Wings of Steele - Destination Unknown (Book 1) (27 page)

After
a quiet day of rest, it was time for a night of fun and frolic.
The
six pilots, accompanied by the amiable Shepherd who had adopted them
all, strolled down the hall in their best dress uniforms. Their
uniforms were all the same color now. The double-breasted tunics
were a deep royal blue and their pants a charcoal gray with black
piping on the leg seam. The pants fit close but comfortable and
tucked into shiny, black, knee-high boots. Each pilot had proudly
pinned their gold `Wings of Honor' on the left breast of his or her
tunic while the right breast had two buttons open with the flap
folded down to reveal the silky royal blue lining.

Their
spirits high, the group sauntered down the corridor greeting
everyone
they passed. Even Fritz wore the uniform colors in the form of a two
toned blue bandana tied around his neck.

The
pilots were boisterous and playful as they made their way to
the
restaurant. "I say, gents," said Jack in his best British
imitation, "don't we look absolutely dashing?"

"Aye,"
responded Brian in kind, "none better."

"Absolutely
smashing!" remarked Derrik. "And I would venture to say,"
he
added with aristocratic flair and a wave of his hand, "no one
on this great tin-can enjoys finer companionship than that of our
comfy little squadron."

"Well
put," said Paul.

The
pilots strolled slowly along the shop-lined Promenade that
rings
the Ecosphere on the fifth level and browsed the windows on their
way to the restaurant. The shops were filled with strange and
unusual gifts and curios from all over the universe. The busy
Promenade gave Jack the impression of an old street bazaar teaming
with life. Vendors stood in their doorways dressed in colorful
clothing and hawked their merchandise to passers-by. Prospective
customers haggled prices with shop owners, and the merchandise was
so foreign and interesting it almost compelled one to closer
examination.

"Living
crystals... living crystals," called the woman from the
doorway
of her shop. She held one aloft, dangling from a golden chain to
sway and sparkle before Maria's dancing eyes. "Not only the
most beautiful M'Lady, but also the most unusual... " The woman
watched the slivers of reflected light play across Maria's face who
stared in curiosity and wonder. "Very rare," stated the
woman after a pause.

Maria
impulsively reached out to touch the crystal but it was
withdrawn.
Fritz sniffed an investigatory nose at an intricate tapestry hanging
on a rack nearby, and the woman eyed him stoically. Jack pretended
not to notice. "Let her see it," he said quietly.

The
woman had noticed the wings on their tunics and cast her eyes
to
the floor, "Yes M'Lord." Jack raised one eyebrow in
surprise,
kind of drastic,
he thought. But he wasn't sure how to respond to it either –
so he decided it was best to just let it go.

Jack
watched as the woman lowered the glittering, fiery crystal
into
Maria's upturned palm. Fritz sat and watched with mild disinterest
and the other pilots studied paintings from a far away world. To
Maria and Jack's amazement the solid crystal began to soften and its
polished facets seemed to dissolve. "It's warm!" squealed
Maria in amazement. "And look!" Before their eyes, the
crystal turned into a what appeared to be a limpid pool in the palm
of her hand.

"It
is very fond of you M'Lady, it does not do that for many..."

Maria's
eyes turned to Jack "It's so different, may I have it?"
She
touched
the pool in her palm with the index finger of her other hand and was
surprised to see it was more solid than it looked. Jack glanced at
the woman in the doorway who was looking thoughtfully at Fritz.

"I
will trade the crystal for the furry one." She pointed at
Fritz.

"Not
likely!" blurted Jack in amusement.

"But
this is a Teardrop crystal of Rhomm, very rare!"

Jack
shrugged and motioned toward the dog, "He wouldn't like it."

The
woman snatched the crystal from Maria's hand, "No furry thing,
no
Teardrop!"

Maria's
face hardened, her dark eyes turned stormy and piercing,
causing
the vendor woman to step back in fear. Maria turned on her heel,
fists clenched and strode purposefully away. "Didn't want it
anyway. Right Fritz?" Fritz stood and shook his head to
rearrange his hair, snortled at the woman and her goods and trotted
after the angry female pilot.

Jack
caught up with Maria a few shops down where they met up with
the
other pilots. She no longer showed any signs of anger and Jack
decided it wise not to pursue the matter further. "Dinner?"
It was more a suggestion than a question and was met with a
favorable round of approval.

The
pilots headed to the restaurant through the Promenade and
detached
from the bustle of the crowd, chatted amongst themselves. Mike and
Brian, oblivious of the dwindling throng around them, walked ahead
of the others and discussed flight tactics with their natural good
nature, accompanied by the normal animated hand gestures which
accompanied such talks. Jack watched with amusement as he exchanged
small talk with Derrik and Paul. Maria walked in passive silence,
the Shepherd keeping pace at her side, pleased to feel the soft
touch of her hand on his head.

"Captain
Steele!" The cloaked and hooded figure stood inside a
darkened
entryway, his face obscured by the shadows. Fritz sensed the dark
stranger before he saw him and his skin crawled with a queer
sensation which was a sure sign of danger. He walked beside Maria,
scanning his surroundings and the beings about him in an uneasy
attempt to detect the origin of this assault to his acute senses. It
greatly upset the Shepherd when the shadowed figure revealed himself
before Fritz could locate his whereabouts. It was but a split second
before the protective Shepherd imposed his capable bulk between the
hooded owner of the deep voice and his beloved friend, Jack.

