

Tim smiled at the memory. “What’s a host bar?” said Jen. “Is that another word for a brothel?” Tim posed “That’s a hard question to answer. It’s not technically but it can make you feel like one in a bad way. To me it’s one of the things I have done to make money in a hurry. But as I was saying a host bar is a place where women go to feel well…not loved. But emotionally satisfied for pay. Jen interrupted. Well then I can see what you mean. No physical sex involved. But a woman’s brain is wired in such a way that they don’t always need the physical like men. Tim looked at Jen. Jen looked back. “What.” Tim frowned. “Just you’re very prospective that’s all. Anyways I worked there for a year it’s a place where women come for the feeling of relationship. But the end they never get it.

After being at the host bar for a bit. I gave my resignation and spent most of my time playing video games mostly so I could get in to game programming.

During that time I was having card games with an off duty arbitrator.

He was having a terrible time with judgments. He had found out that he had killed someone by giving the wrong verdict. Soon he noticed that I won almost every hand. After a long time of this he asked me to teach the arbiters how to read faces like I did. I told him the risks of having their arbitrator having this training. There are no all-good changes to a situation. Under the agreement that I would do the training and I would oversee its use and become one of the arbitrators.

In the end all my demands were met.

By this time my brother finished his time at U.P.M.D.U. he decided to come back to be a story teller. He loved to tell stories. Was loved by all the men women and children. He would tell stories in the town square. Putting both body and voice in to it. If he was in the middle of a story line kids would ask him to tell more. He had many stories but the one he milked the most was a guy called Yojimbo. I’d say it was some of his best work. It was set in medieval Japan a story of magic, Love, romance, epic fights and battles, good, evil demons, bokimono, and has my favorite epic bad guy Yomi. Demons with eyes of fire, how Yojimbo slew with a blazing sword. And when his job was done he returned to the gods never to be seen again.

When I asked him about yami he said he saw him in a dream

Conner had a love of story morals but he never told you what they were. Very thought provoking his stuff was

My favorite was the emperor and the great sword.

After each night he wrote the stories down and published them. He never had to work ever again. He traveled selling his book and became very interested in (romenisoim) which was like the Scientology by

L. Ron Hubbard. They worship the great rocks. Each believer was given a shak ti or heart of stone. Twelve stones one for each month in the year according to their birth month. This is one of the rocks.” Tim took something from around his neck. “It’s a ruby.” “Then you’re a {romenisoim} ...also.” Tim shook his head. “No I myself am an atheist religion is my only weak spot. I was never good at religion. I’ve study as many as I can get my hands on but.” Tim shrugged. I've found such an annoyance that God would send you to hell for just not believing in Him properly. What if it turns out that Christianity is the real religion yet because you are a pagan you’re going to hell even though you lived a peaceful life.

I especially hate it when the Christians that say you’re not going to be saved because you’re a Jew. Jen stuck out his tuning with a bland expression. “but Jesus was a Jew.” “Yes but they don’t seem to realize that. I know it sounds crazy.” Jen nodded in agreement. I remember having Jehovah’s Witnesses come over and lecture us of our ways. That is until Moms got them to go away.” Tim looked suppressed. “How she do that.” Jen smiled wickedly.

“Easy. One of her friends was a pagan. She drew on what she knew of her friend’s paganism. She said I’ll let you give your spiel then I’ll do mine. It went along well mom listening until it was her turn. That day the two had brought a teenage girl with them. Let’s just say the teen was no longer bored. She was very interested. Mom did not get to finish. A third of the way through they basically dragged the girl to the car and never came back again. Tim laughed. I wish I had thought of that I could have had months of my life back.

What about your brother. Tim nodded he got a wave from Earth. The guy said he had dug up some artifacts on Earth that

were very similar to a chapter in Connor’s book. Battle of try dragon fields. Which seemed rather ridiculous. He said if you won’t me to come down call my agent and that was it for a while.

Until Conner had just written the chapter that day. When he got another call from the same archaeologist it had the same look of what he had wrought. My brother decided to check this out. This seemed to be less of a hoax then before. Earth was and still is a no weaponry allowed planet. So he entrusted his laser sword to me. My brother thought it would be cool if he made a story that had his flights of fancy turn out to be true. Think about if J.R.R. Tolkien had still been alive when the skeletons of little hairy footed hobbits had been found in China on the earth in 2003. When Conner called form earth he was ecstatic. He had examined the artifacts and was amazed. Parchment with the same story line ass his. He also saw some things that did not go together. A broken Japanese sword that was wasn’t metal. It had no crystalline structure.” Jen’s eyebrows went up. “What? That can’t be.” said Jen. “According to Conner he could see it touch it but it could not exist. Jen screwed up his face “That’s bollocks. The machine must have been acting up, everything has an atomic structure. It’s impossible .” said Jen. Tim turned his head to look at Jen. “That may be true but we have no reason to doubt them.” “So what happened after that?” said Jen. “I don’t know that was the last time I spoke to him.”

Tim’s shoulders shrunk and he sighed.

“The next time I saw him he was dead. His burnt body was sent back to us. We never found out what happened to him.”

“I took the shak ti which is what I thought he would want me to do as a romenisoim. The pendant protected himself from the evil eye and now would protect me. As his brother it was my duty to pay his way to the afterlife. As custom I put a coin in his mouth and a salt cake over his heart. I gave him a proper burial. After...after that. I fell into a stupor when it finaly hit me that he was dead. I could not believe that he was dead. I had a girlfriend at the time, Serra. She was a good help to get me back on my feet. By this time I was getting engaged to Serra. Serra as their only child her mother and father were very protective of her. It was difficult to have them except me. I had met her for the first time wall I was working at a host bar. The second was at a club not a big one but it had the band Everlasting Death. I was always a fan of death metal. But that was the first time she noticed me. I had come because my friends wonted to congratulate me on becoming one of the arbitrators. They were late and I was spending time honing my reading skills.

I had overheard a group of girls talking. One who I guessed to be the alpha female by her body language. Lets call her Trudy. she had been sowing off the protenchel boyfriend and had brought her friends for the opinion that matters. they had just met him. The girls all agreed that he was a very good catch.

And also said that Trudy her self was quite a catch in that dress.

Trudy smiled “you know that’s the same thing my maid said. she liked it so much that she asked me if she cold try on this dress. one of the girls a pixyish one said did you let her?” Trudy famed Affiance “She… no way let some lower class wretch try my dress on. No...no.no.no!” all the girls’ laughed

“Oh and you know I was telling that to Sharel and some gash decided to speak back to me

She said that I was not A very considerate example of the human race.” “she thought she had the right to speak back to me”

“god who was It?” said one of the girls. Trudy leered as she looked around confadechel like. “She’s here.” The girls looked attentive “well who?” Trudy stuck her Tung in her cheek then glanced across the room at Serra. at that time she was sitting in on a couch with a data pad in one had and a drink in the other. her blue howdy with littlecat ears obscuring her face from veu. “Its Serra?” all the girls hauled with laphtor. So laude that even Serra could here them from across the room. The girls meaning Trudy had decided it was time to let mongo have some fun.

I cant say it was love at first site or second I shod say. but I felt the earge to save Serra from the lafing hyenas. And I had just the idea. I quickly Scand the room for the boyfriend of Trudy. I walked over to the bar and asked the bartender for a piece of paper. witch I folded in to an onfilope. I took some money and stuffed it inside. This was a pay as you got it place so I waited for the boy friend to hand over his bank card. memorizing his signature I forged it on to the make shift envelope.

Then I made a bee line for the group and handed the envelope to Trudy saying so it would carry. “Hay give this back to your boyfriend I can’t take It.” Trudy looked confused. “Your boy friend gave me this to date Serra.” “But…What?” Trudy stuttered. What are you talking about? “I can’t take it I don’t need it to go out with Serra.” I smiled broadly. “What do you mean?... I never…”

Said Trudy. I smiled even brwder. “you asked your boyfriend to pay me to go out with Sarra.” I pushed it toward Trudy wall she tried to push it back like I had given her a gold raped turd “I don’t think…” I did not let her finish “Really look.” I held up the envelope “this is your boyfriends’ signature see.” the girl looked at it. “There.” Tim pout the envelope in her hand. Trudy looked around out of the corner of her eye at the looks of her posy. Who were giving? You never did that for us Looks with folded arms.

“If you won’t we can talk to your boyfriend.” the girl looked at him across the room. he was looking at her with a swore expression. “no…no need to do that.” she shook her head. She tried to give the envelope back to me. But I pushed it back. ” “I don’t need payment.” By this time Serra had cot on. “oh you really did that for me your so sweet Trudy.” Inwardly I new Trudy had a decision to make. She cold eather alienate her friends or loose her boyfriend.” whatever she did with it She looses.” the girl tossed the envelope on the couch next to Serra and stoked away. I sat in to a couch picking up the envelope. “So Serra I have an envelope full of money and this thing is SO heavy.” I gave my most winning smile. “want to help spend it?”

It was nice for a time

Then auer lives turned in to a real life performance of Romeo and Juliet. But we dealt with it.

two years after my brother want to earth.

We had hired that earth was back under one rule one agen. wee all but went about are bisnis as usual. Even the arrival of people walking around in armor suits didn’t faze us. It wasn’t a big deal that is until they started to intrude in public affairs. Such as trying to take over the arbitrators duty’s. But it got bad one day wall I was off duty.

I was having some lunch with Serra and Teren and Svic. We war siting out on a veranda of a coffee shop. Mostly talking about this and that. We heard a dispute between a husband and wife couple in the street.

They war well known for fighting and we mostly paid no mind. One of those love hate relationships you know. You could practically set you’re watch by it. We watched from the balcony.

“What do you mean glory how am I to keep my feet worm when you wont allow me to use slippers or socks!” “Well I don’t like the felling of that stuff on my scinn and I also don’t like you with cold feet lerry

Vick looked back toward me. “is it me or did we see this episode last month.” “ no I think that was abaut the color sceme of their bathroom.” I said wall ordering another drink

“Stay out of this if you know what’s good for you.” We looked down from the balcony.

Three men in armor where with the couple.

“Mam and sir you are making a disturbance you are under arrest.” The man and women looked at each other. “Who the hell do you think you are any ways strutting around in that storm trooper custom go the fuck off.” Two solgurs took hold of the pare. Serra “wisperd never get in the mettle of those two cus dude… you dead. Glory grabbed the hilt of her sidearm. And yelled get your filthy hands off my husband.” And lerry his wife. The armored men use there teasers on the two. sending a humongous electrical shock thru them. We all ran down the spiral sterekace me using my phone to get the arbiter over here. The men had broken the one unbreakable rule. Never incrache on peoples or there property unless to save life. They dropped to the floor screaming as the electric went thru them. “Stand dawn!” the men yelled at them. Wean the electric stopped the two tried to get up agen. So they wren treated to another dose of the teaser. body’s convulsing. The sound of there voices becoming un bearably hye. the husband and wife stopped screaming.

But this time it was because they were out. I could still here the crack of the teaser.

a crud had gathered around the spectacle.

The arbitrator on duty stepped forward.

“Hay friend you don’t need to attack are people.”

“ listen take your teasers out of them and pout your guns away we can work this out come on let me buy you all a drink.”

One of the men held up a hand.

“nothing for you to see here so shuve off.”

A boy of fifteen stepped forward.

“you attacked a citizen without provocation.”

The man gaffed. “don’t waste my time kid." You can’t interfere with the police.

“lessen nothings happened here. do you rally wont to have somthing happen to you for nothing. stand dawn all of you now!.” no one moved. “I’m warning you all you don’t wont to make a fuss.”

“We’re not making a fuss we just want to buy you a drink and talk this over peacefully.”

I saw by there body language they were beginning to panic. Not a good sine.

the solders shouldered there guns. “Shuve off this is the last warning.”

the craud eased off there safeties.

The men shot there guns in to the air to try to make us scatter.

All the city people polled there guns and amid at the men.

This seemed took the solders aback. people not panicking when faces with guns. The C.O. spoke with fear in his voice. “Listen if you’re not careful you all will be polled in for attempted assault of en office---." The man’s helmet exploded. I and others got the remaining men with their stun guns. The man fell limp on the graud his blood making a read pool on the side walk. glory slowly rose to her feet holding her smoking gun. She poled the teaser needles out of herself. The needles barbs giving even more pain. Then she started to viciously kick the remaining solders. The solders not being able to move beaus of the stun blast fell over. Some of the people restrained her from kicking the men. The wife and husband were helped back to their place. As we removed there armor and used rope to sakur there hands and feet. One of the men yelled at any buddy in hearing “You know you all will be punished so badly you’ll wish you never existed.” I squatted to be at eye level with him. “Do you really need explaining…? You viciously attacked a citizen.” “What…we were stopping a dispute in progress.” I sighed. “they do that every day and nun is harmed by it.” the man jerked his chin and replied “your crazy a little dispute like that will soon change in to all citizens fighting each other we need to keep the peace. What do you know you’re a civi.”

I saw that he was trying to provoke a fight with me so I smiled calmly. “My friend. I have found that citizens can stay civil better without the interference from over lings.”

We took their cloths and tattooed them with the simples of there afence on the neck as a warning to all.

we set them free into the Bad Lands. Hopefully they would survive it was only a mile to the next tune.

The qworoling cuppole did not qworel any more for some add reason I don’t know why but I still don’t think that it was worth it.

For a long time It was quiet so we brushed it off

The next month wall I was out shopping with Serra. Wall on duty. We where in the of taunesqere.

Kenny sold his an organic produce from out of his moving van. His wife made good rhubarb pie. He had a bunch of gormae museums shitake an such. Amuning the produce are poppy’s hemp tobacco in seed form and processed forms . I picked up a pack of shitake to add to today’s dinner .

from the gate a transport truck Came down the street And parked. it was a covered wagon stile it looked like smelly johns truck. John was a humet that lived out in the bad lands. Kenny smiled “hay it smells like johns taken a bath in the last week.” I gaffed to that. One of the lokels walked up to the truck “hay John haw- then the sound of a repeater shot from inside the cab window. All went to hell. the back flaps opened and some one lobed some pineapples that sprayed shrapnel in to the sqwere. I ducked behind a stonewall walching the shrapnel in bed itself in to the stone work and people not forchenit enough to get to cover. the explosion seemed to be a signal for the solders to get out. they started to smash everything in sight. I rushed over to stop this and so did others. Kenny drew his gun to defend himself but they shot him to pieces with an automatic shot gun.

as the solders went in to destroy the rest of the van. one saw Kenny was still moving. The solder shot him agen and agen.

One of the locals tried to pole one of the solders outside. But was sent flying by the fist of en armored power suit. I used my sword to kill the solder. one after another I delt with them. The last one was a smart one. He blocked my attacks with his gun. He and I struggled me trying to cut him with my sword. and he to get his gun were it would do some damage. Even with my training I was no match for his suit. he Tried to nea me but I closed me legs witch pout me off balance. he pushed me in to the door then hit me in the chest with his gun. I was wearing an armor vest but it still hurt. The strike was hard enough to send me back my amer denting the door. as I fell out of the van. the man surely new I was wearing a vest so he amid his shot gun at my face. As I stared down the Berol of his aa12 I was frozen. I could not run. If I did id be lucky to die quick. There was no time for me to try and shoot him. I could not save myself. Serra kicked the vans slidingdoor. witch smashed in to him between his shoulders and his helmet with a addible crack. as the door rebound the man fell forward on to me his neck in an add angol. His armor was heavy

Serra polled the man off me and I got up “you ok honey?” I nodded “I owe you my life Serra.” she smiled “I’ll make you work the det off latter.”

