Short Story: First Encounter

31 stories in 31 days challenge... #7

First Encounter

The saucer headed towards the large blue and white planet, it was just a routine scouting mission for the Fird. On this mission there were five crew members, each had their own topic to research down below.

“Just remember, this is a quick look-see. Nothing fancy” Ravi told the others, as he piloted the ship himself.

“This might be fun!” said Cole “It's a big planet, got room to dance!”

“We have serious missions, this is work” said Serge, who part of the Fird Military branch.

Tang rolled his eyes “I just hope its profitable”, the greedy mineralogist said.

As the ship approached they saw just how big the world was. It was much larger than Fird and then they began to pass through clouds.

“The clouds are nice. We should get pictures” Cole said.

“Isn't that your job?” Ravi asked him, eyes wide with worry.

“Oh, right. I forgot” Cole said and checked some readouts at his station “All cameras are recording!”

“The cities are far too large” Serge told them “We have to use stealth”

Ravi flipped a switch “Stealth mode..on” but the light stayed off, so he flipped it again “Stealth mode...” it was still not lighting up. He slapped it hard and the light appeared “Stealth mode is active”

“Good. No let us find an out of the way area to get a glimpse of what we can expect here” Serge said as if he were in charge.

Ravi flew in close and found a cluster of dwellings away from the larger cities. “This seems to be what they live inside of” Cole stated the obvious.

“It's so big” Tang said “This world must be wealthy indeed!”

The ship flew around the house, hovering in a nearby clearing. “The creatures who live here must be very large” Ravi said “That looks like a door to me”

Serge wasn't happy to hear that. “This building is only one-story tall. Astounding, it'd contain all of a small town back on Fird”.

The four aliens watched the house from the safety of a clearing, still in stealth mode. This would make their missions a bit more complicated. The whole planet was huge, covered with vast cities of apparently full of giants. It could be a real threat, or a world to stay far away from.

As they watched the house and considered their options the door opened a bit for a moment and one of the creatures exited. Cole moved the camera image closer for a better look.

“Smaller than I would have expected from the size of the door” Serge said

“I thought I saw another creature for a moment, I don't think this one can reach the door controls, you think they have servants?” Ravi asked.

Tango rubbed his hands together. “This whole planet is probably full of riches”

The creature went behind a tree and after a moment came back into view and then jumped onto an object and then to the top of the object. The small furry creature then laid down.

“Is it sleeping there? Outside?” Cole asked “It has such a big house”

“Maybe they enjoy resting outdoors, besides I am sure like on Fird that they sleep at night” Ravi said “Should I fly closer for a better look?”

“As long as the stealth is still working” Serge said. They all looked and saw the light was still there.

So the invisible hovering saucer moved closer to the “small” furry creature. It was still bigger than their whole ship!

“I'm starting to get nervous” Serge said “We can't afford to fight billions of these creatures, they're simply too big”

They had gotten too close. The creature could sense their presence because it was now sitting up and looking right in their direction. It opened its mouth and started making a quick succession of loud noises that caused vibrations all over the ship.

“It's attacking us!” Serge said trying to grab something as the ship shook.

“Fascinating” Tango said, lying on the floor holding onto the base of a seat. “It's wearing jewelry around its neck. Do you think it's valuable?”

“Does anyone care what the creature is saying?” Cole asked “Can someone turn on the translation system?”

Ravi was able to reach over with some effort and engage the translation device.

“Who? Who? What? What? Mine! Go Away!” the creature was saying.

Ravi eased the ship away and the vibrations settled down. Then the four of them looked at each other.

“The language seems quite primitive” Ravi noted

“How did they build such massive cities?” Tango asked.

Cole crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. “I guess nobody cares what I think”

“If you have something to say, then say it” Serge told him

Cole put his hands in the air. “Isn't it obvious? They didn't build the cities. That creature doesn't even have opposable thumbs, it has paws. It cannot grasp things.”

“What does all this mean?” Ravi asked.

Cole sat down “The servants. Their servants do all the work. The servants evolved to become bigger, stronger and make good builders. While the masters became smaller, weaker and furrier. It makes sense doesn't it?”

