From: Jason Self <j@jxself.org>
Date: Sun, 8 May 2022 17:52:08 +0000 (-0700)
Subject: Publish new installment
X-Git-Url: https://jxself.org/git/?a=commitdiff_plain;h=6bbd1e10e2992ab3a2971ca19823bbbb77bbe897;p=universe.git

Publish new installment
---

diff --git a/agalder.txt b/agalder.txt
index 9cdf16c..7a81b93 100644
--- a/agalder.txt
+++ b/agalder.txt
@@ -1666,12 +1666,12 @@ Behan nodded. "Yes. She really is that good."
 ==== Mellie: Detective, Resistance Spy ====
 
 Mellie had been given what was probably the hardest role in the coming
-rebellion. She was to live a dual life. On one hand, she was to make
-herself acceptable to the detectives. She was to become one of the
-'boys', slowly insinuating herself into the group until she was
-accepted. She agonized on how to break the ice with nine young to
-approaching elderly men, not counting Behan. What could she say or do
-that would look natural?
+rebellion. She was to live a dual life. She had to make herself
+acceptable to the detectives, to become one of the 'boys', slowly
+insinuating herself into the group until she was accepted. She
+agonized on how to break the ice with nine young to approaching
+elderly men, not counting Behan. What could she say or do that would
+look natural?
 