“You are going to regret this.” We turned to see who spoke. Then Serra grumbled “and as always someone has to ruen the moment.” said Serra. “you will be purged evildoers!” there was one solder left. he glowered at us and the gathering craud. “this universe will be cleansed.” The man had something in his hand. “you all will perish. no one can defeat the president of the galaxy. this is a message to all would dare to dis obay him. It’s to bad you wont be around to here it.” the man dropped his device and started laughing in a hi pitched laugh. Serra and I looked at each other then back at the guy pityingly. the lafter of the sodur petered off . as he look down at his device. “ shouldn’t you goon off by now?” he asked the bomb. Serra held up a device in such a way that the men could easily see it. “what’s wrong kid your explosive don’t have the current to function?” the man gaped. “no fare…I demand you turn off that damming device. “what?... you share about that?” ofcorce I’m shuere.” “ yes but are you shuere your shure.” I fraund at Serra and grabbed the device. “stop teasing him.” I turned to the solder and pushed a button and a bubble dome formed around the man “ok mister gackner. We are going to leave you in there until—“. the solder keeled over gods dam it some on get some emt’s here

we put together watches and to try and stop any further attacks

When the last group came we were reedy we won without a single shot fired and

That last one group all were highly trained warriors with tanks and such we killed all except the leader. The toune was really pissed by this time. so much I had to friskily restrain the taune storyteller from throwing him in to a ships engine. we tattooed and sent the leader back to earth with a warning not to send any more men.

Chapter 9 thoughts of old

2011-05-01T09:46:00.000-07:00

Chapter 9

thoughts of old

Tim turned his head away looking toward the campfire. An expression of pain was running through his face. Jen looked trying to understand what the problem was. Jen looked in the direction that Tim was looking then turned back. Jen watched Tim as he sat not moving not talking sitting in silence. Tim clearly ether does not want to talk about it or is waiting for me. It’s not time yet thought Jen Embarrassed Jen spoke up trying to change the subject. Trying to break the silence Jen stabbed out with some thing anything to change the mood.

“Tim so…how can I build a laser saber? I’m not familiar with it, so I find it fascinating.” Tim sat as still as stone still looking toward the fire still in silence.

Jen wondered if he had broken Tim. “Um…Tim you ok…you still there…Tim.” Jen touched him on the shoulder. Tim was startled. “What’s going on what you say again?” Tim did his winning smile. “I said I fined laser swords fascinating.” “Oh yes right fascinating.” Tim looked glad for the change of subject and relaxed. “That all?”

Tim looked at Jen with one eyebrow up and a half smile. “I’m also interested in learning how to fight with a laser sword if that’s what you mean.” Tim smiled then removed his laser saber from his belt. “You know about laser swords there isn’t much for me to tell you that isn’t in basic level electronics.” He started to field strip it in to its parts laying it out on his folded trench coat. “I’ll go over the parts with you” Pointing to them as he spoke. “First we have the emitter basically speaks for its self it emits the 10,000mW Laser beam, then we have a force field capacitor, a focus crystal is basically an energy refinery.” Jen spoke up “So the crystal it’s a lot like those security fields that are in some places were the gun powder doesn’t expand inside the copper shell, I think they call that a negative zero energy field. “Then you know vanas lwa.” Enough to see where this is going gust about.” said Jen. “I won’t need to cover that--good.” Tim looked down “Ok where was I…The battery pack, and the on off switch. “With your background building it won’t be hard either.” Tim reassembled his saber and hung it on his belt. I’m sure you can build one if you want one.” Tim smiled.

And collected his tools and put his mechanical hand in the crook of his arm, he started to walk to a trailer. Jen grabbed Tim’s trench and ran behind him. “Tim you’re forgetting this.” Tim turned and looked down at the trench. “No use it if you get cold.” then Tim entered the trailer... Jen just went back by the fire and lay down on his back. He looked up into the stars seeing the constellations as he drifted off to sleep.

Jen awoke early in the morning, the camp was being packed up and tents were being broken down. The camp fire was out; Jen sat up right and looked around, Jack and Tim ware sitting Indian style on the ground a few yards away. They were talking with some one on the other side of a holoprojector. Jack seemed to have a built in holoprojector in the palm of the suit. The rest of the men, women and children ware packing things up. Jen got up and started walking over to Tim. Tim looked up and spotted Jen. Then Tim spoke to Jack. Jen could not hear what they said. Jack continued to have a conversation with the one on the other end.

As Tim got up and walked over to Jen. “Good morning Jen how did you sleep?” “Fine.” Jen said groggily “still waking up though.” Tim smiled. “Good if you need anything just ask and I’ll try to help.” “There is one thing.” Said Jen “Tim is there by any chance a stream around here, I need to at least clean up a little, I fear that if I go on like this I may become a little ripe.” “I understand.” Said Tim. “Follow me theirs an area over in the woods.” Tim started walking away “come-on I’ll show you where you can clean up.” Jen got a small black toiletry bag out of the saddlebag of his speed bike and followed Tim.

He followed through the woods along an old animal path. By and by they came to a small stream. Jen knelt down to clean up. But Tim said “Jen you won’t be able to get as clean there follow me there‘s a better place.”

Jen stood up he then caught up with Tim. They traversed the stream to where it cascaded over a cliff down rock face into a ravine. “Down there you’ll find everything you’ll need.” Tim said pointing down the rock face. Jen leaned over. “O.K. how do I get down?” Jen looked at Tim “What do I do jump down?” Tim smiled and chuckled. “No.” “Then what?” said Jen .Tim then walked over to a tree and pushed on a knot in the wood to reveal a hidden compartment. Tim removed a rope ladder then threw it over the cliff and climbed down. It was twenty to thirty feet down to the ground. There was a pool of water perfect depth for bathing at the bottom. The water came from the stream above like a shower. Jen looked up it would be for I’ll practical purposes impossible to come down without the ladder. At the end of the ravine was a small cave.

By the entrance was a folded up pile of cloths. “It looks like some one else is down here.” Said Tim. Jen looked at the pile of cloths. “How in the verse did this person get down there’s no way anybody could survive landing On to the gagged rocks down here.” “That’s easy someone came along to poll the ladder back up.” Said Tim. “but any way theirs a lot of places in that cave, go back maybe you’ll see some one else you know.” Tim climbed up the latter and was poling it up. Jen Yelled up. “Hay how do I get back up?” Tim chuckled and yelled down. “Climb, if you need help ask whoever’s in there for some.” Tim poled up the ladder the rest of the way.

Jen turned to enter in to the cave following it down to the chamber. It had a small ultrasonic washer and dryer and a clothing press for washing clothes. There were a few smaller chambers along the wall as well. Jen went in to a smaller chamber along the wall to undress. Folding his clothes in to a pile. He heard the sound of footsteps running up out the tunnel. Jen took out a set of cloths out setting them on a shelf. Then he went out the chamber to the cave. He set his dirty close on a table for later. He went out for a shower. He saw someone beneath the waterfall bathing. He cold not see who it was rocks were in the way. He walked around and stopped. He saw her. He had seen the female form before Jen had no real modesty taboo. But still she was gorgeous. You know how brains have a tendency to go to autopilot with out you wonting it to. It did that now, the first instinct is to stare, so what cold I do she was a reel women not a poster girl, you know the body, there bodies ware merely hangers for clothes. The only other purpose was for caring around there heads, she was short and what is called curvaceous or voluptuous his eyes went from the one delicious head of curling hair to another, Jen was embarrassed but. Sadly Emotions have there own morals but they definitely have a point of view. He had a wish to throttle his brain to make it step in. never the les his hand full of dark feathers went from fright wig to feather duster. The next thing that happens is to have you speak but your brain wont let you. So it comes out as a jumble of sounds.

This startled the women she grabbed a crescent shaped folding knife from a cubbyhole in the rock. And world to face the intruder ready to fight. She examined him quickly then recognized him. She waved Hi and retuned the knife to the cubbyhole then went back to bathing. Feeling espoused and troubled by his own reaction. He averted his eyes. After a minute she turned back to Jen. “what’s wrong kido theirs plenty of space for all.” she said with a smile “um…yes but….um…you’re a girl.” She looked down. “Well look at that I guess I am a girl, your point?” “But you’re a girl.”

“Yup I’m still a girl.” But. …You’re ….a …girl.” “Well yes we’ve been over that.” this Time a hint of impatience and annoyance

In her voice. Still averting his eyes. “I not used to...” said Jen a look of understanding swiped the woman’s face “oh I know what you mean, so of I was male there wouldn’t be a problem right?” “Om …yes.” Jen supplied not understanding. She went back to bathing again. “Then.” She smiled “think of it this way, what the difference between bodies of a male is and the body of a female, we have the same bodies mostly. Between male and female, some are closer than others, the problem its only minuet really, I’m not ashamed and I don’t think you should be ether; it’s a waste of Time and energy. But if it helps you.” She smiled at Jen obviously finding this funny. “You can think of me as a man. A curvaceous gorges man.” she stepped out from under the waterfall tying her hair back in to a ponytail. With a hair tie she had around her wrist. She walked up to him she stud in front of him. “Com on look up.” she said Jen still diverted his eyes. “Don’t make me do something drastic here HonJen.” Jen slowly looked up at her he truly recognizing her. It was Lisa the other dancer from last night? “Now inset that better?” she smiled. She walked by a shiver ran up his spine as she walked past him in to the cave his body stiffened even more if possible. Just before she entered the cave she paused to yield back over her shoulder. “By the way thanks for the STIFF clamant there.”

Jen felt enberist and slightly dirty. Jen walked in to the waterfall. The water was cool and helped him with his problem, Jen washed up then went in to the cave. Happily Lisa wasn’t there. He put his clothes thru the ultrasound washer. He added some vinegar in lieu of detergent. He had to use a hand crank to build up the electricity to run the Ultra sound Washer and dryer. He dried them part way in the clothing press then the rest of the way in the ultrasound dryer. While the dryer was doing its thing he shaved. It had been a week since he had saved his blond hair was beginning to make him look like a peach. Jen lathered himself with shaving soup then began to use a strait edge. Jen dress in the fresh set he had left out earlier

When he was dun he kerfaly peek then dressed in his now dry clothes. After shaving Jen returned to the main cave were He fawned Lisa buffing her feet with a sandpaper stick and applying moisturizer with the seriousness only a dancer or acrobat could do. Jen packed his cloths in his bag when Jen was done Lisa was also about finished.

Jen followed Lisa to the rock face, she practically walked up the rock face like a fly on a wall, Jen followed with difficulty slipping and almost falling off completely multiple Times, Lisa got to the top. Jen worked harder to get up. “Lisa a little help pleas.” a moment later the rope ladder came down, Jen gratefully got it Jen clamed up the ladder to the edge of the cliff. Up on to flat ground. Jen got up. “thanks Lisa I would have been stuck down there thanks.” Said Jen. “You’re welcome, Jen.” Jen walked beside Lisa back to camp. They talked allowing the way.

Back at camp every thing was cleaned up. All the tents war broke dawn. Most of the trailers wore gone from the site. Lisa went over to a trailer and drove away. Jen put his things back in the trunk of his speeder. Tim walked up to Jen. “Jen what do you think?” “About what?” “About joining.” “I think there a fine bunch.” Said Jen. “Then would you like to go with.” “ I wouldn’t mind being out of the retch on the empire, I would be unhappy if I cold not.” Tim smiled “for all protocol proposes welcome to the gang. Hitch the speeder on to the back of the trailer and weal be off.” they tied it to the back with rope. Jen sat in the passenger seat. Tim went to the driving seat. He started the Tyler and drove to the mane rode.

“So what’s the designation Tim?” “That’s for me to know and you to fine out.” Said Tim “O.K. then what’s the job.”? “It’s a smuggling job.” Tim turned on to the mane road. “What are you smuggling. Jen you’re going too laughed.” “No I won’t.” said Jen. “Yes you will.” “Lets not play the yes no qwegen com on try me.” “Ok turkey semen.” Tim waited for Jen so say something. Jen shrugged his shudders and said “ho-hum and what’s new.” as he stifled a smile. “Ok then mister mowrth, turkey semen on this trip, and we have to install the semen.” Jen laughed. "Oh. Boy!" Tim shuddered "I am not doing it. Said Tim. I'm going to fide some bulk heads to polish instead.” Said Tim “Jen bit his lip and shook his head “well wherever you’re going I’m coming to.” Tim took in a deep breath and shaped his face in to complement “you know you do have soft hands.” “NO I don’t won’t to know a turkey that we’ll no way!”

Enough turkey talk lets go on to some thing less

“So what would you be doing right now if the empire had never come to be, What if the empire had never came then what would you be doing Tim?” Tim glanced over at Jen “that’s not reI’lly I’ll that hard would probably take an inter alternative book to tell but, I would be… well Jen I’d be doing the exact same thing that I’m doing now, it’s like the food industry everybody’s got to have food sometime. Or take the housing industry “There are not gust big emperors but small ones as well Tim paused, I can’t remember the name of the organization.” “Maybe I can help.” said Jen “describe the place.” “You know when you live in a group of homes and theirs very strike rules you have to fI’llow. Or of the organization can get you thrown out of your house. Say if the grass an inch high instead of two thuds. Or you’re supposed to have daffodils not roses in the flowerbed. Or you won’t to build a wheel char ramp to your house or whatever.” “Oh you mean a home owners association.” “Yes that’s the one.” Said Tim

“I give en alternate.” “You would be the free community.” “Yes.” Said Tim “so I’d be shipping medicine, selling, smuggling. If the verse had been free of the empire but not of small fries.” “There will always be some one who needs goods that is hard to get.” “Are you familiar with the clipper ships?” “Yes during the gold rush there wars ships that bought illusory supplies for the normal price.” Tim nodded “Right and ship it there, they would sell them for multiple Times what they paid for it.” “The basically the same thing I am doing.” “Even if the empire was no more there would be people who can’t get goods or services. Either beaus of some one or some thing. I would be living as I am now doing enough work to get by and have the illusory. I wont the difference is that I would be with my wife and my sun but I’ll to gather the same things.” the conversation petered off.

Latter.

“Jen do you know how to drive…we’ll of coerce you do you lived on a farm.” “Jen I need a go a wee cold you take over the controls for me.” “Shore Tim.” said Jen Tim poled his set back and relinquished the controls to Jen. Tim walked to the back of the trailer and on the way grabbing a Kelvin and hobs in space comic strip collation.

Jen drove for the next few miles when he hard a flush. Tim came back sat down in the passenger’s seat and watched the rode.

Jen offered the controls back to Tim. “No thanks I’m happy here.” “Jen have you had any food this morning?” Jen shook his head. Tim went to the fringe then started to make a sandwich out of some of last’s night’s dinner. Tim asked Jen if he wonted anything no thanks. Tim said. “Come on you haven’t had any thing I’ll day, I’ve got Homemade honey mustard, think about it slices of stout meet with honey mustard with lettos tomato red union. Or maybe some bbq sauce.” Jen mouth began to water. “I’ll right I’ll right shore the former honey mustard.” Tim made up too sandwiches and gave one to Jen. Then set a can of pop in Jens drink holder Tim sat down in the passenger side seat and began to eat his sandwich. Then got up and took a bred box from a cupboard. “Yo Jen have you ever had any Bareback bread before.” Jen shuck his head “its An Irish bread most Irish breads are leavened with baking soda and would be classified as quick breads.” “Barm Brack is similar to the Welsh bread known as Bara brith which is flavored with currants, raisins, sugar, and citrus, it’s a nice dissert dread good for a lunch or picnic.” Tim cut of a chunk and gave it to Jen. Jen began to eat it.

“Tim I’d rely like to know about what you use to do and up to date.” Tim was about to protest when Jen interrupted “a window of a story is a window in to the sole.” Jen said. “It’s going to be a long journey I might as well tell you.”

