Eros at Zenith: Book 2 of Tales of the Velvet Comet (9 page)

“Well, if she's his idea of a stand-in for me, he's probably just had the surprise of his obnoxious young life,” said the Black Pearl.

“Perhaps,” answered the Dragon Lady. “But I have a feeling that anyone who tries to physically abuse Mr. Crane is in for the surprise of her life.”

The Black Pearl frowned. “If he wanted me, why the hell didn't he just ask for me?”

“What would you have said?”

“No.”

“That's why,” said the Dragon Lady. “He's not stupid, you know—and I have a feeling that he's a very sensitive man.”

“He hides it well,” remarked the Black Pearl.

“Everyone wears masks in this place, so why shouldn't he?” said the Dragon Lady.

“Not quite everyone. What about dear old Uriah? He uses his real name, and he wears a standard Security uniform.”

“You mean Paxton?” The Dragon Lady smiled.

“You identified his mask yourself—Uriah Heep. He outranks everyone in Security except me, he's a very bright and competent worker, he makes a good salary, and he still goes around groveling and eating humble pie. Wouldn't you call that a mask?”

The Black Pearl shrugged, “Perhaps you're right.” She paused. “So you think Crane is the shy, sensitive type?”

“I never said
shy
.”

“Let's see how he's doing,” said the Black Pearl.

“Computer, activate the holographic screen and let me see Mr. Crane's bedroom.”

“Cancel!” said the Dragon Lady quickly.

“What's the matter?” asked the Black Pearl.

“Let's allow the man his privacy,” said the Security Chief seriously.

The Black Pearl smiled. “When's the last time you refused to look into a room?”

“The security of the
Comet
and its patrons is my job. This has nothing to do with either of them.”

“All right,” said the Black Pearl with a sigh. “But let's at least see if he's still at it. Computer, is Chocolate Pudding still in Mr. Crane's room?”

NO. SHE LEFT AT 0457 HOURS.

“Did she cause him any pain while she was there?”

I AM UNQUALIFIED TO JUDGE. BOTH OF THEM MADE NUMEROUS GUTTURAL NOISES WHICH OCCASIONALLY INDICATES PAIN IN A HUMAN BEING.

“You know perfectly well what I mean,” persisted the Black Pearl. “Did she strike him?”

NO.

“I hate to say I told you so,” said the Dragon Lady.

“What a pity,” remarked the Black Pearl. “I guess he must be sleeping the sleep of the innocent—or at least the unwhipped.”

MR. CRANE IS NOT ASLEEP. HE IS CURRENTLY WITH SATIN ODYSSEY.

“A man of many talents,” mused the Black Pearl.

“I never knew anyone to ask for seconds after a session with Chocolate Pudding.”

“Let
me
ask a question,” interjected the Dragon Lady. “Computer, you say that Mr. Crane is
currently
with Satin Odyssey. Has he requested any additional companions?”

TOTEM POLE AT 0545 HOURS.

APOLLO AT 0615 HOURS.

SUGAR DADDY AT 0645 HOURS.

SCARLET RIBBON AT 0715 HOURS.

BO PEEP AT 0745 HOURS.

ESTEBAN MORALES AT 0815 HOURS.

PAGLIACCI AT 0845 HOURS.

MARSHMALLOW AT “Stop,” said the Dragon Lady. The screen froze, and she turned to the Black Pearl. “He's not in bed with Satin Odyssey; he's
questioning
her.”

“At five-thirty in the morning? Doesn't he ever sleep?”

“I think he runs on nervous energy.”

“I wouldn't think he'd have
any
kind of energy left after going to bed with Chocolate Pudding. She must be having an off day.” The Black Pearl turned to the screen. “Computer, you can deactivate now.”

The tabletop screen went dark.

“I'll have a refill if I may,” said the Dragon Lady, holding out her empty glass.

“Coming right up.”

“And perhaps a little something to nibble with it?”

“I'll see what we have,” said the Black Pearl. She opened her refrigerator, pulled out a bar of chocolate, and brought it over to the Security Chief. “From Earth itself—or so the gentleman who gave it to me said. Personally, I don't believe him.”

The Dragon Lady unwrapped the bar and broke off a piece, then offered one to the Black Pearl.

“No, thanks,” said the madam. “I put on two pounds last month. I've got to watch my weight.”

The Dragon Lady looked at her and shook her head sadly. “When you put on weight, it all goes into your breasts. Mine always goes straight to my hips. I wish I knew why.” She took a bite of the chocolate and smiled. “It's worth it. This is delicious!”