Serge nodded “Without their servants they are no threat to us. I'll have to tell central command about this, we will contingency plans”

“All of this vast wealth and giant servants too” Tango said, dreamily. “We must build larger ships, large enough to take some of these servants to our world!”

Ravi laughed at Tango “You would bankrupt our whole planet for cheap labor. Insane”

They moved back toward the creature. “It has reddish fur. A small sharp snout...” Cole was describing for notes. Suddenly the creature stood up and looked at them again.

“The stealth is out!” Ravi said, the creatures noises started up again the vibrations made the ship uncontrollable “It can see us now!”

Cole had an idea. He opened the bottom hatch and threw a rope down and he climbed down, hanging below the saucer.

“We are your friends! We mean no harm!”

The creature wagged its tail and it tongue lolled out and it moved back and forth. The whole demeanor was different, Cole didn't know what it meant but it scared him. Serge and Tango pulled him back into the saucer as the creature began jumping up and lunging at it.

“Get us out of here!” Serge said “This planet is far too dangerous!”

The saucer moved away and then vanished. It hurtled back into space and towards its own solar system, the crew hoped the Fird never ever came this way again.

The door opened and a woman came out “Cheeto! Come on Cheeto, good boy”

The miniature Pomeranian ran to his “momma” and inside the house where he belonged.

---------------

As always you can support my writing by buying New Arrivals ($2.99)

Short Story: Executive Mansion

31 Stories in 31 Days Challenge for July, here is #6 for the 6th!

Executive Mansion

It was a tour of a lifetime. I got to visit the Executive Mansion in all of its magnificent splendor! Getting through the tall iron gate was surprisingly easy in an era of massive concrete barricades and sniper towers. Getting inside the main entrance was not so easy; I won't need a prostate exam any time soon. At least they provided us water bottles with the national seal on them.

All the discomfort was forgotten when I saw the historical architecture and the artwork adorning its walls. The whole tour group stood in awe looking at the paintings, like George Washington crossing the Delaware, the ships of Christopher Columbus on the sea, a Revolutionary War naval engagement made be catch my breath.

I got to looking around and lost my tour group. I was afraid of being kicked out, I'm sure its against the rules not to be with the group. I just walked around like I belonged there as I discreetly searched for my group. The Secret Service agents with their mirrored sunglasses must certainly have been watching me closely, it was only a matter of time until I would be escorted off these auspicious grounds.

Suddenly I was surrounded by people in suits and others and pushed against my desire into an adjoining room. Everyone lined up single file, I turned to leave but the door was slammed shut by guards with sub-machine guns slung over their shoulders. Everyone looked very serious and I had a bad feeling.

Then the door on the other side opened up and he entered. I was more than a bit surprised to see him person. The most powerful man in the world, leader of the formerly free world was standing in the room with me. I was out of place and scared but I could appreciate the chance of being part of history.

Except I couldn't stand still. I was sweating in the cool room, I was getting nervous and glancing around like a shifty person. The secret service agents and others kept looking in my direction, I must have looked like someone who couldn't be trusted.

I really had to take a leak!

“You okay, kid?” an older man in a suit and tie next to me asked in a whisper.

I had to get out of there. I did not belong there. I had to leave before I pissed my pants in public and in front of the leader of my country.

“I want to just get down to business” he said after getting in front of the oddly-placed podium, a small TelePrompTer on the rostrum fed his prepared words directly into his eyes. “What we have seen this week with the organized demonstrations across this country are an ugly thing. They make this country look bad to the rest of the world, as if we can't discuss and decide things through the process. The process is necessary, if we do not follow the process, can we really say we are free?”

Everyone else seemed to nod, but I didn't know what they agreed with in that pile of dung.

“Let me be clear. If you have a gripe tell it to your boss, discuss it at the neighborhood circle, militia leader or even write a letter to your representative. If your concerns are valid you won't be detained for thoughts against the state” he said, which everyone knew was a lie.

I was sure I was going to be killed. Would they drag me outside first? I would leave a trail of yellow liquid the whole way. A small wry grin was on my face at the thought before I realized it and frowned like most do.