Ch8 meet the family

2011-05-01T09:44:00.000-07:00

Ch8

meet the family

When Jen and Tim got back to the camp,

People were dancing around the campfire.

Guys and girls were talking, laughing and having a good time.

Some of the men and women were playing flutes, violins, bagpipes, didgeridoos and even a child with a kazoo. There was a small portable grill tended by two twelve-year-old twins. He could tell by their chatter that the taller boy supervising them was an older teen called Allen.

Some were eating and watching the dancing and talking from a distance.

Jen and Tim took a seat by the fire. The music died down and the man and women cleared from around the fire. The music came again -- it was a beat, slow. Two women came in to the firelight and began dancing around the fire. One was Jerra. The other Jen did not recognize. Jerra had changed from her t-shirt and jeans to a tiered long skirt and a long and wide sleeved shirt with wooden toggles. The other women offered her a Chinese broadsword. Jerra drew the sword from its sheath. She took a ready stance then began to twirl. First slowly then she sped up and spun the sword faster. With every strike, it made a sound as--it was like of competitive chimes.

Her swordsmanship was amazing -- not just spinning but leaping and doing amazing acrobatics and always landing in a perfect pose.
She now struck so fast it seemed an absolute blur to his eyes. As she twirled her skirt billowed around her…her hair released from its hair tie. Her hair was swaying freely, shimmering like firelight.

Jen was stunned. She…she was beautiful.

He stared and said in a whisper, "Oh …my...god…"

Tim said. "Yes she is a good dancer, isn't she." Tim looked at Jen and got a look of happiness in his eyes just for a moment.

Jerra ended the dance with a flourish in the last move then dropped into a ready stance and sheathed the sword.

Jen turned to look at Tim just realizing that Tim had spoke to him. "What did you say, Tim?"

Tim looked away and said, "Nothing, nothing."

Jerra pulled both men and women on to their feet and lured them to join the dance. Jen smiled dreamily and watched her. Jerra twirled over to Jen then smiled at him. Jerra took the sash from her neck and proffered it to Jen. Jen grabbed on to the sash and wrapped it around his hand and stood up. She pulled up, inviting him to dance. Jerra was an extraordinary good dancer and forgave Jen for his left-footed blunders.

As Jerra twirled Jen around and tilted, Jen was in ecstasy--amazingly happy. After the dance, Jerra let Jen go. When he sat down, he was out of breath. He said, under his breath, that was nifty--smiling like an idiot. Jerra and her fellow female dancing partner went to pull Tim up. Tim said, "I couldn't." Then the rest of the group goaded him in to it. "OK, if you insist," and jumped up. Jerra and the other pulled Tim into the center. Tim started dancing with both of them. To Jen’s surprise Tim had no problem dancing with both of them at once. Jen watched and saw Tim smiling the happiest smile Jen had ever seen. Finally, the finish with a flourish and an uproar of clapping and cheering came from the men and women around the camp. Tim, Jerra and Lisa bowed with big smiles on their faces. Tim walked over and plopped down by Jen breathing a little heavily.

"So Jen, having fun yet?" asked Tim.

Jen was still smiling wide. "Yes. I haven't had this much fun in a long while."

Jerra came over and patted Jen on the shoulder. "Come on Jen, let's get some grub."

Jen looked at Tim "Go on, I'll socialize here."

Jen followed Jerra to the grill. But stopping to pick up a plate and silverware set from his speeder bag. The two boys at the grill handed them two plates. Then Jen and Jerra moved over to Allen who gave them their choice of steak. On the plate was a steak with light gravy, plus fried rice and roasted vegetables.

Jerra scooted over to A table, offering drinks. She pulled a pint filling the stein with the amber fluid.

Jen looked down at the food. Jerra smiled. "It may not be as good as you make but it is good."

Jen took a fork and took a bite, chewed and then swallowed. "It's not bad." Jen picked up a stein and was about to fill it from the same cask Jerra had filled when Jerra softly put a hand on Jen’s to stop him. Jen looked up at Jerra.

"What's wrong?"

"Jen, that stuff has a kick. You can have it if you want but you may want to try it first." One eyebrow went up.

"I think I can hold my drink," said Jen.

"OK," said Jerra. She picked up the stein and let a little into it, then handed it to Jen. Jen looked at her as if to say, 'you know this is pointless”, and took a drink.

Jerra watched him and then turned and walked to a stump by the fire. Jen spit the drink in to the grass when Jerra was not looking and with a sour expression get a different drink.

Jen walked over and sat down beside her.

"Does this happen every night?"

Jerra looked at Jen.

"partys." said Jen.

“When we want to have fun, or, when we get paid." Said Jerra "We all chip in -- some more then others -- I and Lisa supply some of the entertainment as you saw, as well as juggling and magic and stuff like that. Allen is good on the grill and Toms supplies the hard drinks."

She took a sip of the brew then laid the stein on a stump. "This isn't half bad. He's getting better at brewing mead. So Jen have you joined these bunch of merry yokels yet?" Jen nodded. Jerra looked over at Kai who was glaring at Jen.

"you were the one who gave Kai some hot soup." In a accusing and merry tone.

"Sadly…yes. Jen said with unease’s. “I hope he will forgive me soon.”

"Well, you could make him the same meal that you made me back at the apartment. I think even Kai would show respect to you then."

"I thought that Kai didn't like stoat meat." Said Jen.

"How did you know?" said Jerra in surprise.

"I just know."

"Anybody else will like it." Jerra continued eating.

"Jerra, I have a question. I would not want to pry or anything but what do you do besides checking up on Tim's buyers?"

Jerra replied, "I am a dancer. I learned the art of stealth and the basic training of a personal companion." Jerra paused and took a drink from the stein and watched his face. Jen didn't bat an eye. She continued, "I used to work as a thief professionally--stealing paintings, electronics, statues, things like that."

Jen nodded encouragingly "How did you get in touch with Tim?" asked Jen

"Well, I was doing a job and found out that the contact was double-crossing me. She made out a check that was made out for ten thousand. It was originally issued for ten dollars altered to ten thousand. Tim was a bystander; he gave me a better deal. The other reason I joined this group was I like the way he does business. And what he strives for is complete honesty which is a rarity in any day and age. I myself remember what this was like before the war--back when you could support yourself with very little work. Now, both parents have to work just to make ends meet. The empire holds our lives now. You are forced to go to war. You have no choice. If you do not, then…" Jerra paused and Jen completed the sentence. "Dragged to the town square and hanged and left there to die and even then they'll have you decay on the rope as a example."

Jen shivered at the thought. Jerra continued, "Yes, at the start you were quietly shot then it went to torture, hanging, rape -- even the children. Those damn haemoid daquelas irmãs que risca o gado que humping alguns priests um cathic pedo olha o alvorecer em quem veio provavelmente dentro ao mundo era porco que os guts começam furados na cerca e lá gene era assim desesperado!"

That surprised Jen, even though he’d worked in a machine shop for a summer. Compared to what Jerra just said about the empire, the swears he heard in the machine shop were a children's lullaby.

"This war has been going on for over twenty-one years. I want it to end. I'm doing my part. Tim found a spy, and I found a partner."

Jen looked at Jerra "So you and Tim are…" Jerra looked at Jen in surprise. "You think." Jerra laughed "No. No. He's not the type for me, I like…" Jerra fell silent as she looked at Nolfivrell a dark skinned teen. Nolfrivrell was a young man with red hair. He was dressed in A black leather Jacket, a vest embroidered with a mixture of red and gold thread. He was talking to the other woman who was dancing with Jerra earlier. Jerra smiled.

"Quite a catch. You must have gone through a lot to get that one," approved Jen.

"A few," said Jerra.

Jen realized something. "Jerra -- you said that you remember what it was like before the war. How is that possible? You can't be over your early twenties."

Jerra smiled. "Jen, flattery will get you everywhere."

"No, I'm serious!" Said Jen.

"I'm glad that you think so." I'm actually in my middle thirties." "Jen goggled wide-eyed. "I take it you are joshing me" "said Jen. "I'm forty four." "Well I must say you age well. You’re looking good from down here." Jerra smiled. "I moisturize."

They ate the rest of the food in silence. Jen swallowed the last of the food, stood up and addressed Jerra. "Anyway, it’s nice to meet the real you."

Jen and Jerra went their separate ways. Jerra went to a trailer and Jen to the campfire to warm up. Watching the Yojimbo, Jen spied a group coming to the camp. He noticed the cyborg from earlier. Jen pulled aside a Yojimbo called Lora. She was talking to a Mongolian man. Jen asked, "Who's that?" Lora, a little annoyed by the intrusion replied, "Why don't you go over and make friends and find out for your self."

The cyborg walked over to Tim who was sitting by Lisa,

Jen went over to join them. Tim noticed Jen approaching.

"Jen, this is Jackie Divine." Jen looked up in to Jackie's face. ‘He’ must have been seven feet tall. Jackie looked down . Jen spoke up. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Divine." Jackie said, "Please call me Jackie." The voice was a little metallic. "Jen, it’s nice to meet you too, but I beg leave of you. If you'll excuse me I'd like to talk to Tim in private, please."

"Very well," said Jen. "Go on, Tim. I'll be out by the fire."

Tim and Jackie went in to a tent. As they walked, Jackie spoke up. "Ous Tim è lui quello che stiamo cercando? è il vostro figlio." Tim cut him off with four words. "Heer di attesa non."

Jen went over to mingle some more. After a while, the group went off one by one to their respective corners. Some had trailers. Some had tents and some just curled up by the fire, leaving Jen to do as he would. Jen helped clean up from the party, then he thought he'd try to get some practice in. He drew his sword, whirling it around trying to get used to its weight. He had wielded farm tools and sticks more than weapons. Jen sat by the fire and fed sticks into it. Finally, Jen gave up. He just curled up by the fire and went to sleep.

Later, Jen felt some thing warm lying on him which woke him up. Jen sat upright, bleary-eyed. Tim's green trench was lying on him. He looked around and spied Tim standing over him looking down. “Tim?”

Tim sat Indian style beside Jen.

"Hi, kiddo. Sorry I woke you." Tim put a few logs on the fire then took out a cloth and began cleaning his weaponry. Tim removed something from a holster--a DD gun, a very dangerous weapon not for private ownership. A device so powerful that can literally make a hole right through you. "Tim, that gun you have there…that's a forbidden weapon, isn't it?" Tim paused, cleaning the moving parts then turned his head to stare at Jen.

Jen went on. "You could be arrested for having that gun." Tim brandished the gun and an impish gleam came in to his eyes "Let them try."

"But Tim, but -- you will go to jail. Why run the risk of being caught?"

Tim looked at Jen’s sword and his pistol. "Jen, you like being able to carry that seven shooter and your sword right?"

"Indeed, yes. It’s my right as a citizen to have the right to bear arms against anyone that might try to…oh." "See, you just answered your question. You see, back on earth--before we colonized the stars--you could not own a gun without a license. On top of a license for owning a gun, you had to get another for carrying a sidearm. And, swords were never allowed."

Jen stared in horror. "You mean that if you had a gun, you could not use it?" Tim nodded. "That's right, that's barbaric." said Jen. As one man once said ‘if you don't use your right then you will lose it.’ That's the reason that I carry this gun. I'm one of the people that have decided to push the envelope. The reason why people could not carry guns and swords freely back on earth is because people did not use their power. Now, the only people who can carry these are military personnel. If enough people carry this." Tim gushed, "with the gun we may be able to get them legal to carry. I don't like the thought that someone can use something that the free people can't. You have the right to carry that gun and that sword because people like me didn’t let that happen. Tim holstered his DD Gun.

Tim picked up his sidearm and cleaned the barrel with a stiff bristle brush. Jen and Tim sat in silence. After Tim was finished, he holstered his gun and took his green leather trench coat, folded it neatly and laid it by his side. Tim fiddled with his glove and undid the straps as he unzipped and removed his leather over glove, then the rubber under glove—to reveal a metal gauntlet. Jen saw metal gears revolving under the metal and poly glass casing. Tim took a screwdriver from his wallet and placed it in a slot at the back of his hand and twisted. The back popped open. Tim took a hex ranch and began to twist another socket.

Jen piped up. "What are you doing with your hand?"

Tim turned to face Jen "I'm doing maintenance on my prosthetic arm. I lost my hand years ago. I had a prosthetic that looked real, did the basic pincer grip. I actually helped designed this one. How this one works is…you see these four tubes? Each one has a cord. They each pull these four fingers. The cords are attached to what's left of the tendons and muscles in my forearm. The only thing I can't do is swivel my thumb. The muscle got chopped off -- I had to add a small motor to do the job. My wrist works in the same way my fingers do. Jen…am I grossing you out?" This last caught Jen off guard.

"What?"

"Am I grossing you out?

"No, no I'm actually interested."

Tim started to fiddle with his metal hand using the hex wrench to loosen the cords. Soon Tim took the hooks off the cords, pulled up and unscrewed his hand. Soon enough Tim fully removed the hand. All that was left was a casing that held rings that connected to the cords on Tim's prosthetic hand. Tim took the mechanical hand and connected it to a power pack to recharge for the night. Tim then removed the casing enclosing what was left of his stump. Jen could see the way it was grafted onto Tim's arm. It had been attached to the bone that was left. Jen moved over to Tim. "How did you lose your hand?"

Tim looked up at Jen. "It really isn't a proper bedtime story."

"Please, Tim." Jen saw Tim tense. "I…I lost it in the war on Titan. It was a parting blow from the leader of the army."

"Really. Tell me what happened, I'm interested." Tim paused. "I want to know your story."

Ch7 Unexpected Allies

2008-06-25T14:25:00.000-07:00

Ch7 Unexpected Allies

Jen woke up. Then looked round him he was back in bed in his bedroom. He sat up. Moms was sitting by his bed.

“Hi Jen,” said Moms a sad smile on her face. Jen spoke up. As he looked around, Jen was getting a terrible sense of daja vu.

“What happened?” Jen asked. Moms smiled.

“You saved two kids lives from a fire,” Moms went on. “Don’t worry Jen – they’re OK – burned, but -- OK. You on the other hand are in rough shape. You hit your head rather badly, you got a mild concussion on top of the burns you received.” Jen pushed past his uncooperative teeth.

“How did you find me?” He asked

“Well, I was finishing up the potatoes when I saw J.Bot running, bolting out of the house. I put my knife in my belt and ran after him. I took a wild guess that you were in some trouble, that J.Bot was alerted by your watch. I used my phone to get ahold of Dads to follow me. When we got there the shed was in flames. J.Bot with my and Dads help got you out. we brought you back and put you in bed. Jenny’s making a fuss about having to do your work as well as hers and taking care of the kids on top of it.”

“I’m not surprised. Tell her that she’ll soon have an army of darkness that she can teach to do evil .” laughed Jen.

“Well, here.” Moms handed Jen some pills and water. “Well, Jen I’m glad you’re feeling better . I have things to do so get some sleep I’ll be back later -- but is there anything I can get you?”

“No thanks moms I’m just going to sleep.” Later Jen woke to check on the kids and do what he could.

Over the next few weeks the kids were getting better. Jen did what he could on the farm then on the way back to the house he walked into the dining room to find the whole family sitting. The family was hugging and crying. Jen looked at them Paused. Jen said. “Who…” then realized “died?” Jen ran up the stares dawn the hall to the bedroom door. Jen looked at the bed.

Jen snapped awake. With a start he had his gun out he scanned the room it was just a nightmare. He holstered his pistol and put his belt on. It seemed that he had been sleeping. He looked around for a clock and he couldn't see one, so he checked his music player’s clock. It had been a half hour since Jerra had walked off to the bathroom.

