Fragment 08-08-2012a

Ranger Salomon grinned with joy as he handed Roy his pet owner’s licence. “I have registered Partner, since we have no idea what it is, I wrote Black Dog into the species field.” Martha thanked the ranger and said. “I understand Bob, your son is my son’s best friend and I found out Roy had spent many nights and eaten many dinners at your home.” The ranger leaned back in his swivel chair and said. “Roy is always welcome in our home, he is more like a brother to Bob than just a friend and Roy has been more than helpful in quite a few instances for the Ranger service, by helping me finding things out there.” Martha looked at Roy and said. “I know more about the Lighting Bolters than my own son, but from what I hear about him over the past few days makes me very proud, but what Iwanted to say is that I would like to invite you, your wife and Bob to dinner. Now I am not a very good cook but I hoped you would accept an invitations to Marcello’s in town.” Marcello’s was the finest and most expensive Restaurant in Ant Hill and the Ranger winked at Roy and then said. “I be delighted to accept. I don’t think my Sarah has been out for a nice dinner in a long while and I am surer she will be as happy as I am.” Roy still could not really believe how much his situation has changed in just a few days and slowly he accepted the fact that it was indeed true and not just a dream. The Ranger got up and walked them to the door. “I am glad all worked out, you know the news of teenagers going outside unprotected made quite a splash in the news. It turns out you are not the only ones going outside, but so far no one else managed to get friendly with local life forms.” The Ranger’s office was in the South Wall Tower, an inward curving building following the curve of the protective dome. The right wall was transparent and allowed a magnificent view over the lake and the distant Jungle shore. His mother stepped into the cabin of the Inter City Transporter after Roy and said. “Since I forgot your birthday and we are in town, is there anything you like?” Roy shook his head. “No Mom, they don’t sell anything here I need or like.” “Roy I really mean it, it is not a trick and while we are not exactly rich, we earn decent salaries, a young man must have something he wants. Not that I could ever match that present you got from your Uncle Sam. I just found out what a Cerberus goes for.” “Mom, you actually talk to me. I can go outside and I can keep Partner there isn’t much else I want. Besides I am really a Greenie and the things I like aren’t sold in town but at Ma Swansons.” “Then let us go there and you can get something a real Greenie needs. “ While traveling on a slide belt to the Flyer Hangars, others waved and several kids cheered his name and Roy felt quite uneasy about this sudden popularity and he wondered if it was better the way it was, with his friends meeting in secret and his parents knowing nothing. --“”— Inside Ma Swanson’s boathouse main building was a cluttered sales room with show cases displaying weapons. Several models of protective Armor suits highlighted with spot lights stood here and there. Armor suit parts for a hundred models and makes stacked in high shelves. A big Flyer ArtiGrav Lifter module way to biug for anything on Green Hell stood in one corner. Gary, one of Ma Swanson’s sons leaned over the service counter, chewing something and talking to Sabari Dohr, an old Saresii who lived in one of the Research Outposts and kept mostly for herself (or himself, no one of course knew for sure) discussing something with Gary. The mangled armor arm of a Krauss- Armor Walker between them. There were a few tables and simple chairs in the middle of everything. Trond Iveland, one of the Cities Service Engineers and a sixth generation Greenie sat there with the only Klack living on Green Hell and they were playing Eggs and Grubs, an old Klack strategy game. The whole place smelled of metal, lubricants and coffee. Ma Swanson herself stood by one of the tallest shelves directing her thin husband standing on a reach all platform trying to get something from the very dusty selection of refurbished parts as Eric and his mother entered from the Flyer garage air lock. She turned and waved at Roy and said. “Roy go climb up there and show Calrion where we keep the Mark 87 Actuators, that half blind Ninja Weasel I got for a husband keeps pulling the 89’s.” Roy had no need for a Reach All, he climbed up as fast and as nimble as a Moolax. Ma Swanson gave his mother a glance. “And you are?” “I am Roy’s mother, Martha Masters.” Ma Swanson stemmed her fists into her hips. “Roast me an Ult. I never seen you outside your suit.” She snapped her fingers. “Of course the yellow and green AEGIS Seven with the Sniffer Sensor attachment. I’d recognized you in your suit right away!” From above Roy fished a plastic film packed metal part from the top shelf and said, looking down. “Mama, I mean Ms. Masterson knows everything there is about any suit there is on Green Hell.” To Clarion he handed the package.” There it is your 87 Maffay Actuator, should fit that busted arm of that 91 suit. They went back to the old length in 91.” Ma Swanson looked up and scolded her husband. “That’s what I tried to tell you for the last ten minutes.” Clarion Swanson barked back with a grin on his lips. “Not my fault Maffay changes the bloody things every