Read The Outer Worlds: Book One of the Epherian Chronicles for Free Online Page B

dull fluorescent light
with a green tinge. The place was a hub for crews and was situated
close to the docking bays. There were about fifteen metal tables
and a central bar where a heavyset barkeeper with a tattooed bald
head was serving drinks. The crew of the Out Drifter were seated
around a table in the corner of the room.
    ‘ They say Savage Slap will turn your skin red if you drink too
much,’ said Sara to Ajax.
    Sara generally
considered drinking an unnecessary distraction, and she frequently
argued that Ajax was being irresponsible, especially if she found
him drinking before a mission. Her strict military background had
kept her from such indulgences, and her home world culture had
generally frowned on the consumption of alcohol.
    Ajax gave a
wide grin. ‘I try to balance it out with Purple Incineration. I
have been told that if you drink as much Purple Incineration your
skin doesn’t change colour, and so far I’ve been fine,’ he said as
he checked the back of his hand for any discolouration.
    ‘ You could always simply stop drinking Savage Slap, or you
could give up drinking altogether,’ she said.
    ‘ Ha, I don’t think you would like me much if I gave up. I get
stir crazy without a drink,’ he said, grinning.
    ‘ Do you think you could even make such a choice if you wanted
to?’ she asked.
    ‘ Sure I could, but why would I bother?’ he answered in a low
voice.
    ‘ Maybe because you are putting the crew at risk.’
    ‘ That’s ridiculous!’ he grumbled. ‘What do you think,
Cap?’
    Michael sipped
at his synthetic coffee and glanced across the table at Ajax. He
shook his head. ‘I don’t have an opinion.’
    ‘ You mean that you don’t think there’s a problem?’ asked Ajax.
Michael didn’t answer. ‘I’ll tell you what, Sara, if Cap asks me to
stop drinking I’ll stop drinking.’
    In that moment
a young woman approached the table. She looked to be in her early
twenties. She had shoulder length black hair, and her eyes were
large and dark. Her pale skin appeared as if it had never been
exposed to natural light. Pale skin was a common trait of people
who lived for long periods on space stations. She was wearing a
full-length black cloak, and she had an Epherian plasma pistol
latched to her belt.
    ‘ My name is Cynthia; I want to join your crew,’ she announced
in a confident and commanding voice.
    Ajax laughed
as if she had told a joke. ‘We don’t need anyone like you, and
we’re not advertising for any new crew, especially not a station
girl.’
    ‘ I can match any of you in a fight. Just give me a chance. I’ll
prove myself.’
    ‘ Forget it, honey,’ said Ajax gruffly.
    ‘ Don’t call me honey,’ she said coolly, staring down at him
with a stony face and a fierce look in her dark eyes.
    ‘ Maybe you should call the police,’ replied Ajax,
chuckling.
    Cynthia
reached for her pistol. She drew her gun and pointed it directly at
Ajax’s head. His face hardened, and he glared up at her without
moving.
    She gave a
victorious grin. ‘You see; you didn’t even have a chance to draw.’
She lifted her chin proudly.
    ‘ I didn’t bother,’ he said, casually sipping his Savage Slap.
‘You know if you kill me that my crew will finish you off. You
wouldn’t survive a second if you pulled that trigger. I knew that
when I saw you reach for your pistol.’
    Dog-Two
snarled up at Cynthia and her hand began trembling.
    ‘ You better put your gun away,’ said Michael calmly.
    Cynthia
returned the pistol to its holster. Her eyes nervously shifted from
left to right; she then turned to leave, hanging her head low as
she walked away.
    ‘ Wait, Cynthia. What could you bring to our crew?’ asked
Michael.
    ‘ Cap, you can’t be serious,’ said Ajax, leaning back in his
chair and folding his arms across his chest.
    ‘ Let her answer the question.’
    Cynthia turned
back around and stared blankly at Michael for a few seconds before
answering. ‘Well, like I said, I’m a