Jen got to his feet and walked slowly around the apartment. The bathroom door was ajar. He slowly pushed it open then his eyes opened. Jerra was sitting on the toilet head bowed, a hypo injector in her hand.

Jen kneeled by Jerra to inspect her. It looked like rigor mortis had set in but oddly quickly.

Jen knew that rigor mortis was caused by a chemical change in the muscles after death, causing the limbs of the body to become stiff and difficult to move. The thing was, it usually sets in about 3-4 hours after time of death. As Jen thought this over, he picked up the hypo. It smelled like diavileen. The only thing that puzzled him was diavileen. Was not a base narcotic? . It was an actual med but it was one that the empire did not allow to be used or sold. It had some hallucinogenic affects about as much as eating a little too much horseradish all at once. It also took a lot to OD on it…like trying to OD on pot. Maybe it was a different med. He put the hypo in her lap, said a few words then walked out of the bathroom. Jen shook his head. He didn't blame Mark for her death -- it wasn’t his fault she died. Jen went to get his pack, thinking why do people poison themselves like that? Life is so fleeting already.

Suddenly, the door opened catching Jen off guard. Tim O'Hara walked in, and then glanced at Jen wide-eyed . Jen grabbed his revolver from his belt Jen had his gun trained on Tim.
Jen said, “Hands above your head and keep them where I can see!” Tim put his hands up in an “I surrender” gesture. With his gun still trained on Tim. Jen patted him for weaponry. He came up empty. Jen checked again--came up empty again. “All right”, said Tim, stepping back. “What are you here for, Tim?” Jen asked.
Tim spoke up in a surprised voice.

“Oh, so you have heard of me.” And with a happy smile, he lowered his hands and stepped forward to shake Jen’s hand. Jen yelled, “Hands up, keep the foda away!”

“Well, guess what? I come in peace.” As he said this, he did a Vulcan salute with both hands. “Live long and prosper, man. Anyway, I was going to ask you the same thing, youngling.” Jen pulled the safety off. Tim tensed “Just visiting a friend. Man, What did I ever do to… Tim paused “hey, wait a minute! You're that boy from a day ago what was it Tim looked at the floor pursed his lips Its on the tip of my tongue what was it? Andy…angry… oh that’s Wright. Honjen. Tim smiled yes that’s write! Oh by the way Sorry about hurting you, last night mate.”
Jen stepped back to sit down on the couch but kept his eyes--and gun--trained on Tim.

“Shut up and I'm not your mate.”

You sold the medicine to that piece of gos se!” Tim replied, “I'm not fond of him myself but pretty harsh words, you know.
But why such a hard rap?”

“He tried to rape her,” said Jen.

“Where’s Jerra?” said Tim, with a tang of fear in his voice.

“She's dead—and do you know who’s fault that is?” Tim’s eyebrows went up “I don’t know…yours?” “No yours!" "She died because of you!” exclaimed Jen. “The medicine she got from your man killed her. She OD’d! She's…dead in the bathroom.”

Jen glowered “She's dead because of you. Tim, you fought for independence. You have turned.” Tim frowned.

“Lets skip the part about the connection between fighting to keep my home and go straight to the part about selling medicine. I sell things that the empire does not want the population to have. Air in a can for instance. Air in a can has gases that can make you stoned. Yet it is very useful for cleaning computers. Jen interrupted

“That dos not matter!”

Tim rolled his eyes and ended with a bland expression.

“You still killed her.” Repeated Jen. Tim seemed to relax.

“So she's dead, is she? Well she looks pretty lively for a dead girl then.” Tim said, moving his head to look over Jen’s shoulder.

“Geez, is that pedantic or what? I would say nice try, but do you think I'm a complete back birth? That's the oldest trick in the book. “ Snapped Jen.

“yup… And don't I know it!” said Tim.

“But it still stands, Jen.” A female voice came from behind him. “Tim is not lying”

“Hi, Tim. I see you’ve met Jen.” The voice wasn’t squeaky anymore. Jen turned his head and his mouth dropped open. Jen brought the gun up to Tim’s head and screamed, “Jerra, get out of here! I’ll hold him back—I’ll catch up!” “

“No need,” came the reply.

Jen’s head turned. “He’ll kill you if you stay!”

“No, he won’t…” Jerra went to the fridge then came back with two beers. She underhanded one to Tim, who caught it and popped the top with his right hand.

Jen’s brows furrowed as Tim sat down on the couch, putting his feet on top of the coffee table. Jerra went over, pushed his boots off the table and sat down beside Tim. She tried to open the beer without success, and then handed it to Tim. Tim popped the top and gave it back.

“So, Tim,” she asked, “how was the trade?”

“It went well,” Tim replied, “although I think mark is getting a little overconfident. He threatened to get the goods directly from Vladimir. --Which he can do. What about you?”

Oh, I was there and I agree I think that mark is getting a bit high in the head. I think it’s time to get another buyer.”

“Yes, I heard.” Tim replied. “I’ll have to find a better middleman to sell to…”

Not understanding, Jen yelled, “Will someone tell me what the Govno is going on? I want some answers!”

Tim didn't even look up from Jerra.

“…To what I saw he had some good muscle. How did you get away? “The normal way by gift of superior effort I extricated my self.” Tim smiled. You’re amazing--and that's why I hired you. By the way, what's up with the kid? He a friend of yours?”

“No,” replied Jerra. “Why? Do you know him?”

“Just a bit…” said Tim, “but that's beside the point. Why is he here?”

“Well, Tim…he got in the way of the job, like he knew what was going down. I wanted to find out who he was and what he was doing here. From what I understand, he thought that you and the boys are criminals.”

“Obviously,” said Tim. “As they say, one man’s enemy is another man’s freedom fighter--so in that, he would be right.”

Jerra gave a “come on” expression. “Tim, you know what I mean.

“Yes, and I know what you mean. Did he tell you anything else?” Tim asked.

“Yes,” answered Jerra. “Because of the fire back at old Charlie’s mansion, he doesn’t have a home anymore.” Tim frowned.

“I don't remember twitchy finger potty mouth over there from Charlie’s place the only ones I remember war the boy and girl Tim posed…then under standing came over his face. “Oh, I get it! Ouch!” I mean…Ouch!”

Jen lowered his gun and put it back in its holster, feeling rather stupid. “Before you get back into your conversation,” Jen asked, “I'd like to know what's happening. Please.” Tim and Jerra stopped talking and turned to look at him.

“Ask away.”

Jen paused. “What just happened?” he asked.

“I'm a smuggler.” Tim replied. “I bring medicine, food and…comfort that the Empire won’t.”

“Yes I guessed that.” Said Jen exasperated. Jerra looked at Jen.

“You want us to answer your questions.”

“Sorry,” said Jen.

“….And I'm an independent contractor.” Jerra added. “I'm a spy. I make sure that the people who buy the drugs will treat their customers with respect.”

“What about the drugs you sell?” Jen continued.

“Mine are mainly the same as yours.” Tim answered. “I do smuggle narcotics but most of the time, it’s actual meds. Jerra was born on another planet. Each planet is different then others some have lower gravity some have nutrients that others don’t. So the air and water has nutrients that Io doesn't have, and this—. “He held up a pack. “--is concentrated diavileen.”

“I still don't understand.” Jen muttered.

Tim closed his hands. “OK, how about this. Are you familiar with Vlad Dracul….Dracula?”

“No, I'm afraid not,” said Jen.

Tim’s brow furrowed as he continued, “Um…on Old Earth, he got the reputation of a blood-sucking fiend. As the story went, he needed blood to keep his flesh whole--that's not the whole story, but you get the drift. “You mean it erupted Pernicious anemia due to vidimen B12 deficiency.” Said Jen.

“Right. A diferent disorder, but if she doesn’t keep up on the right meds, her skin will become…distorted. I don't know about you, but I wonder why the Empire would want to mess up a pretty face like this. He tenderly pinched Jerra’s cheek. “Anything else you want to ask?”

“Only one,” Jen said. “Why were you not scared of me shooting you, earlier, Tim?”

Tim smiled. “Why don't you find out? Try it.”

Jen took his gun out of his belt and pointed it at Tim. “Are you sure about this?”

“Try it.”

“OK,” Jen said, uneasily. At the last second, he changed his aim. Jerra winced as Jen shot the floor—and suddenly felt a charge of electricity surge through him. Vertigo clutched him as he collapsed. Jen woke up to find water up his nose and someone slapping his gorram face..!
“I'm awake, Tim!” he splutted. “Knock it off! Why didn't you tell me?” Tim stood up and plopped down on the couch as Jen got into an upright position. Jerra had her hand on her face and was shaking her head.
“So…anything else you want to know?” Tim asked
“What about if you can take Jerra out on a date?” Jen blushed, and then fainted again. When he came to, he said, “Tim, knock it off--and don't do that again!” Jen got to his feet and took out a flask from his pack. After he took a drink to steady his nerves, he muttered, “So…a force field and taser field, right?”

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Tim Jerra and Jen turned an angry voice say. Well get the door dawn. Jen recognized the voice. “But its locked.” another voice said “well then use your head!” There was the sound of soft hed hitting the hard door. A wale of pane the door gave and a big goon fell in thru the open door flat on the floor. The men from the abandoned office came through the door—Mark and his prods. Mark smiled. “Well. Well. Well. Isn’t this a nice surprise.” “I came for one and found three!” he exclaimed. “So, you've been conspiring with these people! I'm here for my pay--and as a bonus, a double crossing snake!”

This time mark had a mechanical eye. It seems that Jens knife had caused optical damage

Mark took his Glock out and aimed it at Tim.
“You all know what I’m going to do thigh the question is how.” he laughed evilly. “All have you dieing for a year. Dogs on earth are going to hear you scream
Fist I’m going to…”

Tim interrupted yes yes your going to make us watch the its alive marathon

“Mark we have a little business with these guys, so you can wait.” I’m busy
Mark was taken aback he froze shocked at the thought that some one would tock back to him. Mark glowered burning with anger.

Jen said, “Nice Eye were did you get it?”
“I’ll kill you for that!” snapped Mark. “Jen,” Tim answered, “I'm trying to do business here. Please don't make him angry…”
Sorry Tim.
Mark lifted his sidearm to shoot Jen. As he raised his palm, Jen said, “I would not do that if I were you.” Mark fired--and Jen yelled out zamok hariku As Mark dropped to the floor, the thugs watched him fall…then stared at Jen. Mark’s prods stiffened and looked at Jen’s dark gaze. A half-smile drifted to his face as he opened his palm, revealing a bullet. As he showed it to the goons, he said, “If you want to stay alive, then leave--or suffer the fate of your leader.”
Two of the men ran out the door just before the two remaining men looked at each other and fainted.
Jen doubled over in laughter. “Jeezum-pete, how stupid can they be?

Well…what next, Tim?”

Tim looked at Jen. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

Jen looked at Tim confused then smiled. “Maybe. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

Jerra looked at the two. “It’s not likely that they’re allergic to sulfa drugs and theirs an anti-toxin in this one.”

Tim looked at Jerra. “What color will it turn them?”

“What color do you want?” Then Tim started singing. “Its not easy being
green!” Jerra took the hypo injector and exchanged the chamber and piped up . spending each day the culor of the leafs and she started humming the rest

Tim with a impish glee went over to mark and pulled down Mark’s trousers.

Just before Jerra prepared the sulfa drug. “Black in the syringe, but green in the body, love these medically repurposed dyes!”

Tim said “Ok Marky show me some frogs legs.”

“Well, they are better off than Kermit.”

Tim went in to the voice of a little green pointy eared Gnome
“Yes hand up your ass you would like not hnmmmm!”

Jerra removed the injector.
“im that’s Yoda.”

They repeated the proscess with the other two.

“Well…what next, Tim?”

“I think we should vacate the place before they wake up, “Tim replied. “Jen, are you coming with?”

“If that's all right with you...?” Tim nodded. Jen picked up his pack and grabbed all the food they had in the fridge. Tim had a beat-up hover car and Jen added his pack to the bike’s trunk.

Jen followed Tim out of the town to a new camp, but he didn't get a very cordial welcome, which was to be expected. In time, the Yojimbos warmed up to Jen, except for one man who always kept a hand on the butt of his gun.
It was the man he had thrown the soup onto last night. He met the Yojimbos almost all said hello back except Kai.
When Jen said hello to Kai, he just frowned and spat his chewing tobacco onto the ground as a reply. Then started to course under his berth in japans. Red marks covered by honey on his neck and chin were the soup had scalded him he also had a bandage on his arm were most of the soup went which most likely had the same treatment. Jen decided to leave Kai alone. He talked to all of the Yojimbos. There were about thirty in all. After general conversation, he took a walk around--he spied Tim, who was sitting under the stars.

Jen went over to sit down beside Tim. “So, nice night. Quiet.” said Jen Tim replied I would regale you with a tale of the time I went to earth and stood outside to look at the stars and that the lights war to bright and the smog so thick that you couldn’t see them. but you’d know I’d be lying.

“Yes.” said Jen besides from the fact that earth has had no atmosphere for about for hundred years.”
“I thin stuff vacuum” Jen smiled “yes low vitamin content.” Said Jen. Tim laughed.

“Tim, do you have any family?”

“Yes, of course I do” Tim replied. “All the Yojimbos are my family.”

“Tim You know what I mean.”

Jen gave a rather good impression of Jerras earlier expression “Tim you know what I meant.”

“Well I still have a brother. My brother lives back earth side. I'm pretty share he's still alive I haven't seen his death on the waves. I’d know if he died. He’s all the biological family I have left that I know of.”

“What about you, Jen?”

“I had my step mom and step dad. I never knew my father--my father died in the war and my mother remarried. And when I was 7, she left.”

“Why did she leave?” asked Tim.
“She got into an argument. I honestly can’t remember why she left. I stayed with my stepfather and his daughter. Dads married again--she was nice. When I was young, she gave me a robot playmate that she had built. She was a master of robotics; she had her own company. Triple Moon Robotics, which expanded into Triple Moon Supplements, but anyways…the odd thing about it was that only J. Bot, my toy robot, ever had problems.”
“Problems? Like what?”
“He’d get what I call the C3PO glitch,” replied Jen.
“What does that mean?”
“He’d start talking like a blasted robot from the old sci-fi movies and whenever I tried to fix J. Bot, it didn’t work. He still has the glitch. said Jen

Tim, took out his pipe and packed it full of pipe weed from a little leather pouch. After he lit it with a wooden match, he took a few long pulls on the pipe…then saw Jen looking at him. “Oh, have I forgot my manners? I'm sorry.” Tim said, as he offered the pipe to Jen.
“No thanks, I don't smoke,” said Jen.
“Suit yourself.“ Tim took another pull on the pipe. “Are you sure? It’s not very strong, said Tim as he proffered it to Jen.
“Oh, all right,” Jen relented as he took the pipe. When he inhaled, he expected smoke--but what he got was steam! the steam buried in to his lungs like stepping in to a steam room his eyebrows went up and the hair on his arms stud up. Jen took another hit then handed it back as something took effect. Everything seemed to slow down and the things in his life seemed less urgent. He felt both calmer and clearer. As Tim took another toke, he smiled.

“Tim! Tim!” exclaimed Jen.
“…Yes?”
“Tim, before I join the Yojimbos, I’d like to know a few things! What were you doing stealing in my father’s field?”
“I wasn't stealing! We paid for the corn we took a few days before.”
“What were you doing at the house?”
“It was burning—we were checking for survivors. We didn't find anyone, so we went away.
Why?” “There were two kids in the house!” Said Jen “They accused me of killing their parents, so I had to leave my own home…a little sooner than I wanted to.” “Why war you living.” said tim. I was going to escape the draft and move around. They can't draft you if they can't find you, right?”