“I also want to acknowledge that it has become necessary to raise the work quotas in this country” he put a hand up, palm out “Times are tough, it is not something I want to do. It will be necessary for everyone to collect more tin, rubber and aluminum for recycling, as well as -before this fiscal year ends, for every adult to bring 500 New Currency units to their National Work Site. The country needs you! Work harder! Sacrifice! Keep an eye on your friends, neighbors and family to make sure they comply without complaint!”

I turned in a circle, the guards were still there with their guns in their hands blocking the door. I just could not hold it in any more.

“Piss!” I screamed, the official press representatives gasped, some ducked for cover. “I have to pee! Now! Open the door! Let me go!”

The Emperor pointed “Detain that man!”

The guards rushed forward and grabbed me by the underarms, but I could just reach my fly and relieve myself all over the Persian rug and mahogany table. As they pulled me out of the room I tried my hardest to hit the Emperor but it wouldn't reach. I didn't care I was smiling and laughing all the way to the portico were I was sure to be executed. It would never be reported anywhere of course.

------------------------

New Arrivals is an ebook I wrote and is for sale.

Short Story: The Beasts

(A vignette from my unpublished Earth Czar universe...)
 This is also July 5th and the #5 story in the 31 stories in 31 days of July challenge!

The Beasts

The enormous armored vehicles sped across the desert, sand thrown up by their treads raised a cloud behind them. Each of the Beasts was forty feet tall, two hundred and fifty feet long and thirty feet wide controlled by a crew of thirty and carrying a hundred armed dragoons.

“What does it matter whether we win or not?” Corporal Wexler complained, ignored by the soldiers in the hold with him “They'll just bombard us from space until we're all dead. Then they'll say we were killed by aliens and only keeping them in power can save Earth.”

The lie had kept them in power for almost a century now. The alien menace was only held at bay, everyone was taught from childhood, by a big strong and authoritarian central government led by the Czar. Wexler knew that everyone around him already knew this, but he was the type to talk and speak the obvious.

In fact all of them had been drafted into service for the benefit of mankind against this galactic threat and sent to protect this planet. Then half of them were forced to work the mines of this dirt ball called Cochrane while the other half played prison guard. The Viceroy was just doing his job and didn't want to be nuked from space by the forces of the Czar any more than any one else.

A race was on to find and destroy any of the remaining forces loyal to the Viceroy, or his henchmen, and then force the Viceroy to report an “all fine” message to the Imperial Fleet. Anything else, even silence and the fleet would destroy everything on this empty world.

Wexler didn't know if Commander Marco was up to the task, he was still pretty young for the guy who launched the revolt and took over these Beasts. He even managed to turn entire Beast crews against the Viceroy's goons when it looked like the last battle was lost.

Corporal Wexler closed his eyes. That battle had been a nightmare. Beasts on both sides launching salvo after salvo of missiles, knocking most of them out of the sky, then the belchers made it impossible to see your hand in front of your face.

Even radar and sensors couldn't penetrate the smoke from the belchers. That led to hand to hand combat. Lieutenant Avers had been run over by a Beast, and his friend Maxwell had been blown up by a mine dropped by one of the Beasts in the darkness. Even Marc had been thrown out of a gouge in the lead Beast when it struck a mine.

It had been impossible to tell one side from the other, even the soldiers wore the same uniforms! It had been a nightmare from the get-go. Somehow though, Commander Marco Rubin had pulled it off and come out with a victory for the rebels. The Viceroys goons only had a couple of the Beasts left, their own crews forced to fight with a gun at their back.

We got this, Wexler said, if it wasn't for the likelihood of being nuked from orbit for the trouble. At least we'll die as free men and women, although nobody would ever know. Instead their deaths would be blamed on an alien menace that doesn't exist, propaganda to keep the same tyrants in power for another generation.

Mack Dillon, the Viceroy, had been no-where near the mining-prison camp when the revolt took place of course. He was probably on the other side of the world studying the plants and creatures of this planet instead of doing his job. Finding him would be a big problem, he no doubt knew about the revolt by now and would be running away of whatever rebels were sent to catch him.

