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Scribe
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Way Down South
Posts: 73
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The Intergalactic Misadventures of Boyo and Bucko (III)
Boyo thought and thought, his back pressed up against the wall, the cold hard floor just beginning to ache beneath his bottom. Might as well hurt to sit down, he thought, everything else is wrong, wrong, wrong. The engines had slowed to cruising speed after several hours, Bucko had vomited more than once, and now Boyo thought and thought. It was an odd manner of thinking; he felt clear and lucid, yet he reached no answers, worse still, he couldn´t find the questions. Somehow, it must all be Bucko´s fault.
A-ha! It was Bucko´s fault! Wasn´t it Bucko who stopped him before he reached the ramp? Wasn´t he on his way out? Wasn´t it blasted Bucko who couldn´t contain himself, couldn´t keep cool, and just had to come running and tell him all about it? Wasn´t it blockhead blasted Bucko who couldn´t wait the ten seconds to tell him on the loading dock? Wasn´t it the bird-brained blockhead blasted boob Bucko?
¨This is all your fault,¨ Boyo spat with venom.
He neither saw nor heard his friend who had begun to roam the cargo bay some time ago. The silence, the lack of response seemed to him yet another grave wrongdoing on Bucko´s part, and he repeated loudly, ¨This is all your fault!¨
His shout echoed in the high-ceilinged room, made his voice deeper as well...made him sound right. He heard the soft, slow clumping of Bucko´s boots, and a moment later the man himself stepped out from a tall row of stacked metal boxes, his eyebrows arched high in disbelief.
¨Pardon me, sir?¨ Bucko said softly.
Boyo´s jaw began working as though he were chewing. With every ounce of his being he wanted nothing more than to attack pathetic Bucko, to beat him senseless. His fingers scraped the raw metal floor, and he said evenly, ¨You heard me, fahngun. This is your fault.¨
The buzz of the engines cloaked them like a sonic fog, the lights overhead made even the two men appear metallic, matching the bay and everything in it. Slowly, Bucko´s eyebrows dropped into a pensive expression as he noticed the truly wicked look on Boyo´s face. He´d seen the look before, but never on such a sober occasion.
¨Very well,¨ Bucko said cautiously, ¨It´s my fault.¨
Boyo chewed his tongue violently.
¨My fault,¨ Bucko repeated, placing his palms on his chest, ¨All my fault. Now what?¨
Boyo saw red. He finally understood the saying, for it seemed a blood crimson had tinted everything, a hotness, a searing world before his eyes. He could feel his arteries pulsing, and he said in a dangerous voice, ¨Don´t you start that innocent routine with me. If you really think it´s your fault, why don´t you apologise?¨
Bucko stood absolutely still, ¨I´m sorry.¨
¨And I´ll tell you what else,¨ Boyo seemed to be chomping on the words, ¨You´re paying for us to get back...if they let us go back.¨
Bucko quietly put is hands into his pockets and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. In a voice weaker than an imaginary breeze he mumbled, ¨Of course they´ll let us go back home.¨
¨Why?!¨ Boyo bolted upright and with pounding steps moved so close to Bucko that he forced him back, ¨Why, Bucko? Why would they let us go home? Because he tipped you? You...youyou you´re so ridiculous! You´re still high from last night. Do you realise where we are?¨
¨Yes.¨
¨We´re stuck on a ship with the most wanted criminal in the Universe!¨
Bucko considered debate, decided on silence. Boyo began pacing and talking, ¨We´re dead. Dead. Stars!¨ he kicked a stack of boxes with a dull thud, ¨Do you at least have that other Creeper from last night?¨
Bucko looked at the floor, ¨I took it this morning.¨
¨Stars!¨
¨I had to. I was Zerking like mad, I wouldn´t have made it to work.¨
¨O,¨ in a singsong crybaby voice, Boyo repeated, ¨You wouldn´t have made it to work? Imagine that! And I wouldn´t be here!¨
Boyo kicked the stack several times more and sat down against the wall near the ship´s entry door, glaring at nothing in particular and chewing on nothing at all. Bucko sat down against a large crate.
¨There´s always the bright side,¨ Bucko said cautiously, ¨You wanted to meet Rekkah Reyne.¨
Boyo sincerely tried to kill Bucko with his gaze, and said, ¨Don´t talk to me, Bucko.¨
Bucko nodded, thought, then offered, ¨I talked with Bordeaux. He honestly didn´t seem like the type of--¨
He saw the leviwand at the last second, reflexively jerked forward, and the wand ricocheted off the box behind him. Instinct told him to hurl it back, but something stronger than instinct controlled him, he sighed, leaned back and lost himself in the hypnotic thrum of the engines. He didn´t at all feel it was his fault that they were in their predicament, nor did he feel so pessimistic. Secretly he was excited.
¨Gentlemen,¨ a voice sounded from somewhere and they both jumped nervously, ¨Sorry it´s taken so long. I´ll be down in a minute.¨
Boyo and Bucko looked at each other. Bucko nodded, ¨See? That was him.¨
Boyo stood and took a few steps from the door. He breathed heavily and turned viciously to Bucko, ¨I mean it. You´re paying our way back.¨
Bucko shrugged, ¨Maybe he´ll pay our way back. Seems like a nice guy.¨
Boyo laughed nervously, incredulous, ¨You...you´re unbelievable.¨
Bucko realised he could say nothing to satisfy or humor Boyo, so he took up a light whistle.