“I understand completely,” replied Tim. “I volunteered so that you and all the rest of the world wouldn’t have to…but as you can see, it didn't work out so well. But, I was doing something that I believed in--not because the government wanted me to. I fought so the I and the world wold be free to take any narcotic I like, to wield any weapon I like, governments only muck up the works

I'm still fighting. I'm not going to give up and my life has been harder for it. Some people say that uniting everyone under a single banner will eliminate the need for war? Hogwash! That’s called a single party government, fascism. I’d rather fight to be my own master that is what I strive for. Even if that meant I had to buy my own ammo and weaponry, the local people would give us food and ammo. Sometimes they would give us lodging, just like the Mongols. When they conquered most of the world they brought lower taxes and better healthcare. If the local people don't want you there, they will strike back with anything they can muster. Jen replied, “So they’d reply this is my land I know its unfertile marsh land but its mine. I have a large attraction to it so can take it from my and my family’s cold dead fingers.”Tim nodded “well close enough more like they burn the fields and then sow the field with salt to turn it to sterol ground. Leaving nothing to there invaders. That’s the big factor that decides who will win the war. But I think wear off track.

You asked who are the Yojimbos modeled after.
Very well. Have you ever heard of William Wallace?”
“I can’t say I have.”

“William Wallace was a Scottish rebel who led an uprising against Edward Longshanks…but I'm getting ahead of myself. When William Wallace was a young boy, his father and brother, along with many others, lost their lives trying to free Scotland. Once he lost another of his loved ones, William Wallace began his long quest to make Scotland free once and for all, along with the assistance of Robert the Bruce. William Wallace began to be a thorn in Edward’s side. I try to be the same as Wallace and I also borrow from the Ryu.

“Ryu?” Jen looked perplexed. “What are Ryu?”

“You might know them as ninjas.”

“Ninjas?” Jen huffed. “You mean the old assassins from samurai movies?”

“That's a misconception,” replied Tim. “Ninjas weren’t assassins. They were, for a lack of a better word, They were farmers with extra skills. You might have noticed that all their weapons are basically farm tools.”
“No, I didn’t” said Jen, in disbelief.

Tim raised his voice as he explained. “Oh, yes! All of them, honest!”
Jen gave Tim a you-have-got-to-be-kidding sideways glance. “Ok, I’ll bite. What were nun chucks?”
“Nun chucks were used to as thresher, separating the wheat from the chaff--they just shortened one end.”
“And sickles?”

“Jen, you should know the answer. They were used to cut the wheat.”
“Throwing stars, then?”
“Shuriken, to use the Japanese term, were two-sided knives. You would use one side and when it became dull, you would take the handle off and attach it to the other side and use the blade that was counseled the handle cover the other edge.”

“Grappling hook?”
“Jen, I'm surprised. A grappling hook is something that you'd still see today. It was used for pulling trees down, along with other logging jobs.

All the weapons were farm tools, in fact. I carry this.”
Tim took his sword out and handed it over to Jen, who examined it closely. In essence, it was an electric torch. It had a simple push-activation switch, with designs etched into the hilt.
“What are these symbols, Tim?”
“An incantation. A small spell.”
“You know what it is?”
“Yes, it's a class 15 laser sword.”
Jen turned it blade side up and ignited it. The blade rose red. As Jen stood up and waved it around, Tim yelled out, “Be careful!”

Jen whirled around and slashed a tree branch. Flame rose from the slash in the tree and dissipated down to embers. “Uh, it’s quite light,” remarked Jen. “There's no balance to the blade. The entire weight was in the hilt, which is to be expected but I always wondered why the blade stops at a certain length from the hilt and no farther.” Jen pointed to the tip.

“Easy enough to explain,” said Tim. “It uses a force field. The lasers are organized in a ring and there a field in the middle. That's why they stop--the tip has a little mushroom tip at the top.”

Jen flipped the switch and the laser blade vanished. He handed the sword back to Tim. I tack it that you carry the laser sword as a ideal. to what you were before the war. What exactly was that?”

“I was one of the town bodyguards…meaning that I would be called upon if someone from another town was making trouble. I’d have to bring them back to their own town. Like a sheriff, I had to be supported by the town. If I treated someone unfairly, I would be removed from office. An arbitrator is selected by and for the people and it was a voluntary position. I still had to have a job…but I liked carrying this.” Tim gestured to the saber Jen nodded. “As far as I know, the closest thing to that is a laser saw. Tim nodded yes to that.

Jen went on. “I’ve never seen a laser saw like that.”

“This was a saw for cutting steel girders and such. This was back in a primitive form. Later on, a woman named Luoshita made a smaller, portable version. It had a blade the size of a knife. After a while, she made it into a sword. It became a symbol for peace, but just like Nicola Tesla’s death ray that used in the last war on earth it eventually became a tool for destruction. The death ray was the forerunner of all laser-based weapons. That's the only thing that the Empire has ever done for us.

Jen looked up at Tim in puzzlement. Tim’s eyebrows went up. “You don't know who Nikola Tesla was? The man who created Wardenclyffe Tower?”

Jen replied with an empty stare. “The father of the 20th Century?” Jen still didn't understand and asked, “Who was Nikola Tesla?”

“He was an oddball who made amazing boasts--and made them come true. That’s the quick version. Next time you get on the Net, you should research him but getting back to the original subject…where was I? Ryu! Oh yeah…if any of the samurai found them, they could just go hoe some plants.”

“Then why are they said to be evil assassins?”

“None of the peasant class could read or write. Only the samurai class knew how to do that, and part of history is hiding the truth. The empire can never track us because one day we are farmers, the next we are traders. Ryu nightwalkers…but on the other hand, Yojimbo means bodyguard. There are many groups that have the same goal in mind--making the government irrelevant. So far, the only place that doesn’t have a Yojimbo group is Earth. That should change soon.”

Jen looked over to Tim and said, “So, you’re anarchists.”

Tim nodded. “Yes, that's what I am to most people. I prefer to say libertarian. Or Constitutionalist. When I talk to people about the Constitution, I ask them to recite it. They ether evade the question or try to resist it. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator or creators with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That’s about the place they stop. That's not the entire Constitution. Tim pulled out a pocket computer and pulled up the document on the screen. As you can see, the Constitution is a lot longer than that.”

“I guess that you can recite it by heart.” Said Jen

“Indeed.“ Tim began reciting the entire Constitution, moved on to the Bill of Rights and was about to go on when Jen held up a hand.

“Alright, alright! I get the point. Stop reading.”

“I believe in the principles laid down by the settlers of America. I believe in the principles laid by the founding fathers of the USA and of the Allied Planets.”

Jen nodded and continued, “The Yojimbos are quite a nice bunch, but there’s one guy who doesn't seem to like me. An Asian bloke with a tattoo on his face.”

“Yes, I noticed,” said Tim.

“His name is Kai?”

“Yes,” said Tim.

“What’s his angle? He doesn't seem like the rest of the Yojimbos.”

Tim frowned. “I don’t think Kai knows his own full story…or if he knows, he’s not big on self reflection. What I do know is that he was with the Empire. What he did…I don’t think he knows himself, or what he thinks in private. I think he was an operative,” said Tim. “He believes the Empire stole some of his memory.”

Jen’s eyes lifted. “What happened?”

“He woke up one morning and didn't remember about three years of his life.”

“He had a change of heart?” asked Jen.

“Actually, I think he got the wrong medicine—and it gave him amnesia. He went on the run and took his weaponry with him. I think that's why he has all the latest weapons.” By this time, there was music coming over the hill.

“It sounds like the party’s started. Why don't we get some food? We should be headed back to the camp anyway.” Tim and Jen made their way back, talking and looking at the stars.

2008-01-30T23:16:00.000-08:00

Chapter 6: Sheep in Wolf's Clothing

The next morning, Jen rose early, washed and changed into different clothes. He brushed then pulled his wavy blond hair into a ponytail to change his appearance in any way possible. He pulled his steel-toed boots out of his bag and pulled them on.
He put his revolver in his boot. He took his knife from the scabbard of his sword then strapped it to his arm to make it accessible with a flick of the wrist. Feeling safer, he left everything else at the inn. He rode thru the city examining the local shops, food shops, clothing shops and even a magic shop. There were homes with garbage on the curbs. He missed the country with its trees and branches, farms.

It turned out Weihnachtliche Einkaufsstrasse was a large street and that number 370 was an abandoned office building.

He snuck in easily. On the third floor Jen walked down the hall then he overheard someone speaking. He slowed down and then mentally readied himself to fight. There was a door near the end of the hall. Jen snuck up to the door then slowly peeked around it. Four thugs were sitting on boxes holding weaponry very wary, like they wanted to pick a fight.

A black haired man paced around the room. He carried a an old style glock 9 millimeter at his belt. He was rather short -- he was as tall at Jens shoulder -- not to say he was weak.

One of them had a pad of paper drawing with a pencil. He showed it to one of the other men asked, "Yo, Mark! What do you think?" The man with the black hair murmured then came over to look at it--then crumpled it up he then threw it into the hall. The thug took a weapon out of his belt, but Mark was faster. They aimed their guns at each other, not blinking--staring each other down. The rest of the thugs just watched.
Jen picked up the paper then stepped across the doorway. The artist-thug lowered his gun then sat down, crossing his arms and muttering under his breath.
Mark began pacing back and forth, as he checked his watch.
"Represa do deus isto!"

"Where is he? Tim should have been here by now!" snapped one of the thugs. "Our correspondent gave him the directions
and time the " do deus da represa parte traseira do verde tarde!"
!
when is he going to get here!"

Jen snuck past the door, but the boards creaked under his feet. A thug heard the creak and went to investigate as Jen quickly stepped into a room he looked around the room to find some were to hide. The thug walked over and started to open the doors of the rooms, one by one. Jen regretted picking this room to go into-because there was nowhere to hide. Jen new that this is the oldest trick in the book. He hid behind the door. Jen was not a skinny kid but that was his best chance. The door opened barely touching his chest as Jen quickly exhaled behind the opening door. The guy looked around Jen fingered the knife up his sleeve loosing it.

"It's nothing, just rats I expect." as The thug he shut the door Jen sighed in relief his hart pounded he looked for a crack in the wall to the other room. He quickly found one and he sat down as silently as possible spying on them through the crack.

He did not wait in vain. Tim walked in with what looked like a battle robot plus four guys with an array of weapons at their belts. Behind him, two of them were carrying a black case. "You're late." The man with the black hair said rather angrily

"Well, that's one way to get us on the defensive up front--saying that were late" said Tim. "Downright hurtful that is."
Mark's eyes narrowed to slits.

"Tim, let me be short." Jen saw a glimmer of a smile glace over Tims face. then vanished "Well I will let you be that way," said Tim with the smile coming back.

"Tim. You know that I can get my meds right from the source…I don't have to go through you, Tim."
Tim smiled impishly. "Mark, as one middleman to another, a word of advice: sixty percent of all med sellers are middlemen and all smugglers are -- as a rule we don't like to be excluded . Mark began to talk but Tim went on but, "Don't worry, I understand…I'm a nice guy. So, I'll overlook your rudeness. You just remember the next time you do this, it won't be so pleasant," said Tim.

"Um…thanks." Mark's face looked puzzled then the words sunk in. he started to get angry. "Did you just call me a middleman?"
"What do you think?" said Tim with no change in his face.

Mark's anger went to rage. "That isn't a smart idea, Tim."

The men behind Tim became alert as the robot stepped in front of Tim. His forearms and palms glowed with an emerald green light. There was the threatening hum of a high-impact rockmining laser. Mark looked up into the robots face then turned pale as he stepped back, deciding not to push the point. The hum subsided as the glow on palms dissipated. The robot stepped over, no longer blocking Tim.

"Man, tell me…where did you get a robot like this? I've never seen anything like it. How does it work? Where did you get this? I want one…would you sell me this robot? Just name your price. I'll buy."

A voice imitated from the robot: Voor van Ik ben niet verkoop! Im een cyber u stomme donkere kuddezoon van haired slattern Wight!

" What did he say?"

"No matter how high quality you buy, you'll never get a robot as smart as me. You know why." Marks looked confused.

"OK," Tim spoke up, “not a robot, he's a cyborg. His name's Jack."

Mark's eyebrows went up. "You're a cyberman" Mark said. "What's next, a Dalek?" "I'm a cyborg." said Jack "Well, cyborg, I…"
Jack walked over to stand staring down the glow and hum coming back. This time Jack’s optical sensors burned with a cherry red light.
The jack interrupted with menace in his voice. "My name is Jack. Jack… nothing else. If you call me robot or cyborg or ironhide or any other thing besides Jack, I will personally graaf uw hert met een saaie erfgenaamspeld uit en voed het aan een varken
, you baart humping zoon van een wijfje…"
This time, it was Tim's turn to step in front of Mark. "Jack, we don't have time for the disposal of bodies. Alright Mark, you'd better have my money -- you got my money right?"
"Yes"
"You got my goods?"
"Yes"
"Let's see the goods."
Tim opened the lid to reveal small plastic bottles of white powder. Tim picked up a bottle then threw it to Mark
"This batch should be a good one," said Tim. Mark unscrewed the top then past it over to one of his goons, who took out a scanner then tested a sample. "Eeyup, it's the stuff."
The man put one hand over his shoulder. One of the thugs brought over a case. Mark handed it over. Tim took it and passed it to the man beside him. "Jason, check it," said Tim. Jason opened the case then began counting the money. The two men turned to conversation. "So, Mark…how's business?"

Mark replied, "A little slow, but I think things will be better after they have the money for my goods" Jason called out to Tim, "The money's all here, sir. "
"Very well, you tell me when you need another shipment. See you again sometime" said Tim and his men left. Jen stayed there, waiting.
There was no way to follow Tim, so Jen thought he would get the lowdown on these men. Jen stayed in the place next to Mark's room for the next hour, watching the proceedings. Mark sold the white powder to the people who came in--a middle-aged man, multiple people, young? Old, male, female… and to his disgust, even children. Then one young female walked in. She was dressed rather scantily. Jen thought that she had an air of authority in her walk. She had the body of a dancer. She tried to trade some other meds for the goods . "Listen, Jerra I don't have any interest in those goods…but there are other things that you can trade to me –" as he looked her up and down."

Jerra started to move away as she reached into her purse. A thug hit her with the butt of his weapon she collapsed to the floor. Jen's eyes opened wide with shock then narrowed. She rolled over, trying to get to her feet but one of the men grabbed her. She spit in his face. Mark said, "What a waste. Take her out to the speeder. We'll all deal with her later."
Jen ran out of the room into the hallway. He blocked the door. The thug that grabbed her saw Jen. "What the bloody hell! "
Jen said, "Give her up. I warn you -- this is your first and last warning." The thug tossed the girl to one of the other men.
He cracked his knuckles then the thug punched. Jen easily dodged then cut his legs out. As the thug fell, Jen pulled the gun from the man's holster then shot him in the calf. He shot two other thugs in the kneecaps the last thug pulled his side arm then pointed it at Jen. He used the girl as a shield. There was no way he could shoot the man and not hit the girl besides schmollen Sie eine Gewehrkugel in seiner Kleiewanne and that would be messy and fatal. "Well," Jen thought, "The thug got some shots in."