 The detectives were playing traffic in a soccer match that night. She
 decided to go. She wore her hair caught up in a black cap, which
@@ -1758,4 +1758,169 @@ knew what she was talking about.
 He stopped worrying about her the morning he came into work and Mellie
 was sitting with one hip perched on Biggers desk, drinking a cup of
 coffee, and laughing with four of the detectives. He just smiled as he
-walked past and got to work.
\ No newline at end of file
+walked past and got to work.
+
+Behan had his own problems. He was conducting a covert operation
+within the department, searching for anyone who was being paid by the
+pirates for information on investigations and operations. He had
+started the work six months ago with the entire force as suspects.
+Most people were easy to eliminate. Either they were too low on the
+totem pole to have access to the information or they were in positions
+that simply did not have any need to know. However, he had noted that
+two of the supposedly 'benign' staff had received an influx of money
+recently. They were being watched.
+
+==== Mellie: Detective, Resistance Operative ====
+
+To her shock, Mellie discovered that she was beginning to like her
+colleagues. They had accepted her as an equal member of the team and
+were treating her with the same respect and rough camaraderie that
+they afforded each other. Well, not quite the same. They cleaned up
+their language for the most part when she was with them. Except in
+stressful situations and then the detectives noted that Mellie could
+be as foul mouthed as any of them.
+
+The difference was that they now liked her and that fondness was
+reflected in their attitudes. She fervently wished that she was not a
+Resistance spy. She just wanted to be a detective.
+
+Most of her colleagues appeared to be as apolitical as possible.
+Although with the pirates in charge of the planet, she didn't
+understand why her new friends didn't talk among themselves about the
+regime and the horrors they saw on a daily basis.. She wondered how
+many of the supposedly neutral police force were actually members of
+the Resistance. And then she thought that some might be in the pay of
+the Pirates. If they couldn't fully trust each other, then open
+criticism of the regime would be a quick way to get killed.
+
+So they avoided the subject altogether, kept their heads down, and did
+their jobs. No way to tell the good guys from the bad guys.
+
+She decided she had to be subtle.
+
+Two days later they were called to the scene of a multiple homicide
+that included children. Mellie didn't have to fake the deep anger and
+hatred she felt for the people who fostered this environment, who took
+away the education system, the teachers, the books, and gave poverty
+and crime in return. She tried to keep her voice down but wasn't
+entirely successful. She cursed every one of the members of the
+Democratic Advisory Board, the President, and was starting on the
+heads of departments, when one of her partners stepped on her foot,
+and another 'accidentally' elbowed her in the ribs.
+
+"Shut up!" they whispered urgently. "You never know where there are
+microphones or ears listening."
+
+She noticed two others had almost reached her and were just now
+turning away. Every member of this team apparently wanted her alive.
+Apparently.
+
+She gritted her teeth and got to work.
+
+That subterfuge accomplished nothing beyond getting her sore ribs and
+a sore foot. The next attempt was going to be harder and she would
+need help.
+
+==== Harlan: Thief, Resistance Operative ====
+
+Harlan had no idea how he was supposed to suddenly make friends with
+the people in the Thieves' Guild. He had been known for his
+stand-offish attitude since he had first started out. There were a few
+that he talked to at times when they ran into one another. He
+occasionally had a brew with Big Domosky and considered the man his
+friend. Big Domosky was called that because he was - big, that is.
+About 140 kilos and 206 cm, the man made Harlan feel like a child
+beside him. Short orange hair covered his scalp, going well with his
+dark brown complexion.
+
+Domosky was smart and well educated. He had had two major interests in
+college - astrophysics and classical literature and had gotten degrees
+in both. He'd gone on to get advanced degrees in the sciences and just
+when he was ready to go make money, the pirates had shown up. That
+never spoiled the big man's attitude. He just devoted his life to
+stealing as much from the pirates and their sympathizers as he could.
+
+Harlan decided that Big Domosky was as good a place to start as any.
+He went to track the man down. He found him leaning on the bar in the
+Black Chaupoo. The bartender looked like he'd rather the big man
+didn't lean so heavily but said nothing.
+
+"Hey, Domosky! How you doing?" called out Harlan.
+
+"Harlan! Are you all right? There was a rumor that you were shot. You
+look okay."
+
+"I get a cold and somebody starts a rumor that I've been shot." Harlan
+answered. "No. I'm good." He stepped up next to the giant and asked
+the bartender for a brew.
+
+Domosky raised his hand to slap Harlan on the back, but something in
+the thief's eyes stopped him. He laid the huge hand gently on his
+friend's shoulder. "Well, It's good to see you. Come sit at my table
+and catch me up on your doings."
+
+He led the way to a large table with colossal chairs in a corner. Once
+settled in, Domosky leaned forward and spoke softly. "You really did
+get hurt, didn't you?"
+
+Harlan glanced at the next table which was unoccupied. "How do you
+know that?"
+
+"I was going to slap you on the back, but your face went white, and
+you looked like a trapped marsck. You weren't sure you could tolerate
+it."
+
+Harlan chuckled. "I probably would have passed out. Thank you for not
+greeting me in the usual Domosky manner."
+
+Domosky nodded. "Are you going to tell me what's going on?"
+
+Harlan stared at his brew for a while. "Dom, we've been friends for a
+long time now, but there are things you don't know about me and..."
+
+"Like the fact that your father was Sam Tavis? That he was a member of
+the Resistance and that you are, too. That you're in love with that
+cute detective, Mellie, and that she loves you just as much."
+
+Harlan's eyes never strayed from the brew, but his shoulders
+tightened. "I'm not sure what you're..."
+
+"Yes, you are. You're just wondering how I know it and if I can be
+trusted." He glanced up at the bar across the room. No one seemed to
+be paying any attention to them. "Harlan, the Boss told me. Greg
+Santorini. I've been keeping a eye on you for a couple of years." He
+grimaced. "If you hadn't vanished into thin air recently, I'd have
+known what happened to you."
+
+"Why don't you know? If you're a Resistance member, then you would
+have heard that I was shot at headquarters and nearly died there." Now
+Harlan's eyes were locked with Domosky's dark brown ones.
+
+"Well, shit." said the giant. "I just got back from the mines up at
+Cannette's tonight. They had heard that you were injured but had no
+details."
+
+"What were you doing up there?"
+
+"Arranging for a revolution." the big man answered.
+
+"So you're saying you're a Resistance member and I'm supposed to
+believe that?"
+
+"Yes." Then Domosky shrugged. "But I do have proof."
+
+"Yeah? Let's see it."
+
+"Him. Come on."
+
+Domosky stood and walked to a door next to the men's room. He opened
+it without knocking and went in. Harlan followed. The Boss was sitting
+at a table with John Behan and three other men.
+
+Santorini looked at them "Whatcha need, Dom?"
+
+"This idiot is poking holes in my story and wants proof that I'm part
+of the Resistance."
+
+Quiet laughter ran around the table. "Yes, Harlan. You can trust this
+oaf. He's for real." and Santorini turned back to the table.
\ No newline at end of file