Read The Phoenix Conspiracy for Free Online Page B
Authors: Richard L. Sanders
Lieutenant Commander?
Did they intend to keep him down forever? His service record
demanded better, but he tried not to think of such things. He'd be
a full citizen someday, when he inherited his mother's citizenship
status at the time of her death. But, like any good son, he hoped
that day never came.
"Hold up there, Calvin." One bouncer
said turning to the other. "Eric, it says here he's a Lieutenant
Commander. You know the rules, officers get in no matter
what."
"What about the other rules? Like no
non-citizens."
"Idiot. This rule is the number one
rule. Otherwise the boss loses his contract. This ain't mainstreet.
If we start turnin’ away officers, we're done. The rent on this
place will—"
"Ok, guys," said Calvin. "Make up your
minds. In or out? I'm tired of standing here."
"In," the bouncer on the left said,
pointing his thumb over his shoulder. The other eventually nodded
and stepped out of his way. "The cover charge is 5q."
Calvin nodded and handed them the
cash.
The club was a strange combination of
bright and dark inside. Most lights were off but several soft
lights of all colors and varieties were everywhere. Everything was
a little obscured by a lingering cloud of smoke and people were
everywhere, despite the efforts of the bouncers to keep most
everyone out. Almost every person was standing, either in circles
chatting with others, or dancing to the energetic rhythms of some
live musicians who Calvin didn't recognize—probably a local
sensation. He didn't really care for the style, being partial to a
different genre. Anand sometimes joked that Calvin had been born in
the wrong decade.
He slipped through the mess of people
and stopped near the center of the room, letting his eyes search
for the familiar faces of his bridge crew. But almost no one's face
could be made out in the haze and he found himself wishing Sarah
had given better directions.
Someone crashed into him, nearly
throwing him off balance. But he kept his footing, wobbling a bit,
and managed to catch the stranger by the forearm so she wouldn't
fall. As he let her go he saw a pretty young face. Even in the dark
she looked embarrassed while apologizing profusely.
"It's all right," said Calvin. "Don't
worry about it, you're fine."
"Once again, I'm very
sorry."
He laughed, stopping her as she turned
away. "What's your name?"
"Sylvia."
"Well, Sylvia, maybe you can help me.
I'm looking for where drinks are served."
"Oh there's a sectioned off bar right
through there," she pointed to a door on the left wall. She brushed
some of her light brown hair from her eyes and gave him a warm
smile. It was hard to see her clearly in the darkness, her face lit
only by the blinking strobe light, but she was very
cute.
"Say..." Calvin hesitated. Somehow
girls made him uneasy in a way that aliens bent on killing him did
not. "I'm meeting up with some friends, would you like to join
me?"
"Thanks anyway, but no. I really have
to go. Maybe some other time."
He nodded, thinking maybe it was for
the best that she’d brushed him off. Suppose she hadn’t and they
ended up really liking each other, what then? He couldn’t let
himself get tied into a relationship. His career wasn't suited for
it, with all the secrecy and traveling. And, in his eyes, he wasn’t
a good enough person to settle down with someone. Not
yet.
So he forgot about the girl and pushed
on through the door she'd pointed out. He found several booths and
a short bar sectioned off from the noisy main room. The lighting
was a little brighter. The instant he walked in he heard "Hello,
Calvin!" from his left.
"Hello, Sarah and Shen." He nodded and
took an empty seat at their table. An attendant followed
him.
"What can I get you, sir?"
Calvin hesitated—he didn’t drink
alcohol. “I’ll have a glass of water,” he said, adding, “on the
rocks.” He smiled like it was the funniest thing he’d ever
said.
"Okay..." the attendant said, looking
both unamused and disappointed as he
Did they intend to keep him down forever? His service record
demanded better, but he tried not to think of such things. He'd be
a full citizen someday, when he inherited his mother's citizenship
status at the time of her death. But, like any good son, he hoped
that day never came.
"Hold up there, Calvin." One bouncer
said turning to the other. "Eric, it says here he's a Lieutenant
Commander. You know the rules, officers get in no matter
what."
"What about the other rules? Like no
non-citizens."
"Idiot. This rule is the number one
rule. Otherwise the boss loses his contract. This ain't mainstreet.
If we start turnin’ away officers, we're done. The rent on this
place will—"
"Ok, guys," said Calvin. "Make up your
minds. In or out? I'm tired of standing here."
"In," the bouncer on the left said,
pointing his thumb over his shoulder. The other eventually nodded
and stepped out of his way. "The cover charge is 5q."
Calvin nodded and handed them the
cash.
The club was a strange combination of
bright and dark inside. Most lights were off but several soft
lights of all colors and varieties were everywhere. Everything was
a little obscured by a lingering cloud of smoke and people were
everywhere, despite the efforts of the bouncers to keep most
everyone out. Almost every person was standing, either in circles
chatting with others, or dancing to the energetic rhythms of some
live musicians who Calvin didn't recognize—probably a local
sensation. He didn't really care for the style, being partial to a
different genre. Anand sometimes joked that Calvin had been born in
the wrong decade.
He slipped through the mess of people
and stopped near the center of the room, letting his eyes search
for the familiar faces of his bridge crew. But almost no one's face
could be made out in the haze and he found himself wishing Sarah
had given better directions.
Someone crashed into him, nearly
throwing him off balance. But he kept his footing, wobbling a bit,
and managed to catch the stranger by the forearm so she wouldn't
fall. As he let her go he saw a pretty young face. Even in the dark
she looked embarrassed while apologizing profusely.
"It's all right," said Calvin. "Don't
worry about it, you're fine."
"Once again, I'm very
sorry."
He laughed, stopping her as she turned
away. "What's your name?"
"Sylvia."
"Well, Sylvia, maybe you can help me.
I'm looking for where drinks are served."
"Oh there's a sectioned off bar right
through there," she pointed to a door on the left wall. She brushed
some of her light brown hair from her eyes and gave him a warm
smile. It was hard to see her clearly in the darkness, her face lit
only by the blinking strobe light, but she was very
cute.
"Say..." Calvin hesitated. Somehow
girls made him uneasy in a way that aliens bent on killing him did
not. "I'm meeting up with some friends, would you like to join
me?"
"Thanks anyway, but no. I really have
to go. Maybe some other time."
He nodded, thinking maybe it was for
the best that she’d brushed him off. Suppose she hadn’t and they
ended up really liking each other, what then? He couldn’t let
himself get tied into a relationship. His career wasn't suited for
it, with all the secrecy and traveling. And, in his eyes, he wasn’t
a good enough person to settle down with someone. Not
yet.
So he forgot about the girl and pushed
on through the door she'd pointed out. He found several booths and
a short bar sectioned off from the noisy main room. The lighting
was a little brighter. The instant he walked in he heard "Hello,
Calvin!" from his left.
"Hello, Sarah and Shen." He nodded and
took an empty seat at their table. An attendant followed
him.
"What can I get you, sir?"
Calvin hesitated—he didn’t drink
alcohol. “I’ll have a glass of water,” he said, adding, “on the
rocks.” He smiled like it was the funniest thing he’d ever
said.
"Okay..." the attendant said, looking
both unamused and disappointed as he