year.” Ma Swanson said to Martha. “You have a good boy there, Ms. Masters. Always willing to lend a hand, courteous and respectful to others; not as common today, mind you; not as it used to be when I was a girl.” Martha was certain it had a lot to do with Roy hanging out with Sam Brown as she hardly had spend much time in teaching her son anything. She felt even more thankful to the black man than she had before. Clarion tossed the part to Roy who was already back on the ground and took it over to Gary and the Saresii. Martha said to Ma Swanson. “I am looking to get him a birthday present. Would you know what he likes?” Clarion who descended on the Reach All bugged in, “we already got him a new Vibro Machete and he doesn’t need much in terms of Suits.” Martha frowned while she watched as Roy helped repairing the Suit Arm. “It looks half of Green Hell remembered my son’s birthday but we, his parents completely ignored him.” The Saresii padded Roy on the shoulder while she leaned over watching the repair progress. Ma Swanson said. “Paying a little attention to him is all you need to give him. Well that and the freedom to roam this crazy ball of ours.” Martha blinked surprised as the small husband of Ma Swanson held a cup of tea right under her nose saying. “Might as well settle down Dr. Masters, when Gary and Roy start fixing things, they don't stop till it's done. Besides you might to get to know us a little.” Roy had heard what Clarion had said and turned. “we be done in a little while, Mom. If Martha would be here we be done by now of course but I think we should be able to get it done in 10 minutes.” Martha smiled and sat down at the other free table and was joined by Ma Swanson also with a cup of tea. Her husband serving a plate of butter scotch cookies he baked himself and was famous for at least among the locals. Martha still surprised about this so different atmosphere compared to the meetings of her Institute colleagues. It was as if she had travelled to a different world and yet was only a few kilometers from Ant Hill or her home. The tea was delicious, the china cups looked delicate and would have delighted Paul as they had the appearance of Pre Astro Terran wares. The cookies melted in her mouth and Ma Swanson told her about the day she saw Roy for the first time in her store, he was just about eight or nine and had all by himself and alone crossed the Jungle. As incredible it was to her to know Roy navigated these deadly forests now, it was even more astounding to hear that he did that as a child.” The Service Mechanic on the next table, just lost his second game to the Klack said. “ It's alright for Roy and the others to do it, but the ranger making such a big affair out of it will regret his decision!” Martha actually had seen the man before, he was if she recalled correctly one of the Institutes Environmental systems maintenance technicians. Until now such people were barkey registered by her and only important to make sure the temperatures and moisture conditions in the Specimen holds were maintained correctly. She said. “Why would you say that? The Ranger seemed to be a sensible man and found a solution for both sides.” The man helped his Klack friend to reset the white and red egg and grub shaped playing pieces for a new game and said without turning. “It will make those who aren't Greenies think this is a Kindergarten World after all. The last time it happened,eight beings died out there. I like Green Hell just like it is, a few scientists in Power suits, a small but slowly growing Greenie Community and no Off Worlders coming with all sorts of crazy ideas about hunts, sports or challenges.” The Klack wiggled his antennae and used one to nudge a white Grub piece into the correct brood chamber starting position and said via his Voice Box glued to his thorax. “I bet ten bottles of fine Klackt Honey Water that we won't have to wait long and someone will try to emulate the Children. Even for Roy, this is still Green Hell and not Para Para.” The Saresii who had been quiet until now said. “I live here for almost 300 Standard Years and I am out in the Jungle almost every day in a very good Armor suit. I think of myself knowing these Jungles and yet I have the feeling it turned more dangerous and not less. The Saresii pointed at the Power suit arm Roy and Gary were fixing. “That's a Maffey Armor suit, there should be nothing out there to do that, and I have been bitten, tromped on, slashed and stung by pretty much anything out there and the suit handled it with no or very little damage. Yet a Hydra Centipede bit me this morning and crushed the Lattice reinforced Armor-Plast like cardboard.” Martha forgot she had half a cookie in her mouth and said while chewing. “Even the largest Hydra Centipedes should not exceed a mantible bite force of 600 kilos per square centimeter.” The Saresii agreed with a nod. “Indeed and I was bitten many times before. Unlike Roy who can spot their lairs twenty meters away, I still step into their traps. The Armor suit is Green Hell certified and should handle over 1000 kilos of shear pressure. That Centipede did not just bite through the outler layer, it severed the chrome steel rods of the actuator. I was only saved by being able to shoot the beast before it penetrated the inner layer and sever my arm as well.” Martha said. “May I ask what are you doing out there all these years? I