The girl revived, thrust her leg up between his legs. She threw him over her shoulder and he landed on his back. "Well, that takes care of him."
Mark went for his gun. Jen flicked his wrist and his knife was out in an instant. Jen threw it at Mark, aiming for his shoulder. Mark went for cover lowering his body into the target area. The blade hit the corner of Mark's right eye. Mark fell to the floor clutching his face.
Jen winced. It could have been worse--it could have fully punctured the eye. Jen picked up the knife, wiped it off then back into its strap. The man was doubled over in pain. "Sorry, Mark. I was aiming for your shoulder."
He threw the gun out the window then grabbed the girl by the hand. Come on, no time to explain.” They ran down the hall, hit the stairs, hopped over the back fence. They ran into a nearby alley then ducked behind a trash can. She was rubbing the back of her head. "Don't worry you'll be fine -- just a scratch. I know that you don't know me but trust me I'm your friend…at least for now, OK? Do you have any place to stay?" She nodded her head up and down, not trusting her mouth to say anything. Well. Good. Stay. Safe. o.k.
Jen started to walk away peeking around the building. The girl ran up behind him and put her arm in his. Jen turned to look at the girl. "Could you help me home I don't know whether they will be after me."
Jen replied, "Well, I think that… "
She looked up in to his face with her sapphire blue tractor beam eyes. "Um… sir there may be more of his people out to get me I'd like some protection mister…um…"

"My name's Jen."

"Well I'm Jarra. So, Jen shall we be off?"

Jen came to himself. What did I just do that for? "Um… yes… I'll have to get some things back at the inn."
Jen started to walk with Jarra to the inn to collect his stuff, all the while wondering what had just happened.
He got his stuff, paid the bill--still wandering. This time they rode on Jen’s bike instead of walking. They rode to a small apartment building past on the out skirts of town Jen parked in an attached garage. There was a door warden by the door. The warden let Jarra and Jen pass, clearly recognizing her.
She led him up to the second floor apartment. She threw her purse down on the table then went to another room. Jen set down his pack, put his gun and knife, boots back in his pack. He removed his tie, releasing his wavy hair.
Jarra walked back in to the room. She had changed in to t-shirt and jeans. She brought with her two food packs. "Well it’s not Master Cuisine but I have these. Which would you like imitation meat pie, or pasta pesto.
Or how about this?" said Jen.
"Do you have a stove?"
"Yes I do."
"Well then, why don't I cook some food?" Jen took out of his pack a pan and the appropriate seasonings.
"What are you doing?"
"Well --you are providing the house I might as well provide the food."
"Well, I'm the host and…"
"There's a limit on how good prepackaged food can be." Jen put the pan on the stove, added wine vinegar then added some seasoning to the meat. Jen used an eating fork to tenderize it before going in the pan. Jen quickly cooked the meat just enough to get it to safety but still pink inside the middle.

Jen took the meat out of the pan and put it on two plates. Jen used what was left in the pan to make a gravy. Jen poured the gravy onto the two plates Jen handed one to Jerra then sat down on a couch. Jerra sat down kneeling on the floor. She put the plate on the coffee table then took a bite of food. She paused with the fork in her mouth. Jen watched closely smiling.
Her eyes went wide rolled up in her head her eyelids closed then fluttered slightly. She took the fork out of her mouth with an expression of absolute pleasure came over her face she slowly opened her eyes. "Ooh my God I must say you can cook. You are going to make someone very happy some day. How did you learn this? I've never actually had stoat meat like this before. Normally it’s really tough how did you learn to cook stoat meat so well?"
"I learned how to cook stoat meat because on Halloween my family hosted a party for the local town. That year the menu was giant spiders. I had to make the webs. I found that if you heat polyurethane to 225F it will be too brittle but if you heat it to 230F you'll have a right big ball of fire on your hands--sometimes literally so. I got quite good at telling temperatures without a cooking thermometer plus there’s a trick to stoat meats. Mainly it’s tough when overcooked. It's a thin line but the ratio can be widened by adding vinegar to the meat. What also helps is I like food as you can easily see by my figure."
She giggled with that. "One of the things my mom always said, ‘If you want to impress a woman then do something different. Anybody can bring someone to the theater or to a movie. But -- in this day and age there's one thing that always impresses a girl -- cook for her. It's a rare thing to have a man that cooks from scratch. I read up on the subject so my food knowledge goes back to when it was a rare gift. It all started with the invention of the microwave. Before microwaves you would get your food already pre-made from the store. Then the servants would set it out on the table then throw out the remains but microwaves revolutionized the cooking industry. It was a lot easier -- you could heat up old food -- it eliminated the food poisoning problem it gave the ability to have food fast…but even then, to have a man cook for the family was a rarity. I believe it was in the 1990’s that men were made to fend for themselves in the food department. That's why I can cook -- to impress people.

“When I was a kid,” Jen continued, “I would work at night on the farm -- while the rest of the family was asleep I had to make up food for myself. And I learned that the important thing is the spices. As a wise man said, any man can live on packaged food from here to the Second Coming as long as he has the right spices."
“Aren't you the vault of information?" Jerra said with a wry tone in her voice. After she had eaten, Jerra got up. "Jen, I will be back. Make yourself at home.” She walked to the bathroom. Jen removed a music player from his bag, stuck two wireless ear buds in his ears and rolled over to lie down on the couch.

yojimbo book 1 Chapter 5

2007-07-11T21:17:00.000-07:00

Chapter 5

In dark of night

Jen woke up a few minutes later. He tried to move but found that he was tied up. He strained but it was no use -- he could not move. His head hurt like the dickens. Jen opened his eyes slowly then it all came back to him. He moaned. The side of his face still hurt. It was still dark -- it could have been three minutes or three hours. Jen couldn't tell.

One of the men turned. "Well, well, well…our personal enemy is waking up." The man with the scar over his eye came up. He stuck his face right in front of Jen’s.
"Who are you?"
"None of your concern." replied Jen.
"Jake -- check his bags -- see what he’s carrying." said the scarred man.
"Hey Tim, look at this!" Tim turned to face the boy.
"What is it, steve-- what have you found?" Evan had opened Jen's bag. He had taken out the pill box. Tim, interested, joined Evan. Tim picked up a pill. He examined it then dropped it back in to the box. Then Jake picked up the short sword and gasped.
"You have some pretty interesting weaponry -- I would not mind adding this sword to my belt." The man with the scar walked over.
"Jake. Give me the sword." The man reluctantly relinquished the sword. The man with the scar took hold of the hilt and drew it. His eyes opened wide. He ran to Jen, took the sword to Jen's neck.
"Where did you get this -- it's a family heirloom?"
"What of it? said Jen.
Tim glowered, saying, "This sword was the sword of a friend and nothing besides murder would take that sword from her." Tim threw the sword back at Jake who neatly caught it.

Tim walked away.
"You sleep tight boy. You might need that in the morning." said Jake, as he walked away. Jen sat there trying to think what to do. He could not bite through the ropes nor could he wriggle free. The bonds were too tight. He was on rather lumpy ground. His left butt cheek hurt--he moved over a little. He still had the lump in the same place. His hands were behind his back. He reached under him. The ground was flat. He realized that he still had his wallet in his back pocket. Hope returned to Jen. "If I still have that, then ---"

A few minutes later the man with the tattoo walked up with a bowl of food and was about to hand it to Jen’s tied hands when Jen kicked the bowl up in to his face. The hot stew splashed onto his face. The man howled in more surprise than pain.
Jen jumped to his feet, took the man's gun out of his holster and put an arm around his neck--and put the blaster against the man’s head. The other men drew their guns and trained them on Jen. Jen used the man with the tattoo as a shield. Jen yelled, "Don't shout or this boy dies -- put my coat and the rest of my items back in the bag and bring them to me . Stand down! Lower your weapons!"
They looked over at Tim, who had lowered his weapon, and nodded to the men. One by one, the men reluctantly put their guns back into their holsters.
"Bring him his stuff," said Tim. One man came towards Jen, who brought the gun to bear at the man. Jen yelled "Slowly!" The man slowed down. When he was within ten feet, Jen told him to stop.
The guy stopped, put the items down on the ground then walked backwards slowly. Jen pushed his captive forward. As soon as he was close enough to grab his bag, Jen kicked his captive forward into the group, knocking many of them over. Jen ran for the woods as fast as he could. He ran through and in such a complex track pattern that it should have lost anybody who would have followed him.
Jen slowed down and panted, hands on knees. He heard a voice above him. The man with the scar was lying on a branch of the tree.
"You really think you can escape me," the man said.
"If I can't escape you, then I guess I'll just have to fight my way out." Jen drew his sword and readied himself for a fight. He’d defend himself with his air gun if he had to.
The man laughed and dropped to the ground, drawing his sword as he stood. He ignited his laser sword, a calm green fire. "You really want to fight me?"
"I don't want to but what I want to do is—I go my way, you go yours. If not, I tell you I will defend myself against anybody."
"What's your name, boy?
" Je…Angelus."
"Well…Angelus -- I would put that sword away."
"Not going to happen."
"Very well." And with that word, Jen started to walk away--sword at the ready. The man with the scar walked toward Jen.
Jen stopped moving and prepared to attack. The man with the scar kept moving. Jen leapt forward and as quick as lighting brought the sword down toward the man's head. He sidestepped the attack and blocked it with a lazy flick of the wrist. The sword glanced off so Jen used the momentum to bring the blade around and sliced right through a lock of hair. The man had crouched and swung up grabbing the branch above his head and swung, hitting Jen fully in the chest. Jen's sword flew up into the air and the man with the scar neatly caught it…
…and brought it down on Jen’s shoulder then brought the light blade down, almost touching his shoulder for ten seconds.
"So you give up?"
Jen answered him by rolling backward--kicking his blade up into the man's face making him off balance then kicked his legs out from under him. Jen grabbed his sword and brought it down close to the man's neck. "Are you going to kill me?"
Jen lifted the sword then brought it down and knocked the guy out cold with the hilt. Jen sheathed his sword then reached through his pockets and found his wallet. In it was a photo--Jen looked closer and stuffed it in his pocket. In that pocket was the piece of paper that he saw in the pub.
it looked like a job. 370, Weihnachtliche Einkaufsstrasse, 307
Jen stuffed the paper in his pocket. The man's name was Tim O'Hara. "So he’s a Scot, ha -- I wouldn’t have known. “Well, Tim O'Hara, you'll wake up in a couple of hours.” As an afterthought, he took a marker from his pack and wrote MURDERED on O’Hara’s hand and forehead and stuck a piece of paper in the man's coat…then walked away, sneaking back to the camp to get back his bike.
Jen got to the bike, but there were some of Tim's guys around the bike. Jen took his gun out of his side holster, flicked the safety off and took aim and then holstered his gun.
Then the man with the tattoo walked in and called the men away. Jen looked around and ran for the speeder. He hopped aboard and rode back to the town he’d visited earlier. He got back and rented a room with the little paper money he had left. He checked the news and the interplanetary waves and checked the name Tim O’Hara. The wave bounced back as” Born June 4th, 2138 on the moon Titan. Died May 15, 2157 on Titan in the War of Independence. Last Stand on Titan. Jen thought this over while he drifted off to sleep.

Ch 4 In the Dark of Night

2007-05-19T21:22:00.000-07:00

Yojimbo Sharp Teeth
Book 1
Ch 4 In the Dark of Night
Halfway there, Jen had to stop and get some sleep--so he stopped by a roadside house and walked up to the front gate. He spoke into the intercom on the gate. He quickly straightened his collar and ran his fingers through his hair. A women's voice came through the ‘com and asked, and asked, "What do you want?"
"I'm a weary traveler looking for a place to sleep. An area in your field would suffice." A camera turned from its normal position on the driveway and homed in on Jen. "I have money. Not much, but I can pay you for your troubles." The voice said, "What's your name?"
"Jen Gravel." The buzzer sounded and the gate opened. Jen walked in and down. Two men came out, each wearing a sidearm. One had out, at a ready position, a modified Blackhawk laser blaster and the other carried a regular factory blaster, holstered. One of the men walked up and asked, "What weaponry do you carry?"
"Well, I have this" he pulled out his rifle and held it out. "I also have a custom revolver on my side" With this, he put his hand down to take the gun out of his holster. The man in the back cocked his gun. Jen lifted his hands away from his seven shooter and turned to look at the man in front of him. "Left hand, please."
Jen took his left hand and slowly put it towards his gun, took it out and handed it to him. The man examined the gun.
"It’s like a flintlock but has seven chambers…where did you get this?"
"I got it from my godfather." The man handed it back to Jen. "I also have a sword."
"What's that?" He interrupted. The man pointed to the box that his father gave him. Jen picked up the box and opened it. The man looked inside. Jen took out a little gold leaf covered pellet with
a chop that read T.G.
with the sign of the triple moon engraved into it. The man recognized it. "This is a local med right?" Endoforal right?" he walked back to his mate and handed it to him for inspection. "Yup its Endoforal." He handed back "Well, the salesmen's pack confirms who you are."
"Well, you know who I am, but I'd like to who I'm speaking to?"
"I'm James and this kid behind me is Randy. You are free to come in and join us for supper." The man in the back put his gun back in his holster. He started to go back inside the house. Jen walked his speeder into the courtyard to put it by the garage then walked in the house.
After a good dinner, the family sat around and talked. The family consisted of three brothers- James, and Randy and one baby Niki who assured Jen that he was five and a half--not five, not six--but five and a half.
There were two identical twin sisters, Kala and Selena. Jen and the twins stayed up for a while talking about local gossip and whatnot. Jen found out that they may be the same age but they definitely thought different thoughts. Their interests were not even close.
Jen got a good night’s sleep. He awoke refreshed and rejuvenated. After a good breakfast, James asked Jen for a shooting match before he left. Jen happily accepted. Jen thought that this would be a good opportunity to break in the pistol at his side. He had no reason to use it back home. The gun was constructed as a pump action gun, like a BB gun. The difference was that this gun used bullets and all you needed is to take a piece of metal or plastic, melt it and put it in a mold. You have a bullet as long as you have a material to make ammo. Air is what you use for propellant. When the air in the handle gets low you pump the bellows in the handle. He the snapped on the holster belt and set the gun in the holster, then walked out to the back field.
On a tree were two white targets. The two men walked out of the house, James brandishing a good-sized blaster pistol and Jen with his revolver. Jen and James took aim. The target was about thirty feet off. James shot thrice and hit the target between the red and the white. "Well, can you beat that?,” asked James.
Jen smiled. "What kind of shot do you think I am?" With this, he took aim. A pop issued from his air pistol. All three shots hit the red dot.
James smiled and said, "Damn! Where did you learn to shoot like that?"
"Well, I had a lot of time to practice--I had to keep watch over the chickens. That year we had a big problem with vulture stoats… so you get the picture. I also learned to not trust the sight on my rifle, so I learned to aim by eye. At first it didn't improve my shot, but over time I got better."
"Say, I'll try that." James then took and fired using the method Jen suggested. The shot went to the middle of the target.
"Not bad, but I think that you were just playing when you missed those three first shots", said Jen.
"Maybe just a little bit", said James.