He had to be captured alive of course. Viceroy Mack Dillon knew the codes, he knew what to tell the fleet when it came through. Only the Viceroy could keep them alive, as strange as it sounded.

If anyone could figure out how to make this work its Commander Marco Rubin and his new second-in-command Stacie Marsh. Those two were quite a pair. Glad I'm on their side, Wexler thought to himself.

The overall plan was to survive and then somehow get a ship and bring down the Czar. This, of course, was not going to be that simple. Corporal Wexler day dreamed about plowing through Capitol City with a dozen Beasts and bringing down the system. A glorious but impossible dream. A more realistic dream... following Commander Marco Rubin and helping to make it happen.

Alarms sounded. Red alert. Corporal Wexler stood up and grabbed the combat helmet and addressed his squad “Okay, grunts, on your feet, check your neighbors combat suits!”.

They had located and were closing in on the enemy Beasts, he could feel the vehicle moving faster, he could feel the vibration in his feet. Missiles were probably already in the air, anti-missile missiles would soon be launching. They would close on each other, start the belchers and then soon enough, the big hatches will open to a black world and he would lead his squad into battle.

“Let's try not to shoot each other out there” he told them “I want you all to live long enough to pay a visit to the Earth Czar!”

They all lifted up their battle rifles and growled in agreement.

------------------------------

You can help support me and this science fiction blog by buying New Arrivals (hey, other ebooks are on the way!)

Short Story: Boardwalk on Noir

31 stories in 31 days Challenge, this is #4!

Boardwalk on Noir

“Life's not fair, you know” Matt told the floppy-eared goofy-looking guy next to him on the bar who nodded, exaggerated like a puppet.

“Meeno, Meeno” the guy answered thoughtfully.

Matt looked at his glass, he couldn't even tell what color the liquid was. He was seeing in black and white so it might be Noir. He doesn't remember what he ordered any way.

“I've got nothing to show for my life, nothing” he said to the alien

“Ohlifeisasaddeed” it said, taking its own drink. Matt tapped the translator embedded behind his ear, of all the rotten luck it would go out too.

“Nothing?” the robot bartender asked

“I can pay for the drinks, bot-tender!” Matt told it, waving it off like it was a fly hovering over his soup. “When it rains it pours” he muttered.

The alien answered “Itdoobutlifegoungotdaliveno?”

Matt nodded, throwing come interstellar currency units at the bot-tender and going outside for a walk, on the boardwalk where he could listen to the ocean waves crashing against the beach. It was dark outside so he was still seeing mostly in black and white.

The signs were no longer readable. The alien languages on the neon and lit-up signs were no longer being translated for him. His device had failed. He walked away from the buildings and the alien signs and tightened his collar against the cooling breeze.

It was quiet and lonely out near the water. Matt never thought he would end up a loser like this, his life had certainly stunk. He kept going, thinking his day would come, his turn would be just around the corner. Nothing doing. The footprints behind him were wiped out in the next wave, but they were as lasting as his impact on society had been.

Life stinks. Especially his. He wondered if the two suns and moons and the five and a half hour day and five and a half hour nights were causing his mood swings.

Matt thought about standing there until one of the suns came up, he'd be able to watch the green and purple sea. It had a calming effect on him, it always had. Some people might just walk out there and end it all. Nobody swims in these waters, especially humans, they would be fish food immediately here.

Matt shook his head. To much of a coward to even kill himself, he mused. He walked back to the boardwalk and watched the signs in the alien languages as he walked past. The translator was definitely not working. Some of them didn't even look like a language, some of them looked like bird droppings.

He stopped. One of the signs was written in a human language at least. Not his language, for sure, but he could sound it out. Matt didn't know he could even do that. “Kee-op-ee” he sounded out the syllables and he knew “A coffee shop”, because it wouldn't make sense to have a copy shop on the beach just before first night ended.

He entered the shop. Coffee. He stood there in the doorway a moment and just breathed in the smell and the color in his vision started returning. The Noir he had been drinking was starting to wear off and his mood was already changing.

This is my life, I will write the script. No more floating around waiting for someone else to do it for me.