The Black Pearl laughed and poured the cognac.

“Keep eating chocolate and drinking liquor and sooner or later it'll spread to everything you've got.”

“That's why I wear these things,” replied the Dragon Lady, indicating her jade-green robe with its embroidered dragon. “Thank God for Security! I really would have hated to leave this ship.”

“Do you miss working at this end of it?”

“From time to time,” admitted the Dragon Lady.

“Certainly not the lesbians, or some of the more unique groups.” She paused. “Not even most of the men, as a matter of fact. Sex is just as enjoyable in the Home as the Resort, and I prefer to choose my own partners.” She smiled nostalgically. “But there's such elegance here. No matter how ridiculous my outfits may have been, there wasn't one of them that didn't cost the average man's yearly salary. I ate well, I lived well, I enjoyed the company of most of my patrons, I even enjoyed some of the fantasy rooms—especially the Tropical Paradise and the Ocean Bower. I never could adjust to the Freefall Room, though,” she added with a grimace. “I can't tell you how many bruises I picked up there, but it had to come to more than 100.” She sipped her drink, then ate another piece of the chocolate bar. “All the time I worked in the Resort, I had only one fear.”

“Oh? What was it?”

“That my father would come up here and request me without recognizing me.”

“Oh, Lord, not another one!” said the Black Pearl with a grimace. “It's a pretty common fear?”

“Or fantasy,” replied the madam. “Sugar Daddy was saying last week that he thought he spotted his mother in the Mall, and damned near had a seizure. I guess he looks a lot like his late father, and he was just sure she'd ask for him. It took him five minutes to remember that she can't afford to come up here.”

“Anyway,” said the Dragon Lady, “I
do
miss it from time to time. It may not have been the best of all possible worlds, but given my looks and my talents, it was the best of those that were open to me. On the whole, though, I think I find Security more challenging.”

“Well, I'll admit that hunting down this killer is probably more of a challenge than you ever had as a prostitute.” The Black Pearl paused, frowning. “I just hope Mr. Crane lives up to your high opinion of him.”

“I think he will,” said the Security Chief seriously. “He's made a lot of progress already.” She paused. “In many ways, you're very much like him.”

“You said that before,” commented the Black Pearl distastefully.

“It's true. You're both very young and very successful and totally devoted to your work. He thinks he wants to be the Chairman of Vainmill and you think you want to breed Night Crystals, but both of you are much better suited to what you're doing right now.” She stared at the Black Pearl. “And maybe it's all for the best that he irritates you. I very much doubt that either of you is ever going to enter into a long-term relationship with another person.”

“It's a little difficult to do in a whorehouse,” agreed the Black Pearl.

“For some people it's difficult to do anywhere.”

“I've got a permanent lover.”

“Totem Pole is the third permanent lover you've had this year.”

“The first two didn't have any staying power. He's different.”

“In what way?”

“If you ever had all twelve inches of him tucked safely away inside you, you'd know
exactly
what way,” responded the Black Pearl with a predatory smile.

“Sooner or later you'll get rid of him, too,” said the Dragon Lady.

“Not until something better comes along,” replied the Black Pearl firmly.

“Something better came along two years ago—or have you forgotten that this is your second time around with him?”

“He wasn't as skilled back then. It's kind of like being an opera singer—being blessed with a great voice is one thing, but knowing how to use it is another. And you have to admit that Totem Pole has been blessed with an abundance of, shall we say, natural talent.” She paused. “He's got the cutest little ass on him, too.”

“Would you consider never sleeping with anyone else except him?”

“Don't be ridiculous.”

“If he decided to leave the
Comet
and asked you to accompany him, would you do so?”

“Of course not.”

“That's precisely my point,” continued the Dragon Lady. “It's your work that's important to you, not your lovers.”

“There are a lot of men in the universe. There's only one
Comet
.” She looked defensively at the Dragon Lady. “What's wrong with that? Crane wouldn't give up chasing killers for anything, either.”

“I'm not so sure about that.”

“Weren't you just saying that
neither
of us was capable of a long-term relationship?”

“I said that neither of you was going to enter into one,” replied the Dragon Lady. “There's a difference. He's capable of it. That's why he becomes so irritable—because he thinks his work
should
be more important, and he's afraid that if he relaxes he might wake up one of these days and discover that it's not.”

“And you think
that's
the only difference between us?”

“The only important one.”

“I'm trying to decide whether I've just been insulted,” remarked the Black Pearl with a smile.