"I'd better be on my way. Thank you for your hospitality."
"Jen, I hope to see you again." Jen got on to his speeder and rode out.
It was a long ride. Jen thought, "It's amazing how tired doing nothing can make you."
Jen rode in to baile atha cliath--Dublin City. Whoever named this city sure wanted to have a little Ireland here. He stopped in the tavern side for some lunch. He went up to the bar and ordered a drink. They had what looked like a chimp/human on an upright piano who played like he had three hands. The song was I think called “The Drunkard Song'. You probably know it from somewhere. Jen had a superb rather thick turkey pub sandwich. Halfway through the sandwich and a rather exquisite pint -- in fact the best pint he had ever remembered having--Jen laid back in his chair and thought of his life. He thought of Moms, his biological mom Nissa…he had been living with Serrana, his foster mom, for the last ten years. The way Nissa left was that a little argument broke out between her and the people she was living with, so she left for another guy -- who didn't want children. After a month of bouncing around among family and friends, Serrana entered his life. She was quite a nice Moms, always fun. Serrana was an excellent robot maker except for J. Bot. Strangely neither Serrana nor Jen could fix him. Jen upgraded everything -- the memory, the logic circuits, the reusable memory, everything. Moms even had him wiped to see if that would help. Jen loved that robot, though. One of his earliest memories was being in J-bot's arms, as his quirky memory had, one day, inspired him to return to his maker, and that meant J-bot taking Jen with him.
Jenny. Man, he had fun with Jenny. She could be a brat a lot of the time but she was a good cook. She always was good in school, she loved astrogation--she would be a good ship pilot. Grams -- she was a daughter of one of the first settlers on Io-- great with electronics but whenever Jen asked for her to help fixing any electronics especially J.Bot she always said, "If you want your toy in good condition then learn the skills to fix it when it gets broken."
Jen thought about the times things that he had worked on building electronics with Grams. He once built a bio electronic hybrid core computer with Grams. After he was done building, it became a the household computer.
Dads was a mechanic. He liked to work on anything with gears. Whenever someone said, "Oh my God, how did you do this?" He replied, "Machines have workings and they tell me what's wrong and what's right." Jen was sorry to have lost his family. To be honest, it may have happened just a little sooner then he had expected.
Then Jen noticed two of the men sitting at the bar. Jen thought to himself, Something's familiar about them then he got it. They were the two men from the fire last night, but this time the two seemed to have a bunch of buddies with them. Jen sat watching them slowly eating his food. Jen was interested in what the two were doing there. More people came and left. The men were nursing their drinks and two women came in. One sat down at a booth near the back. The other woman went up to the bar to order drinks. Jen noticed that she slipped a piece of paper into the scarred mans coat pocket. She paid for the drinks. She then slipped back to her table.
The man casually put a hand into his pocket and carefully pulled the folded up piece of paper out, glanced at it then slipped it over to his tattooed companion who read it, growled and slipped it back to the scarred man. He put it back in his pocket, paid for his drinks and left his whole group behind him. Jen finished his food then asked the barkeep, "Who were those guys?" The bartender paused wiping the table and said, "He's…h'mmm, I've never seen him in my life. Why?" Jen replied, "No reason, just wondering."
Jen paid for his food and left for the local store for provisions. He picked up some vulture-stoat meet plus seasonings and anything else he might need for the next week. He sold one-tenth of his pills…the store owner drove a hard bargain, but in the end they both left happy (he sold it at two- thirds the market price). He got hard cash, not those paper slips. The slips could go down in value. He disliked Empire currency--he liked hard gold and silver coins. For the rest of the day, he toured the town and he stopped by a small roadside stand. The women behind the stand was selling homemade food. He bought a pound of fudge and put most of it in his pack.
It was getting late. He might as well move along and try to sleep at a house along the road. Jen didn't like cities--too much metal or stone marble. baile atha cliath may not have been a mammoth city, but they were often to bright for Jen to sleep in. If you found a place before it was dark,
you would have wardens to deal with.
Later, when the sun was falling in the west, Jen stopped by the roadside and started a fire. He pulled out his sleeping bag and threw some vulturestoat in a heating pan. As it cooked, he cleaned and loaded his rifle. Soon, the meat was ready. Jen took the small knife from the hilt of his sword and started to eat…but he heard a twig snap behind him. He swiped his leg out behind him an tripped someone. He leapt for his pack and grabbed the air pistol in a blink of en eye. He was up on his feet, gun in hand. He aimed it at the man behind him--practically up his nose. It was the man with the tattooed face.
“What do you want with me?” Jen said through clenched teeth.
"You know very well you are one of those gorram Empires trying to frame us for the killing of innocent people!"
"what, I have no elegance to empire"
Jen said
The man replied "Your lies will not save you, I'm not a…" In the reflection of his eye,
he saw quick movement and danged the butt of a rifle that came toward his head

clipped his shoulder and the next hit him right in the face. The sun went nova.

ch3 New Beginning

2007-04-29T20:55:00.000-07:00

ch 3
Yojimbo sharp teeth
Part #3
A New Beginning
When Jen woke up four hours later, his head didn't hurt as bad--and his arm was in a splint. J. Bot the service robot walked in on his stout metal legs, bringing in a tray with food. He said in his slightly human voice, "Good afternoon Jen. Are you feeling better?"
"Yes" Jen sat up slowly. A sharp pain shot through his back. Jen snapped back and hit his head on the bed’s backboard.
J. Bot said, "Jen, you have obtained severe mechanical damage. I would not suggest that you make it more severe, Jen. I would not want you to be further damaged."
Jen replied, "A little late for that. J. Bot, why are you talking so strangely?”
The robot answered, “I obtained damage from the heat. I was not built for extreme heat. I am operating on backup until I can repair myself."
Then he remembered "J. Bot? Are the kids ok?"
"Pardon?" said J. Bot.

Jen thought that they needed to upgrade his backup programming.
"J. Bot, what are their active states? Are they operative?"
"Jen, I'm not a little tin dog..! My word processing may be down—but not my logic circuits. "Yes, they're well." said J. Bot.
"Report," said Jen.
"They have a bad case of smoke-lung and a few broken bones. Falling on them could not have helped but all in all they are O.K." said J. Bot.
"J. Bot, what happened?"
"You pressed the emergency call button on your watch, Jen."
"If I erred in some way, I can bring you back Jen." said J. Bot.
"Yes, like I need to be burned alive..!" snapped Jen.
J. Bot looked at Jen uneasily. "It was bad enough to go in for you the first time. The thought that you want me to take you back is very upsetting. I don't want to even think about doing it again."
Jen said, "No J. Bot. I was being sarcastic…understand?"
"It’s difficult for me to understand." said J. Bot

"It’s like…an idiom. A single phrase that can be have various meanings," said Jen.
"I still don't understand, Jen" said J. Bot.
"I did not think you would." In the back of Jen’s mind ,he made a note to upgrade his childhood toy. J. Bot had become so much more to him – some robots did exceed their original uses.
After Jen had some lunch, he got out of bed and put on some new clothes--throwing the old ones into the incinerator. They were too ripped-up to bother fixing them. He walked in to the living room. Moms was on her pocket computer, reading a book on the Old Earth. "Moms, J. Bot's got that annoying C3PO glitch again. Honestly, I've tried to get that fixed but it’s no use." Moms looked up from her book. "Well, Jen…what can I say? He has “layers”--he is some of my work."
Grandma was also on one of her old laptops—one of those old clunkers that only held about 2gb of reusable memory and about 120 gigs of memory.
"Grams, why do you still play with these old computers?" asked Jen.
"Well, Jen" she replied, barely looking up from her computer, "Way back when I was a little girl, we only had two 2006 laptops for six whole months." Jenny lifted her head from the game she was playing.
"The last time you said it was two years and it was one ansible pod computer plus one computer game, the Fighting Fetus 5000" Grandmom's eyes glazed over at the memory. "Oh yes -- the times I'd be playing that the game where you'd fight off the people that wanted to abort you then crash anti-birth rallies." She sighed. "All the times I hacked, cheated -- the game was wacky fun."

With an annoyed expression said "Hey! Who's telling this lie?"
"Grams, where is Dads?"
"He's out on the west side, collecting wood for the cool cellar." Jen started to walk out the out the door to the outside then Moms called out. "Jen, you've just spent four hours in bed out cold and you have a broken arm -- you are in no condition to go out and lift heavy objects."
Jen turned. "Moms, you know that I don't like being lazy and I have a lot to do before this weekend--so I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine." Moms looked at him with an expression of disdain "I'm OK, Moms." Said Jen
"Moms, I won't hurt myself. Scouts honor."
As he held up his hand in the scout position, Moms replied, "Jen,you were never a scout and you know it! Do as you will but don't come crying to me if you crack your head open." "Moms, you always wore the best at the graphic details."
"Who said I was joking?" came the reply.
Jen laughed as he walked out the door. In the background, he heard "My son, the hero!"
Jen walked to the shed to put on his logging gear -- a small jump suit that was enabled the wearer to carry up to ten times what he could normally haul. It was invented in 2006 by Prof. Yoshiyuki Sankai—initially, sold to the physically impaired. Back then, one of these exo-suits would cost $20,000 or 2,000,000 yen—over time, there were many upgrades to the suits, but the general idea remained the same.

When Jen got to the forest on the east side of the property, he saw Dads using the laser saw to cut down trees. The tree fell with a crash. Dads quickly limbed the tree and was about to pick it up when he saw Jen. Dads yelled out, "What are you doing here Jen?" Jen replied, as he continued toward Dads "I'm just out here to give a hand."
Dads face turned dark. "You should be in bed! How would your mother feel if I came back and had to say you cracked your head open?"
Jen looked over with a wry grin, "She told me not to come running, so I think I'm safe." said Jen.
"Did she really? Remind me to comment on her sense of humor."
"I will." said Jen.
"Well, I guess since you’re out here, you might as well give me a hand."
Jen started to pick up the tree and set it on the hover tractor.
"So how are the kids, Jen?"
"They’re doing OK. J. Bot says they should be right as rain soon."
"Good, I saw how badly they were hurt. I think you might have hurt them when you fell. I think that the boy has a broken rib."
"Dads, no matter how bad I could have hurt them, they only would have been hurt more by the fire."

"Yes, I'm well aware of that but that doesn’t make it much better."
Jen walked up to the driver’s side seat and sat down as Dads got in on the passenger side. Jen turned and said, "Dads, if they got hurt all that bad I will get very choked up," and with a pouting lip he said, "Honestly, there could be tears."
Dads groaned and rolled his eyes as they rode back to the house. They made many trips back and forth from the forest to the cellar. They did this until it began to get dark. Back at the house, things were pretty good. Jenny had put out some food from the chest freezer and heated it up. It was some of the surplus produce from last year. The first year they introduced bees to the farm, they were up to their ears in tomatoes.
About three thousand pounds of tomatoes…give or take a few.
So this should be one of the last tomato packs…I hope. As they say, everything in moderation--including moderation.
Jen walked into the living room and heard Moms say. "Did you crack your head open?" "No, Moms--still relatively intact." He heard out of the corner of his ear. "Oh, darn it." It sounded like Jenny.
Jen put the exosuit in the closet and yelled out. "Why shouldn’t I be, Jenny?"
"Of course, then I will get all the inheritance." Moms interrupted and said. "Honey, it doesn't work that way." Jen exclaimed, "Well, that explains all the hemlock that seemed to be switched for parsley in my salad for all these years."

"Actually, that was my decision, Jen."
This last came from Grandmom. Jen walked to the kitchen table and sat down and preset a button on the table. The placemat turned into a small screen. It popped up with his email and got the news for the day.
He pushed another button. The screen reverted to its former status. Jen got up and went over to the fridge. He got a glass of tea, picked up a bowl of stew and went back to his set. He started to eat, his long hair almost dripping into his bowl. Then, the two kids from the house came into the room, dressed in Jen’s old clothes.
They sat down. Jenny brought two bowls out for them and they ate ravenously.
Jen lifted his head to see how the two were doing. Jen saw that they were a little bruised but the cell regenerator had patched up most of their hurts. He felt satisfied and took a piece of bread from the basket in the middle of the table, saying "Hi." The boy looked up, about to return his greeting then stopped, stared then started to cry.
The girl looked up at her brother, perplexed. As she traced his gaze, terror raked her face.
She grabbed her brother and stared in terror at Jen.

Jen lifted a hand as if he was about to say something when they began to cry in unison. Moms rushed into the room and tried to comfort the kids. Jen decided it was time to have dinner somewhere else and walked out to the porch. It was some time before Jen stopped hearing the wails from the house.

Later, Moms came out with a long wrapped bundle under her arm. She sat down and looked at Jen. With heavy sadness she said, "I have a gift for you. It’s something that your real mom left with us as payment to look after you. I want you to have it."

Moms handed the bundle to Jen. Jen pulled the cord then unwound the strips of fabric. When all the fabric was removed, it revealed a short sword. He pulled it from the bundle, then stopped. He saw a pommel in the likeness of a dragon’s head, laid into a long black leather hilt, and a wrapped handle which led to a simple carved crossbar.

Jen drew the sword from its scabbard and glanced at its perilous beauty, which led into a thin two edged spring steel core light steel resistant edge. A deep fouler ran down each side, the length of the blade. It had a few dents, chips and laser-blade scorch marks in the blade. The sword’s sheath was a simple black leather with a Browne makeshift frog. The scabbard had a knife inlaid into the side of the sheath--he wouldn’t have known it was there if he hadn’t pulled back the frog.

The hilt of the knife was as black as the sheath. It wasn't a knife for fighting but more of a knife for field-dressing and eating a vulturestoat—something you wouldn’t do with your sword. But all in all, a beautiful blade. Jen looked at it in astonishment

"My God," said Jen, "Moms, what happened?"

"What!" Moms replied, all indignant. "Do I need a reason to give a gift to my son?"

Jen raised an eye to Moms’ side as he dipped her head. "I don't want to say this, but you can’t stay here." She paused. "I'm sorry, Jen."

"Why, Moms?"

"Jen…the kids are scared of you. According to them, you killed their parents."

“I didn't, Moms."
"I know, but they won't believe …I'm sorry Jen." Moms stood up. As she walked to the door, she paused and looked back at Jen--then walked in.

Jen walked up to his room and started packing…then the wave hit him. Tears came to his eyes and he came down on one knee. He started to cry--Dads heard, and came in.

"Jen, what’s wrong?"

"Just regretting what I said."

Dads sunk down to be at eye level with Jen "That if anything happened, there could be tears. Well, here they are." Jen then laughed at his ineptness.

"Well Jen, I understand. I had to leave my parents." Jen looked up into Dads’ eyes and he relented. "Well, maybe I didn't…but I understand what you are going through. I want to help you, so I have this." Dads offered a box, and Jen opened it.

Jen looked inside. "Jen, this is something that you might need for this day". Jen closed the box and stuffed it into his bag. "Thank you, Dads." Jen slung his bag on his back and picked up his rifle—it had been rescued from the fire, and he was glad that it had not been consumed. He had worked two weeks to finish the job on that rifle.

Jen walked out of his room. "Jen, I have another gift for you," said Dad as they walked outside of the house, Dad gestured to a hoverbike. Jen smiled. Moms came over and hugged him and kissed him on the forehead.

Jen asked, "Isn't Jenny going to bid me farewell?"

"Jenny is interested in the kids."

"Typical," Jen said, laughing slightly. Moms looked into Jen’s face as if to say “take good care of yourself”. Jen smiled with fake enthusiasm and walked to the bike

Jen climbed aboard and was about to start it—but when he put the key in the ignition, the bike didn't kick over. He tried again—and examined the key. Jen got off the bike and walked over to Dads…who gave him the right key for the bike. Jen thought, “So much for a dramatic exit.”