¨Cut it out!¨
¨Will you take it easy?¨
The entry door slid open and Captain Bordeaux stood within, looking more mysterious than sinister in his strange black clothes. He motioned to them, ¨Come on in, lads.¨
Bucko held an arm out, and Boyo was first through the door. A short ugly hallway led to a large, softly lit circular room in which were several long couches and comfortable-looking chairs round a dark and stained table. Upon the walls hung a clutter of all manner of gadgetry that Boyo and Bucko could not help but offhandedly examine.
Bucko gasped and indicated a bejewelled octagon-shaped crown, ¨Is that a time machine?¨
¨Aye,¨ the Captain said easily, ¨Doesn´t work, though. Or I can´t suss it out. Have a seat?¨
Boyo and Bucko sat quickly upon a couch, like children to be disciplined in a schoolmaster´s office. The Captain made to sit down in a large chair, stopped himself halfway, and looked brightly at them, ¨Fancy a drink?¨
Boyo and Bucko nodded.
The Captain held his hands up on either side, ¨Something strong? Little lighter maybe? Ragaï smoke, hm?¨
¨All three if it´s no trouble,¨ Bucko said.
The Captain eyed Boyo who said, ¨Yeah, thanks, a drink.¨
¨Right,¨ the Captain busied himself at a panel, handed two drinks over, then sat, casually stuffing a pipe. He lit it, calmy took two enormous pulls, and passed it to Boyo. He said, ¨Well, lads, I´ll come out with it. Talked it over with the crew and we´ve come up with three options. We don´t have space for you on the ship -- or in our lives -- so you can´t stay. Not that you´d want to.¨
Boyo passed the pipe to Bucko.
The Captain continued, ¨We can leave you at a shuttle station on Trezed...¨
Frowns from Boyo and Bucko.
¨Or...we could drop you at the Jump Station we´re headed for. I reckon it´s Nodnol, pretty sure.¨
Boyo and Bucko bobbed their heads in mild approval.
¨Or...Rex can torture you to death.¨
Bucko coughed, gagged, an explosion of smoke and spittle filling the air, and Boyo´s eyes turned to unblinking saucers. The Captain nodded understandingly and reached for the pipe, ¨I had to ask. You wouldn´t believe how many people actually pay for...the experience.¨
¨Ah,¨ Bucko finished coughing, pounded his chest with a fist, ¨I think I speak for both of us...eh, Boyo?...in that Nodnol sounds good.¨
¨Yes,¨ Boyo nodded affirmatively, ¨Nodnol. Nodnol is good. Exciting place.¨
¨Bloody pricey as well,¨ the Captain blew a great lungful of smoke toward the ceiling, ¨You won´t find a cheap way home there.¨
¨I´m sure we´ll manage...something,¨ Boyo said, sucking down most of his drink.
The Captain sat silently reclined in the chair, his head thrown back, eyes to the ceiling. He sang a line of a song in a language the other men did not understand then snapped his head quickly up at them.
¨Terribly sorry,¨ he said, ¨I didn´t get your names. Captain Bordeaux, and the pleasure is mine.¨
¨Bucko.¨
¨Boyo.¨
The Captain laughed very loud, ¨Allright, allright, you don´t have to tell me your names. You aren´t in any trouble, you know, this is still part of the Free Zone. Hm. You lads leave nothing to chance with those bevvies, eh? Let me fill your glasses.¨
The glasses clinked as he returned to the panel, then back again. He rested his hands on his hips and smiled genuinely at them, ¨Well, I reckon that´s everything. You´ll be much more comfortable here than in cargo. I´ve left the bar open, there´s plenty to drink, you can help yourselves. And, em...should be at Nodnol anon. Sorted, yeah?¨
¨Well,¨ Boyo reached out and placed his drink on the table, ¨Is there any way we could meet...Rekkah Reyne?¨
A quiet fell upon them like a blanket over a coin. It seemed to Boyo that time had stopped, that he had said the magic words that brought the jewelled crown to life. He began to feel dizzy, with the Captain staring down at him, then realised he wasn´t breathing. He inhaled, exhaled.
The Captain moved, taking the pipe, much to Boyo´s delight; time indeed passed. The Captain knocked the ashes into a small tray, and seating himself again he filled it delicately. He said, ¨Well...lads...as you aren´t interested in dying, I don´t recommend the idea.¨
Bucko fidgeted, ¨It´s really like that? We can´t even...say ´hello´, share a drink? I heard she likes to party.¨
The Captain puffed away, ¨O, she parties well enough.¨
Boyo took his drink from the table and polished it off. He swallowed with effort, and through a slight cough he asked, ¨Why? Why does she do it?¨
The Captain´s face was calm as a monk´s as he handed Boyo the pipe, ¨What do you do for fun?¨
¨Have a drinky,¨ Bucko answered as Boyo smoked, ¨Pop a vial. Quality time with the ladies.¨
The Captain leaned his head back, staring once more at the ceiling, ¨And why do you do these things?¨
Bucko thought, felt a response rising somewhere between his brain and his throat, opened his mouth to let it out, sucked it back in, and took the pipe from Boyo, saying, ¨I see your point.¨
¨Yeah,¨ Boyo said, turning his palms up in the air, ¨But come on. This is a once in a lifetime chance. I mean...Rekkah Reyne. Couldn´t we at least...I don´t know, watch her on a screen?¨
The Captain brought his head up with a strange look on his face, something between a smirk and a sulk, ¨I don´t image the ship. There are no viewing screens. But tell you what, lads. I´ll talk to her.¨
Last edited by OzzyShiraz : 01-26-2008 at 11:20 AM.
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