Jack
turned to meet the shadowed owner of the deep voice despite his
use
of an improper title and was suddenly aware of the protective dog
standing between them. For some inexplicable reason, Jack felt his
blood turn cold. He was greatly reassured at the dog's presence but
he would have felt less vulnerable had he been wearing his .45
Kimber. "Commander Steele," he corrected, "and you?"

"I've
been known by many names, but you may call me Voorlak." He
stood
motionless in the shadows of the recessed entryway.

"I
see... and how do you know my name?" With some relief, Jack
realized
he was now flanked by the other pilots and Fritz still stood in
front of him, showing his teeth in a sardonic smile.

"You...
all of you, are officers of extremely high-profile. Many
know
you."

Jack
was growing impatient but Paul spoke first, "Yes...
well,
what can we do for you?"

"I
assure you no offense intended to any of you, but my business is
with
Captain Steele..."

"Commander."

"Yes,
of course. Commander. This is a very important matter and I must
speak
with you... alone."

"What
about?"

"Not
out here, inside please... and I must insist... alone."

Jack
trusted the Shepherd's instincts and his blood ran cold again,
neither
trusted this being. "The dog stays with me." Jack said
curtly. A nod showed the man in agreement. "Look," said
Steele turning to the others, "you guys go along, I'll meet you
at the restaurant." He read the concern in their faces. "I'll
be Ok."

"If
anything happens," whispered Brian, "he won't see his next
birthday."

Jack
nodded, "See you all later."

The
only light in the room came from the vidscreen on the wall
which
showed the outside view of passing stars and a nightlight above the
suite's wet bar which produced a faint glow.

It
took several minutes for Jack's eyes to adjust to the darkness,
and
he was glad for the presence of the German Shepherd, who would
defend him to the death if need be. Jack Steele was not a man easily
unnerved, but it was obvious even to this stranger that he was on
edge. "Relax, Mr. Steele, no harm will come to you or your
friend here." Fritz grumbled softly and Jack thought he saw the
man smile but in this light that would be impossible.
Still...

"Your
friend..." he waved a robed arm towards Fritz, "does not
like
me."

"No
I guess not." Jack was anxious to leave and shifted uneasily.
As
his
eyes grew more accustomed to the dim light, he could see the room
was much like his own suite.

"Please,
sit down Captain..." before Jack could correct him, the man
silenced
him with an elegant wave of his hand. "Yes I know...
Commander."
He turned away and eased off his hood. "A drink perhaps?"
The old man moved to the bar and poured himself a drink. "An
excellent vintage of Ditarian Brandy."

"No
thanks."

"Come
now, Mr. Steele, surely you don't think I went through all
this
trouble just to poison you, do you?" The question was not meant
to be answered. "Of course not!" he snapped. He handed
Jack a crystal snifter half full. "You are parched and tense.
Sit, drink and relax. I have much to tell you."

Jack
sat and sniffed the liquor pensively. Deciding he wouldn't
know
poison anyway and throwing caution to the winds, he sipped. It was
sweet and heavy, warming him as he swallowed. Jack could see his
face now, lined and aged, he studied the face for some time, both
men remaining silent. The man, Voorlak, looked very old. "Who,
or should I say, what are you?"

"I
am by most labels, an
Ancient
...
and yes, I am very old. I lost track after
two
thousand..." he smiled again. "Most stop counting after a
thousand but I kept fair records..." he waved a hand
expressively, "but then came the
200
Year Pennance Wars
and somewhere during that time, I lost count." Voorlak, lapsing
into silence, stared into his brandy, perhaps reflecting upon old
memories.

Jack
was more relaxed and noticed Fritz reclining sedately, though
still
alert. "Why do you call me Captain when you know I'm only a
Commander?" Straining to see more clearly in the dim light, he
watched Voorlak's face.

"Sorry
about the light my friend," he seemed to read Jack's mind. "At
my
age, the eyes become very sensitive, quite a bother really."
He sipped his brandy then continued. "Young man, you have a
destiny far beyond your wildest comprehension..." Jack watched
him with interest but was careful to show no emotion. The old man
appreciated his restraint, "You would make an excellent `Ruge'
player my friend, you mask your feelings well."

Voorlak
stood and moved back to the bar, "You will have your own
ship
soon. You and you alone will be its commanding officer. Your destiny
does not stop there, however,
if
you make the right choices. If not..." he turned to face Jack
and shrugged. "Few men have the opportunity to choose between
destinies... " he leaned back against the bar, a fresh snifter
of brandy in his hand. "You, my boy, stand at the crossroads."

Jack
wiped his forehead, he was feeling warm.

"You,"
continued Voorlak, "can choose to be a man like Herman Shimp,
or
take a firm hold and step into history like George Washington."

Jack
scratched his head, "Who was Herman Shimp?"

The
old man shrugged, "A nobody... no one remembers, no one cares."