“Ann-yeong ha-sayo” the short, smiling human woman in the apron said with a curt bow. He bowed back and she showed him to a table. “Coffee” he said, of course, what else would he order here? The woman was cute, he wondered if she was single out here so far from home. Earth, he meant Earth not home. Maybe. He took the coffee she delivered with his best smile.

Matt had a lot of thinking to do. Maybe he should scrounge up funds for a ride back to Earth, but he didn't really like that idea. It was a dirty, crowded mindless place now. Let the fools keep it, he wasn't going to change 9 billion people, it was pointless to try. So if it wasn't that, then what was it? Matt needed a plan, a goal... or was it a dream.

He definitely had thinking to do.

The woman's name tag, somewhere in his brain he deciphered the symbols of her name and it came to him. “Young Mee-Hee” he pronounced it in a whisper, probably badly. Not that it mattered, her translator is probably working. She might be lonely too, a human running a coffee shop on an alien seashore. Coffee was poison to some of the aliens.

He saw a thin-as-a-rod alien laying on a table, limp. Seeti's found coffee intoxicating. He rolled his eyes. He would definitely talk to her, yep. Maybe. He wouldn't understand her answers, likely, if she didn't speak his language. Matt laughed at the idea that she would assume his translator was working.

Really need to get that fixed sometime today, he thought “or maybe wait until after second night”

-------------------------------

If you like my stories you can buy New Arrivals, my first ebook! $2.99.

Short Story: Texas 2121

Texas 2121

“Put the money in the bags and we'll be on our way” the man with the mask and gun said loudly “Nobody has to get hurt!”.

His partner was monitoring the jamming device. Half the customers were probably armed but most weapons were useless while the jammer was running. “Get a move on, Hoss!” he told the big fella who had got everyone's attention.

The terrified clerks stuffed the leather bags with currency cubes. Then a security guard by the back wall tried to pull a gun on them. Lee noted that it was an old-type automatic pistol with a 9-round magazine and not subject to the jamming like the normal energy weapons.

“Look out Hoss!” he yelled as he pulled up his own weapon. The projectiles fired by the security guard were poorly aimed and screamed past his head but his blast went right where the tracking laser said it would. A hole appeared in the center of the guards torso and he flew backward, hitting the wall hard.

Hoss grabbed the leather pouches from the clerks and tapped Lee on the shoulder and they made their way to the door doing their best to keep everyone covered with their guns. You could never be sure in this country who had a gun, it was hard being an armed robber.

Once outside the alarms already began sounding but they threw the bags over their rides and hopped onto the air bikes. As soon as the motors purred to life they lifted off the ground and gunned it away from the bank at top speed. Outside the flow of the normal aerial traffic lanes they zipped through buildings and under bridges.

Hoss started laughing. “That was a good job!”

Lee frowned, it was far too early to start celebrating and no “good job” left a body on the floor.

Moving at about 400 kilometers per hour they probably tripped several speed alarms, even at such low daredevil altitudes. “We need get away from Hauston, get to the desert passed Midessa!” Lee yelled, reiterating their escape route.

By now word of the robbery had spread nationally and their likenesses might have already plugged their identities from the crime computers. Sirens! There was a THP air-car behind them, closing in quickly. Lee activated the jammers that would keep the Texas Highways Patrol vehicle from disabling their air-bikes.

“Yee Haw!” Hoss yelled as he threw something over his shoulder. It arced and then came down squarely on the front of the THP vehicle and exploded. The vehicle careened and then went down toward the ground, crash landing into one of the concrete ravines below.

Lee was a bit shocked, the dang fool had brought explosives! He shook his head and then activated the illegal boost feature on his air-bike. They might actually make the border unmolested, there was no way that traffic cop was going to be able to stop them.

A shadow flew over him. Lee shivered on the inside. He just felt something had suddenly gone very wrong. Looking around and then up he saw a black shape flying past them, it must have been moving at 800 kph, at least. Then it turned facing them and lowered right in their flight paths.

“No! Ohmeegawd!” he heard Hoss scream in surprise, the fool tried to veer out of the way and lost control of the air-bike. It went off to the right while Hoss kept going forward at high speed but lower and lower. Lee was doing everything he could to slow down, looking for a way around the big black vehicle when a turret suddenly rose from its roof.