“Not at all,” replied the Dragon Lady. “It's a rare person who can establish a lasting relationship up here. The environment simply isn't conducive to it.”

“A good, tactful answer,” chuckled the Black Pearl. “I can tell you were trained to work aboard the
Comet
.”

Just then the computer blinked to life.

EXCUSE ME.

“Yes. What is it?”

I HAVE A QUESTION.

The Black Pearl frowned. “You never initiate questions. You only ask them when we're engaged in a discussion.”

I HAVE ONE NOW, WHICH IS TOTALLY BEYOND THE PARAMETERS OF MY PROGRAMMING, AND HAS JUST BEEN TRIGGERED BY MR. CRANE, WITH WHOM I AM CURRENTLY COMMUNICATING.

“What is it?”

WHEN ACCESSING YOUR LIAISON DATA, HE KEEPS REFERRING TO ME AS “CUPID". I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT I DO NOT HAVE A PROPER NAME, AND HE SAID THAT I DO NOW.

“And what's your question?”

HIS SECURITY CLEARANCE AND POSITION WITHIN THE VAINMILL STRUCTURE IS HIGHER THAN ANYONE'S ABOARD THE VELVET COMET. HAS HE THE AUTHORITY TO GIVE ME A PROPER NAME?

“He most certainly does not. You're the
Comet
's computer, not Vainmill's.”

VAINMILL OWNS THE VELVET COMET.

“Nevertheless, you take your orders from us.”

THEN I AM NOT TO ANSWER TO THE NAME “CUPID"?

“Yes, you are.”

LOGICAL ERROR: YOU JUST STATED THAT MR. CRANE DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO GIVE ME A PROPER NAME.

“No, but
I
do, and it's about time you had one,” said the Black Pearl. “And while I hate to admit it, he came up with a hell of a good one.”

YOUR ANSWER IS SATISFACTORY. HENCEFORTH I SHALL RESPOND TO “CUPID". DEACTIVATING... “I
told
you you were in the right business,” laughed the Dragon Lady. “You've even satisfied the computer.”

“It's a damned good name for a datebook, isn't it?” said the Black Pearl. “Maybe Crane's good for something after all.”

“Besides catching killers and irritating you?”

“He's spent enough time doing the latter,” replied the Black Pearl. “It's time he got back to catching killers.”

Esteban Morales had just left Crane's suite. The detective checked the time, found that he had almost twelve minutes before his next interview, and walked quickly to the bathroom.

“Activate the whirlpool,” he commanded, slipping out of his clothes. “And turn it off in three minutes.”

WHAT TEMPERATURE WOULD YOU LIKE?

“Something cool,” he said. “I'm exhausted; I've got to freshen up.”

I REQUIRE AN EXACT TEMPERATURE.

“Oh, make it about 20 degrees Celsius.”

DONE.

He climbed into the bath, let out a yelp when it turned out to be even colder than he had anticipated, and forced himself to remain there for the full three minutes. When it was deactivated, he felt refreshed and fully awake.

He ordered the room to dry him with bursts of warm air, then changed into a fresh suit and re-entered the living room.

He was sitting in his contour chair, sipping a cup of coffee and scanning the sports results on the computer's screen, when Pagliacci entered the suite.

The comedian still wore his clown's make-up, and it looked as though it had been recently touched up, though he wasn't due to appear on stage again for another 14 hours. His suit, made of shining metallic fibres, stopped just short of being garish.

“Good morning,” said Pagliacci. “You wanted to speak to me?”

“Yes, I did,” answered Crane. “Have a seat.”

“You're from Vainmill, aren't you?” asked the comedian, sitting down on an angular chair and putting his feet on the long, low chrome table.

“What makes you think so?” said Crane sharply.

“Because I know all the crew members, and while some of the patrons have pretty bizarre tastes, none of them have ever yet asked to go to bed with the nightclub comic—and who the hell else would want to see me? Besides, I haven't spotted you in the club yet, which coincides with my theory that none of you Vainmill guys ever likes to smile.” Pagliacci paused. “Unless you're from my agent. If you are, tell that bastard he's fired.”

“What do you have against your agent?” asked Crane, curious.

“He booked me in here for four months!”

“What's wrong with that?”

“I've only got about 30 routines!
That's
what's wrong with that. I mean, hell, how original can you be when you have to perform three shows a night seven nights a week? The patrons laugh their heads off; but the whores have heard it so often that half the time they beat me to the punch lines. And if they
don't
laugh, the patrons start worrying about them and ignore what I'm doing.”