Jen got back on the bike and rode out past the field…past the house, blackened and dead. Jen pulled over to the side of the rode to think about what had happened that day. He looked at the house, mounted his bike and rode away. The tears began to flow down his cheeks as he rode on into the night, wishing this day to end…wishing the day had ended better.

ch2 Brave New World

2007-04-23T22:52:00.000-07:00

Chapter 2 Brave New World Fourteen years after the war of independence. Io, the 5th closest moon to Jupiter. It’s a moon of volcanoes. Io's surface is covered with nonvolcanic mountains and numerous lakes of molten sulfur…or I should say, used to be. In a dry clearing surrounded by planted fields, there is a moderately big house with metal mirror sides. The morning sun glances down on it giving cheap power for the household. There is a women on the porch sitting on a stool over a bowl of potatoes and listening to a pocket music player. "Jen!…Jen! Sticklebats! Where is that boy?" This came from Jen's Godmom. She was using a small knife to remove the skin and cut off black rot spots, throwing the peeled potatoes into a metal bowl by her side. Jen swung out the door. " Here, Moms." said Jen, "what do you need?" "Jen would you please throw these peels to the goats and check on Jenny?" She went back to peeling. Jen poured the peels into a plastic bucket. "Oh -- and Jen, please check on the animals for me see if Jenny needs any help?" "Sure, Moms." Jen picked up his rifle then went out down the steps and across the field to the barn. There was a light breeze. Birds were flying through the air upon their daily duty. While walking, Jen spied something up in the sky. He stopped and looked up. "It's too big to be a green-tailed hawk." Thought Jen. It turned in the sky and then Jen recognized it. "Wind viper." The equivalent of a dragon. There are stories that some can breathe fire. Jen thought that these were merely stories like the stories of Champy back earthside. These animals came in many colors. This one was a dark blue. They have no legs but wings with sharp talons. It’s said their wingspan is from six feet to ten feet. They're five to seven feet in length. People have tried to catch them but have never been successful--not even a dead one. The viper circled around the fields. Two small birds flew out of a tree to engage this attacker. The viper ducked and flew off. Jen traveled the rest of the way to the barn. Jen opened the latch on the electric fence to the paddock and walked down the hill to the feeding trough. He dumped the skins in the trough. A goat came walking up; she sniffed the skins. The goat by the door snorted loudly. It was Esau, a full sized pigmy goat about knee height. He lived disgustingly. Jen winced as he thought of the details. Rachel, a one-horned African tree-climbing goat came up and sniffed the trough. She turned and walked up to Jen, sniffing him and rubbing her head on his side. Jen looked down and shook his head and smiled. "Sorry, Rachel old girl. You’ve already had all the treats for today," he said, scratching her in the good place right behind the ears. Jenny walked up carrying a bunch of brambles and threw them over the fence . Then Jenny jumped over the fence. She came in and scratched Rachel behind the ears. Rachel stretched her neck in happiness. "Yes, I'm the good person in the family. I give you treats unlike evil Jen here." Jen glared " Hey! You jumped the fence." Jenny looked at Jen. "Yes -- what of it?" "Don't jump the fence," exclaimed Jen. "If you keep doing that these goats will start." "Bite Me!" Jenny stuck her tongue out at Jen and blew a raspberry. Jen’s eyes narrowed, Esau glanced out of the barn and made a beeline for Jenny. She sidestepped him easily. Esau quickly screeched to a stop, turned around, lowered his head. The demon in him came out glaring. He began to chase Jenny around the pen. Jenny glanced at Jen with a terrified expression. She cried, "Jen, help me!" He looked at Esau and replied leaning on the side of the barn. "I'm not stepping in -- that goat is hostility personified." "Besides," Jen grinned, "You called me evil." Jen turned back to watch the two. "But I’ll say one thing, though…Best of luck." Jenny growled as she did a swimmer’s turn to evade Esau. She grabbed a stick from the pile then turned to face Esau. She soundly wrapped him on his nose. Esau skidded to a stop. He walked back to the barn then when he was at the door looked back as if to say, Well, I gotta try sometimes. Jen laughed hysterically. Jen began to walk back to the house. Jenny gave Jen the stare of death. Jen heard a grunt and a snort. Jenny yelled and started to swear very loudly while sidestepping Esau…who flew past and straight into the side panel of the chicken coop. The noise of disturbed chickens filled the air. Jen threw some bread to the chickens and made a mental note to fix the side panel of the chicken coop within the week. He was going to be leaving. Since the end of the war of independence, after being conquered by the empire, all men must serve four years in the empire's Army. The army would not take Jen because he would lie low. Jen had decided he would camp out in the forest and go missing. He didn't want to, but it was his only alternative to service. While he walked back to the house, he heard men talking in the tall cornfields. He cocked his rifle and snuck through the corn stocks carefully pulling then back. He spied two men eating corn from the family field. One man had black hair and black symbols tattooed on his face, with a long black ponytail down his back. The other had a patched and stained dark green leather trenchcoat. It reminded Jen of stagnant water. The man had a few weeks of beard stubble. He wore a long black glove on his right hand and he had a deep scar that went from the bottom of his cheek through his eyebrow. He had long red hair. There were cuts and pieces missing from his trench. He held a modified G.R. 23 combat rifle. His eyes bore into Jen like he could read his mind. Jen closed his eyes "He could not have seen me…they most likely would have shot me." Jen overheard the man with the tattoo say, "I think I heard something." Jen tried to back up slowly but he rustled the bushes. The man with the scar took a knife from his belt then threw it. A shriek issued from the bushes.The man with the scar got up. "Well, well, well. What do we have here?" He took the knife from the corpse and picked up the vulturestoat. A hairy lizard, both mammal and reptile, it had the beak of a duck and the teeth of a Tasmanian devil. His tattooed companion said with distain on his face. "Listen, you killed it--you eat it. I'm tired of vulturestoat." In the confusion, Jen got away back to the house. "Moms, there are two guys in outer fields eating our corn." "Well Jen, they probably need it more then we do if they would go so low as to steal food." "There is plenty and this is a good year. I wouldn’t worry about it." Jen’s godfather came from inside the house with a tool in each hand "Jen, do you have a minute?" he asked. Jen put a boot up on the porch and retied it. "Sure." "Jen, the harvester is acting up. Would you please work on it for me? I'd do it myself, but I still have things to do." "Fine Dads, let me get the tool chest and I will be on my way." Jen went to the field where the harvester was sitting and popped open the engine hatch. He climbed in, picked up the sonic screwdriver and got to work checking the electronics. The energy coupling seemed to need replacing. Jen tried to pull it from the socket, but it wouldn't budge. He rolled up his sleeves and took hold. Then with a great effort he heaved and pulled it from its socket. Sparks flew. He examined it for a second, then simply rolled his eyes and thru it over his shoulder. When it hit the ground outside, an ear shattering crash sounded. Then he popped his head out and was surprised to see flames coming from the neighbor's house. Jen grabbed his rifle and sped down towards the house. Minutes later he got to the wall that surrounded the house. It looked as if the house had been bombed—part of it was in flames The rest would go up quickly. Jen was about to jump over the fence when he saw the two men standing near the house. They were the men from the field. The man with the tattoo said, "Sir, there are no survivors." The other man turned and scanned the horizon. Jen ducked down as the man scanned on the end of the fence where Jen was hiding . "Alright. Let’s go. I need a drink," said the scarred man. The men turned and ambled away from the house. When the men were gone Jen stuck the barrel of his short rifle down the back of his shirt. Jen jumped over the stone wall and raced for the house. Once inside he called, "Is anybody in here?" He was very hot. "I've got to do this fast--the house will not stand much longer." Jen ran through the house, calling in vain for anybody. Faintly, over the roar of the fire, Jen heard coughing. Jen ran towards the sound. Jen's face burned--he covered it with a sleeve and kept running. Jen thought, "The house is not going to be stable for too much longer," as he jumped through a flaming door. Sparks flew, scorching his clothes and burning through to his skin. He ran up a flight of stairs, two at a time, looking for the source of the coughing. When the stairs collapsed, his arms shot out as he tried to grab on to the second floor platform. It took a right good effort to pull himself up, then the adrenalin started to wear off Jen noticed he was light headed and found it hard to breathe. Jen thought to himself, "Maybe I should not have done this." He ran franticly dawn the hall checking in each room. Then he heard the last sounds of life being stolen from someone. Jen exerted himself. He tried to open the door but it wouldn’t budge, so he knocked it down. The breaking door sent sparks flying everywhere. Jen knelt by the bodies of the father and mother but it was too late. They had used themselves to shield the children from the blast. The two kids--a boy and a girl--had first degree burns covering part of their bodies. Jen examined them. They had been knocked out by the pain. Jen lifted them on to his shoulders "I've got to get out of here!" Jen ran toward the broken door. Halfway down the hall, a beam came crashing down--blocking the exit. Jen jumped back, ducking the falling beam. E-gads! I'll have to find another way, then, thought Jen as he ducked into a side room to avoid around the beam. He would have to break into another room and hope that that there was an exit that way. Jen thought, "I hope that there are no nails in the wall," as he punched the wall. A sharp pain shot thru his arm--the wall didn't even dentHe took back his hand cradled it and screamed "bloody hell!" " hoy na ny!" "Alright, the windows are blocked, the stairs are non-existent and the Hun dan wall is concrete. We have the floor but underneath us everything is probably engulfed in fire. When you can't go down…then you must go up." Jen took his rifle and used the butt to bash in the ceiling looking for a beam. Most of it, thank God, was breakable. He took the rifle and stuffed it back down his shirt before he grabbed the kids and then ran toward the escape hatch in the attic. On the outside he got his bearings as fresh air entered his lungs. The fire had not spread very far since the house was mostly concrete. Jen looked around and a chill ran down his spine. "How am I going to get to the bottom? It’s got to be three stories and no grass around. The grass that was there--is in flames. I might be able to get down by myself maybe, but what about the kids?" Smoke was really beginning to billow out of the hole. "Alright, Red Archer…time is running out." Then something caught his eye. A shed wall. "I have two options – one, stay on the roof and die a slow horrible death…or two, jump on the shed and risk falling through the roof to a short death. O.K. where do I sign?" Jen picked up the children, jumped and landed on the roof -- it was stable. Jen gave a sigh of relief-- thank God! Suddenly, the shed's roof gave way. Jen landed head first on the hard wooden work table, whacked into the bench then landed on a dirt floor. He blacked out. Jen came to in pain. He tried to open his eyes, but shut them tight. There was a warm liquid running down his face. His eyes felt like someone had heated up sewing needles to glowing hot and had stuck them in through his eyeballs, into his brain and taken a ten pound sledgehammer to his forehead. Through the pain, he had the strange feeling that he was moving. Hey! He heard Godmum's voice say something; he tried to talk but it all came out as a jumble of sounds. This startled him and he jumped bolt up out of the thing that was moving him. As he opened his eyes, he doubled over and reached and then began to collapse. As he fell, he heard some one say "Serrana, help me catch him!" He fell and knew no more.

ch1 Why We Fight--The Fall of the Empires of Earth

2007-03-23T22:54:00.001-07:00

yojimbo sharp teeth

part 1

Why We Fight--The Fall of the Empires of Earth

In the mid 21st century, the governments of the world began to decline. After the war of terror, the people stood up to the government--asking for the reasons behind the war. The credibility of the US administration was wearing thin, so the government tried some other ways to keep the people under its thumb. The president of the time decided to put together a secret police to control any upheaval, crashing freedom marches, peace rallies, and when that didn’t deter the protests, they got the idea --what happens when people without guns stand up to people with guns? With this, they repealed the law that no military personnel are to be used against citizens and started turning the U.S. into a militaristic government--and employing secret agents, they rode rampant. People began disappearing. The population stopped listening to their president…but the self-proclaimed emperor of Earth would not take no for an answer. The damage was already done. The enlisted soldiers would not fight their own friends and neighbors. The soldiers were shot for not obeying orders.

On the eve of that year, the Empire dissolved. With no government, a lot of people were out looking for the same jobs that they had been doing all their lives--but the only way they were going to have jobs was if they made their own group or joined organized crime. Crime ran rampant, syndicates fighting each other. Some tried to bring government back. Some of the people said. “This is impossible. Listen, you fight if you want to--I’m going off-world. I’d rather live in a society where I’m dirt poor but free than live in a world where I have all the money I could ever want--but be subject to the whims of a king or government.” They left the earth for the stars. Whole communities charted ships to seek out new planets and hundreds of moons where they could be free. The race for the stars had begun.
It wasn’t easy to create new lands. Rocks had to be ground up into sand. Most started with hydroponics using a liquid solution or aeroponics--having the plants suspended in the air and spraying them with nutrient solutions--and slowly manufacturing dirt by using worms to break down their garbage, creating new life from paper, teabags, and coffee grounds -- even using mushrooms. Some came prepared, some with nothing but a space suit and a ship and seeds thinking that they could put plants in the ground, water them and they would grow. These people didn’t understand. Some stayed with the group trying to help in any way they could and some couldn’t see how anybody could want to live this way and went back to Earth. In those times, some people would have to defend their property and so they’d extend themselves with knives, guns, and even swords.

For five and a half generations the people lived in relative harmony and, as in the colonial days, all the people had and exercised their right to carry side arms. There was no law to what you could and could not use but you were asked to limit it to hand-held side arms--but some carried large battle weapons. Most carried small weaponry, mostly as a convenience. If you’re loading boxes you don’t want a heavy rifle getting in the way. There were places where you could not carry guns so you would hand them over and you would check them. For mass travel, you could carry weapons onboard the vehicle. The only thing is that you had to have weapons that couldn’t puncture the hull and you would check the rest.

Since they had left the planet Earth behind, they spaced the laws and the rules. For example, children from the age of eight wore given a small knife called gadvarge or Protector of Independence, originally carried by Romany gypsy’s on Old Earth. If they wished, by the age of sixteen they had the right to carry small sidearms of her choice. In a free society, all people have the right to defend themselves against those who would do harm to others. Another thing that changed was that without a government, there were no taxes--there was no one to pay them to. But nothing is free, so you were advised to give time and money to the people in your community that were doing good works, such as keeping the roads in repair. You freely give to help the community.
Crimes were dealt with differently on different worlds, but this is what happens on my planet. Crimes were dealt in this manner: for small crimes such as stealing goods or services, you were required to repay to the offended party in goods or services or with money. In other words, if you were not willing to repay, then you would be tattooed by the local people--indicating the crime that you committed. The arms were the best place to be tattooed. You were fitted with a band that would sound an alarm when you entered a public place. For taking the life of another, you would have had to repay in the amount of money that the victim would have made throughout his expected lifetime…and depending who it was, this could be very expensive. As far as pleasure drugs--as long as you didn’t use them to harm other people, this was not an offense. With no victim, there is no crime. The only way you could no longer be tattooed and not have the band was when you paid the offended party and then the only thing that you have had against you would be in the mind of the community. Throughout the ‘verse, there was peace, justice and the free way. Everybody lived happily ever after.

The End…

Hello? I said it was the end…

Hey…why are you still here? Didn’t you believe me when I said that it was the end?

I guess not. I guess it would be wrong of me to not tell you the truth. Very well. There’s a writer named Conner--very nice guy. I net him once, real nice good with kids. He liked to write books. They’re pretty good--the royalties pay the rent. He writes about dragons, spirits, heroes, fomori--creatures of the dark in Ireland…but I digress.

On Old Earth, things were reverting back to what they were. Damn, history seems to repeat itself. Another group of people planned to enter the “business”--government. Coming in and hassling…and in a few short years, empire on Earth--ruled by one man. So he thought “Why stop here? I could be the leader of the entire ‘verse and in time the multiverse!”
Are there actually multiple universes? Maybe I can met a Dal… or a Cyberm…” but anyway, back to our story. So…he sent out his men to the other worlds. They would work to “keep the peace”. But the people of the Outer Planets didn’t want the interference, because when newcomers tried to keep the peace, they would normally break things--and they wouldn’t pay for them.
I must say, never in my life have I seen--in one day--so many guys walking without anything but their underwear with tats of Looter/Killer/Mugger in my life. Well, word of our treatment of his forces got back to Earth and the Lord President was not pleased. His men looked like fools--and by association, so did he.
He sent in his men. In full body armor, they shouldn’t be worried about any forty-four mag slugs and yet it only took about five minutes—well, maybe four and a half--to bring this to an end. All the President’s man came in and simply blasted the place.
Hey, I carry a Callahan full-bore auto lock with a customized trigger and I’m the village storyteller! In other words, we don’t mind defending ourselves.
We finally understood exactly what was coming…and on a side note, I severely regret I didn’t shove him in to a starship engine. Gods help us all for what was to come.

2007-03-23T20:11:00.000-07:00