“Stop or I'll shoot!” the announcement came out of a loudspeaker, but he was only seconds away from slamming into it. Lee veered upward, he heard the blam, blam, blam of a heavy rotary gun. He let go of the bike as large holes appeared and pieces flew off. He fell away and he could see his air-bike explode into a million pieces.

Now he just had time to think about what was going to happen when he hit the ground while moving, oh about 300 miles per hour. He pulled a ripcord on his chest, a small parachute erupted from his back while his clothes expanded into a big ball of air. He would probably survive impact if the law man in the turret didn't cut him in half.

Just as he hit the ground rolling he knew. Lee and his partner, idiot, had been stopped by a Texas Ranger. He had really thought they might hit the border before a Ranger could catch them but it wasn't destined to be. Well, at least prison wasn't so bad, it was a bit like home really.

…

Hoss could only lay there, battered and bruised next to the flowering cactus. His vision was still off but he saw a blob coming closer. Then he could hear the swush, swush, swush of boots stepping in the sand, louder as it came closer.

“Well if it isn't Hoss Hawg” he heard a voice say “Texas Most Wanted #6. Looking a little pathetic at the moment, though.”

Hoss tried to ask who he was. Was he the military or something?

The man kneeled down. He was wearing boots, jeans, and a black leather duster with a matching hat on his head. “My name is Rocky, I'm a Texas Ranger. You are under arrest, you son of....”. Hoss was unconscious before he had finished.

The badge on his belt was a golden star with a ring around it said: Texas Ranger, Republic of Texas.

_____________

If you like the stories on my blog you can purchase my book New Arrivals!

"The Fourth" - In second draft

My next novel is to be called "The Fourth" and I am now working on the second draft. In the beginning I set the story way too differently than I did later on. I have to make sure everything syncs up perfectly, as well as looking for other mistakes and missing words and all that.

Then I need to make it into chapters.

I did a bunch of her story, then a bunch of the male characters back story and then the last part happens when they meet. I never intended the male character to become a major character, he started off as the intended bad guy. Now he is not that bad and they have to work together.

I am also continuing to add to Lonely Space. I put 7 chapters of the first draft of Lonely Space on this blog, and I decided it would make a good e-book when it is all finished. The story takes too long to develop for me to make it into a serial.

Tarshis: Queen of the Mountain

Tarshis: Queen of the Mountain

(This story cross-posted at Overdrive Comics-ENT) <-Click here and add your own scenario

She swung her blade into the assailants shoulder, he went down to a knee and she kicked him away pulling the sword back at the same time. “Ha!” she yelled with obvious mirth “Queen of this mountain wins again!”

She surveyed her surroundings, the bodies at her feet were of the defeated challengers to her reign. They were armed combatants of various species from across the spiral arm of the milky way, only the other species called it Rogarn.

“I win again, Meister Jee” she screamed, joyously. She didn't know if her mentor, like a foster father really, could hear her but she was jubilant. Trained in combat since the XaXon's had dropped her off while still an infant she had no memory of her home world.

She was the queen of this mountain and today's fight was over. She quickly put her hands through the pockets of the dead fighters, cleaning out any of their currency cubes and their lunch pails. After she had slung that last of the lunch pails over her shoulder she ran back down the mountain to the cave she shared with her mentor.

The old Denga was sitting there wearing dirty rags, stained from many meals. They had been trapped on this rock for far too long, but the girl she was providing them both well, indeed. His mousey features brightened as she entered the cave.

She sat across from him in the cave “It was a good haul today!”

She took the first lunch pail and opened it “Sausages and Snot!” she shouted and laughed, grabbing one of the sausages and passing the pail into his paws. Then she opened the next one and said “Score!” pulling two bottles of whatever and tossing him one, she opened the top of the other and took a big gulp.

“Ah this is the life!” she said “Got a pocketful of cubes too, Meister”

He nodded. “You have done well, Tarshis”

“That Korgan was a nasty fellow, he actually brought a blaster with him” she sniffed and wiped her dirty face with a dirtier forehand “Didn't get much chance to use it though. I'm going to go back and take their armor and boots when I'm done eating.”

