From: Jason Self Date: Sun, 22 May 2022 22:26:51 +0000 (-0700) Subject: Publish new installment X-Git-Url: https://jxself.org/git/?a=commitdiff_plain;h=9665ed347c7002f31db4d3776c3315a07a20b30a;p=universe.git Publish new installment --- diff --git a/agalder.txt b/agalder.txt index 0f83ab9..42be3c7 100644 --- a/agalder.txt +++ b/agalder.txt @@ -2039,4 +2039,141 @@ Once they were alone, she leaned forward and spoke softly. "I have been assigned to your team, Harlan. It will be you and me and Dom." For the first time, Harlan was not pleased to see Mellie walk in the -door to the tavern. \ No newline at end of file +door to the tavern. + +==== Mellie: Detective, Resistance operative ==== + +She really didn't expect to find Harlan in the Black Chaupoo. She +certainly didn't expect to find him with a gorgeous woman with pure +white hair and green eyes. She felt her own eyes narrow as she walked +toward them. Harlan had turned and was looking at her. His eyebrows +were raised as if he were puzzled. Or maybe anxious. + +He stood and reached for her as she came up to the table, but Mellie +ignored his outstretched hand and smiled down at the woman. + +"Hello, Dom." she said without so much as glancing at him. "Hello, +Harlan. Who's your friend?" + +The woman's perfectly arched eyebrows also rose and a little smile +played around her lips. + +Harlan sighed. "This is Silver Santorini, the Boss' daughter." he +said. "She's married to a guy named Murphy who's with the Boss in the +back room." + +Now Mellie did look up at Harlan. Briefly. "I've heard of you." she +said to the woman. "Everyone talked about how beautiful you are. I +didn't believe them until now." + +Silver smiled again. "Thank you, Detective." She stood. "I had heard +much the same about you. I see that the gossip was also true." + +They stood staring at each other for a moment. Then Mellie offered her +hand and Silver took it. Their handshake lasted a bit longer than one +between two men would have and seemed much more intimate. Harlan had +the distinct feeling that they were saying things to each other +without words. + +The women sat down and the men followed suit. + +Mellie stared at Harlan for a long minute, markedly increasing his +anxiety. Finally she smiled at him and reached out and took his hand. +Turning to Silver, she asked "Is that Liam Murphy you're married to?" + +Silver nodded. "That would be the man. We've been married for three +years. He's a good man." + +"Except that he's a pirate and the President's assistant. That makes +him a little bit suspect on this side of town." + +"I know. I've lived with those suspicions for years now." She +grimaced. "But I know this man. I know him well. He is sincere. He +wants to overthrow the tyranny and free the people of Agalder. He has +the courage and brilliance to do it." + +Mellie raised an eyebrow. "Why would he betray his comrades?" + +"Because they are wrong and cruel and basically evil." Silver said as +she took a sip of her brew. "There are another half dozen crew members +who think like Murph does. They'll join him when it's time. But the +majority of the crews are only interested in making their fortunes. +This is supposed to be the last gig. When they leave here, they're +supposed to split up and head for different parts of the galaxy to +retire." She snorted. "I'll believe that when I see it." + +"What will you believe?" asked Harlan. "That they won't head off to +different ends of the galaxy? Or that this is their last gig?" + +She smiled and Harlan couldn't help it. His heart beat a little +faster. "Oh, I wouldn't be surprised to see them split up. They all +detest each other. There is no honor among thieves." She shook her +head. "No. What would surprise me is if this is their last gig. They +are all the greediest of pigs. They might split up, but they would +find another way to make money by harming and killing and raping and +maiming anyone they can." + +Mellie shook her head and spoke - so softly that Silver almost missed +it. "It will be their last gig all right. They will be much too dead +for another." + +Silver met her eyes, green staring into blue, and she nodded. + +==== Silver Santorini: Resistance Operative ==== + +Silver Santorini and Liam Murphy had been married over three years and +were very much in love. Yet they had never lived together, never +shared the small joys of preparing meals together, of planning +vacations, of sharing their days at work and little triumphs with each +other. They met every few weeks to report to each other and share a +couple of hours of steamy sex. It was all they had at the moment. But +they thought they could see the light at the end of the wormhole and +prayed that it was not the inside of a star. + +They couldn't think about that future now. That could lead to +inattention and carelessness and they couldn't risk that. They had to +stay focused. That's why Silver only glanced at Murphy when the door +opened and the men came out of the back room. He didn't even look at +her. Behan had slipped out a window, the same way he had come in. +Santorini came over and pulled up a chair at the table. + +"I see you've met my daughter." he said, looking at Mellie. + +"Yes. We were just getting acquainted." replied Mellie, her gaze +steady. + +The Boss stared at her for a moment, then nodded. "Don't worry about +Murph. He's a good guy and dedicated to our cause." + +His eyes flicked from Harlan to Mellie and back. + +Harlan said "If you say he's ok, I'll trust him." + +Santorini stood and smiled. "He's ok, Harlan. You can trust him." He +kissed Silver and left. + +Silver turned to Mellie. "Dad's assigned me to Harlan's team. It'll be +Harlan and Dom and me." She waited for a reaction. + +The churning in her stomach didn't show on her face as Mellie said +"Sounds like a good team." Then she looked at Dom. "Actually I came +here to see you, Dom. I'm going to need some help when the time comes +to take over APD headquarters. And I've already decided that you would +be perfect in that role." + +"What about me?" Harlan's voice was just a little bit whiny. + +Mellie began to giggle and Dom and Silver joined in the laughter. +Harlan looked indignant for a few moments and then chuckled. "That did +sound petulant, didn't it?" + +"Yes." Mellie reached out and took his hand. "Two things, my love. +First, you're going to be too busy for this. And second, I don't want +you anywhere around when the time comes. You would be too distracting +for me and vice versa. Neither one of us will be able to afford +distractions then." + +"Dom's going to be busy, too." said Harlan, still not happy. + +"Not like you are. He should be able to help me then. I am going to +need the second best thief in Crater City for a few hours." \ No newline at end of file