never heard about you and I don;t think you are part of the Institute, right?” “I was one of its former local directors but I retired over 80 years ago and Green Hell has put me into its spell. I doubt I ever leave.” The Saresii brushed her long silver hair back and then added. “I am conducting private research out there, sort of a hobby of mine.” Martha thanked Clarion with a nod as he refilled her cup and said to the Saresii. “I begin to realize the community of Green Hell holds as much secrets to me as does the nature out there, I begin to regret to have accepted a posting on an Explorer ship, with so much undone here.” Gary and Roy finally finished the repair job and Martha said. “Are you sure you don't want anything here?” Roy pointed at a show case. “I am saving for that H& K Raketen Pistol. It packs more whalop than my Thompson and could tale care of a Insecto or a Stomper if I would ever need to.” He said to Ma Swanson. “How much more do I owe till its mine?” She punched with her finger around the input display of her PDD and said. “With the twenty Credits you earned today we are down to 890 credits.” To Martha she said. “He is a fine Greenie. Won't take the bloody thing as a present and wants to work it off.” Roy said with a disarming smile and shrug. “Uncle Sam always says, if you really want something you got to work for it.” “But Mother's can but their sons, things. Even if I should disaprove buying my teenage son a weapon.” Martha pulled her Credit strip. “We take it.” --””— Harlex followed her down the landing ramp of the Yacht. He had not seen the two Petahrians nor has he seen anyone else aboard while they traveled to whatever place this was. The Shuttle had landed right next to a number of dome shaped buildings. Sitting forlorn in an otherwise empty, stark looking landscape of gray and brown rock, these building’s edged a simple durocrete landing field. They walked through the short connection tunnel and she explained. “You might not recognize that tiny sun, but it is Maxwell.” “Maxwell?” This was the name of the sun and the system where Green Hell was. “So I guess this must be Desolate.” They reached the Dome pressure doors and she said as they slid aside. “You are dead Harlex. You died during a Shiss Raid on a Penal Colony. That means you can’t simply stroll through travel control and swipe your CITI, but Intersystem travels are not checked due to the fact that Green Hell and Desolate do not have their own governments and theoretically are part of Harper’s Junction.” Harlex felt cold sweat running down his back, ocne again reality has caught up with him, he was a criminal now. The mass murder had been in the background. Pretending to be a Playboy with all the fine trappings of luxury life was great aboard the yacht, but he never was a real criminal or so he thought. All pretense was gone, he was a criminal. The worst kind, acomplice to a mass murder, a fugitive and now he officially no longer existed as a Union Citizen. All rights and privileges gone. He could be murdered, robbed, beaten up and no one would care and if the Federal Police would catch him, he had no rights to a lawyer or a fair trial. He followed her almost like a robot, automatically while he looked to the left and right and hoped no one would recognize him. Not that he had ever been to Desolate and there were only a handful beings in the small lobby, No one really cared about him or the Woman. They passed a small automated Swine and Dine Restaurant and a tiny Wuerg & Koetz Delicatessen store. It was apparent, she knew where to go. She turned and said. “Don’t look so gloomy! You are halfway home!” “I never be home again. I sold my soul to you. After this is done I am still dead and a Non Cit.” “There are attractive places in Free Space for someone with money!” He climbed a flight of stairs after her, leading to a second tier concourse in the dome shaped space port building. “I don’t want to spend the rest of my life on some lawless planet and constantly in fear.” Her face was cold as she looked down at him from the top of the stairs. “Spending the rest of your life on a lawless planet is far preferable from your fate if you dissapoint me and our mutual employers.” There were doors in equal distance, the stenciled names and logos identified them as small businesses such as: Desolate Ice and Rock Mining, Vasco’s Forwarding Agency, Desolate Real Estate and others quite similar. Harlex doubted she ever really was a Science Institute scientist but kept what he wanted to say for himself. She opened the door to a business called “Desolate Temp Labor Agency nd waved him to follow. The office was as bleak and gray as the planet was outside. A worn down carpet, a dura plast table and a row of plastic chairs, the simple kind. Very large and very sturdy in case a Saturnian or Perthanian would look for work and needed to sit down. There was a primitive desk and a few printed posters showing various beings being very happy at what looked like bone breaking work. Behind the desk sat a fat man. Harlex had never seen any humanoid so ungainly fat. The man’s face looked tiny in the globs of fat filled skin sacking around his neck. The man also smelled very unsavory, like the locker room of the saw mill at the penal colony. Just like in a cheap virtu story, the fat man was busy eating something big, reddish colored and dripping with a greasy gravy.