“Remember to burn the corpses” he reminded her “You must be respectful to the fallen, they were warriors like you too”

She waved and nodded and took another gulp from the bottle “Yeah, yeah, I know.”

Meister Jee shook his head and then said “You must calm down. Meditate a bit. There is something important I must tell you”

“I'm a warrior with energy to burn! Meditating is hard for me” she said with a grin

“Tarshis” he said gently “I have found your home world”

She nearly choked on the drink and spit some of it out to the side. “What do you mean my home world? Wherever you are is my home!”

Meister Jee shook his head “Being exile to this rock is hardly a home, even for one of my people and we aren't the cleanest species”, wondering when the last time either of them had gotten a bath. “But you should know your own home world, you should find out about your species”

“I don't care” she said “I don't remember it and it doesn't matter”

He sighed.

“I'm going to go get their stuff and, respectfully, burn their corpses. Then we will have a pile of tradeable goods to carry into Rottren.” she said and smiled “and we will be able to spend these” she held out some of the currency cubes from her pocket.

Meister Jee nodded “Then we will be able to afford to look up your home world and learn more about it and your people”

She slouched. “Party pooper”

.......

If you like the stories on this blog, you can buy my book New Arrivals.

Short Story: Fangs of Pain

Fangs of Pain

“I'm sorry, Jim” the dentist said looking down into that mouth, Jim is glad he spent extra time brushing this morning. “Looks like it's going to have to come out”

Jim mumbled something he didn't understand, despite twenty years experience, so he pulled his tools out of the maw for it to be repeated.

“Impossible! I don't eat sweets or even cola any more, how is the tooth worse now?” Jim asked alarmed “I make a living with these teeth!”

The dentist sighed and shook his head, “Jim, I already know this. There isn't much I can do, but I can always design you an implant to replace them”

Jim's eyes widened as if out of terror “Them?! I'm losing both of them?”

The dentist crossed his arms “I'm sorry, you've been using them for a long time, I guess its time to say goodbye”

“No! I don't think so, I'm only 192 years old, the other vampires would mock me forever” Jim said, he shook his head “You can't yank them. That would be the end of me”

The dentist looked defeatist about the exchange “That's up to you, Jim. If you want to wait until I print up the replacements, maybe we can do this without anyone knowing”

Jim sighed. Maybe Doc Scott was right, but he didn't want to have to face Shiva or Malachi with naked gums. He would never live it down, he would have to go into exile. Doc Scott was the only person who could implant them and have them work as blood suckers properly while doing it.

He was also a bit afraid of going without sustenance for any length of time, he would start wasting away noticeably within a few days. Vampires as young as he was didn't get wrinkles but if his teeth went bad and he could partake in nourishment it would.

“The same night, right?” Jim asked, just wanting to make it clear.

“Yes, Jim. We can have those bad boys replaced on the same night. Just come back in three nights and I'll those replacements printed up by then” Doc Scott said. You can trust this guy, Vampires trusted very few humans but this guy had no ill will toward them, or their gold. He had been working on Vampire teeth and other ailments for twenty years, in human terms that was a long while.

“Okay” Jim said “I'll be back then.”

He was gone in a flash, the way vampires do. Doc Scott was used to seeing it, or feeling it by now. If your back is turned there is a small movement of air and either the vampire has gone or one has appeared to you to feed. He'd lost a secretary to Malachi once, a while back. He had promised to be their doctor in exchange for protection from their bite.

The Doc had been doing vampire medicine for all this time, studying, learning and being the best doctor he could. He had recently learned he could anesthetize them for a god long time. Malachi was their leader, he had an appointment in a week. First he would need to practice, and that is where Jim came in.

Doc Scott had purposely made his fangs painful and then lied about them needing to be removed, and when the beast was asleep from the medicine... he would be de-fanged. He would wake up without his fangs strapped down tight and being pushed off a bridge into the Chesapeake.

Then it would be Malachi's turn.

................

If you like my short stories you can buy my ebook New Arrivals for $2.99, it would definitely help keep the stories coming.