Daisy in the Fringe

Dear Diary,

It turned out that Posca couldn’t eat dinner with us after all, and all because we had other guests.

First off, Captain Crispin came to eat with us. But he wasn’t the big surprise guest. That was the DoH, who showed up with her whole crew soon after we started in on eating. Because we had such an important visitor, Captain Crispin ordered his guards to let nobody in. So Posca couldn’t come to dinner after all

It was a fun dinner – that DoH is something special, though we didn’t learn much more about what she’s up to. But it sounds like we’re definitely going to get to go visit her. That sounds awfully interesting – I never been outside the Empire before, and I sure would like to see Nihon. And that Jugotai-sama, well, I don’t know that I could call him cute exactly, but there’s something about him. But that something ain’t humility – he says that he’s good at everything. (He said that in vulgate – first time he’s said anything more than yes or no that I could understand. Do all them Nihonese secretly talk vulgate?) He invited me over tomorrow morning to watch him do his sword practice. I sure would like to learn Nihon sword fighting – maybe he’ll show me how.

After the DoH and her folks left, Posca showed up. He’d been waiting at the door all that time. I felt kind of sorry for him, but he didn’t seem to mind. We sat around for a while with him talking to me. I couldn’t talk back really, cause Dusty had gone to bed early. She said she was going to spend the night learning to talk Nihonese. I couldn’t figure that one out, but she said she had got ahold of some dream-making machine that would teach her.

Meanwhile, Mr Dutch was sitting off in one corner watching his shows while Aphrodite was sitting in another watching me and Posca. That seemed kind of awkward, so when Posca asked if I wanted to go for a walk, I said sure. He wanted Mr Dutch or Aphrodite to come with us as a chaperon, but I figure I’m safe enough with Posca, so I said we’d be just fine all alone.

We went walking around the ship a bit, and he said he’d take me to that gun place to look at the stars some more. But I decided I wanted to see where the flowers grew, so I pointed towards the gardens and he took me there. There were some of them little homonculus fellers doing weeding and stuff, but Posca took me to a quiet spot where we was all alone. After we’d sat a bit, he leaned over and kissed me, first on one cheek, and then on the other, and finally right smack dab on the lips. And what do you think, I let him! I mean, it seemed like the right thing to do, what with him being so nice to me and all.

He kissed me a few times more, and that was all right, and then he said that we should probably get back, cause he didn’t want nobody to get the wrong idea or nothing. So we went back to our part of the ship, and he gave me one more kiss, and then I went in and wrote up this entry.

Dear Diary,

When Captain Crispin came to talk to us about our meeting the Daughter of Heaven, I almost fell asleep. Part of that was because I was awfully tired after not sleeping last night. But part was that he was just so boring. I mean, it was all blah blah blah, with everyone just talking and talking about what had happened last night and what it all meant. He did tell us that the Nihon emperor was getting ready to die, and that there was a whole bunch of his kin wrangling to get the job. But as to what the Daughter of Heaven was up to, well, the more they talked, the more it was clear that nobody knew nothing.

One thing did surprise me, though. Captain Crispin seemed to want our opinions about what the Daughter of Heaven was up to. I can’t figure that at all. I mean, the captain’s some important feller in the government. Ain’t the government got lots of smart people whose job it is to figure out the Nihonese and all? Why would he need help from us, what with us knowing nothing about much of anything? And if the government needs me and Daisy and Mr Dutch and Hank to tell them what to do about Nihon, who might start a war with us and all, well, that’s about the scariest thing I’ve ever heard.

After Captain Crispin left, we all just sort of sat around for a bit. I wrote thank you notes to Posca, Phoebus, and the DoH (I’m tired of writing out “Daughter of Heaven”), cause Momma always said you should write a note when someone shows you hospitality, and I kind of wanted to see them three again sometime. Then I went off and took a bath. When I got back, Hank was complaining about how we was stuck in our part of the ship, and he wanted to get out and see folks and do stuff. All that complaining did get tiresome, but I suppose he had a point. Captain Crispin is trusting us to keep us out of a war with Nihon, but he don’t trust us to walk around the ship? Where’s the sense in that?

After a bit, Tacita showed up. Dusty and Hank got on her about telling the DoH that we was going to kill their emperor. She said she didn’t say any such thing, but that she saw either me or Dusty standing over some dead guy who was wearing a weird robe. Apparently only the emperor wears that kind of robe, though Tacita didn’t know that. And she didn’t see his face anyway, so it could be their current emperor, or it could be one of them fellers who figured on setting himself up as emperor. In other words, it’s like everything else with them Nihonese: just a bunch of confusion, and nobody knows nothing.

A little later, Aphrodite showed up. Dusty got her to tell me all about fellers and stuff. Only thing is, Aphrodite might know a lot about what fellers like, but she don’t know much that would do me any good. All that she knows comes from being a whore, and there ain’t much romance in that – Aphrodite’s idea of courtship is cash on the barrelhead, and that ain’t exactly what I’m hoping for.

Speaking of Phoebus, Aphrodite told me what them fellers in the bar were calling him. It seems like his buddies all call Phoebus “Old Double Step,” because when you’re in the army, going double-step means that you’re going faster then normal. And Phoebus likes going real fast when he’s on a date. I suppose I could kind of figure that. I mean, he was trying to go pretty fast with me and all. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a good idea for me to go out with him again, even if he is so cute. That’s too bad.

Dusty did tell me that Posca wants to come see me at dinner. He was kinda sweet, so I suppose that’ll be nice. Anyway, Captain Crispin just got here, so I suppose I better break now.

Dear Diary,

I didn’t sleep a wink last night for thinking on all that had happened. That ain’t like me – I can usually nod right off, and I always have sweet dreams. But last night, I just couldn’t get comfortable. I just lay there, trying to keep from thinking about what Phoebus tried to do and why I took that bet and whether I’m special like that concubine lady said or maybe just a bad girl like Momma would say, and instead I kept thinking them things round and round and round. I don’t reckon life is ever going to be the same for me now. The world ain’t the place I thought it was, and maybe I ain’t the person I thought either, and I’m just plain confused about all of it.

I wish I had someone to talk to about all this. I’ve talked with Dusty a little, but she just gets annoyed at me for being confused. No, all I got is you, dear diary, so I figure I’ll just pour it all out here, and maybe you and me can make some sense of it all.

All my confusion started as we was walking back to our part of the ship from meeting the Nihon lady. All the guys were joking and laughing and generally being glad to get out of that room with their heads on their shoulders, and Dusty was joking along with them.

I wasn’t paying much attention to them. I was kinda lost in my thoughts, thinking about what the Lady said. Truth to tell, I was feeling pretty good about her saying I was special – I ain’t never felt special before, and to have such a beautiful and important lady say it sure made it sound convincing.

We was riding in that elevator box when Dusty said, “Well what do you know, maybe I’m not the only special one in the family after all. Better watch out nobody tries to cut out your brain and put it in a box.” I just grinned at that, but she went on. “Yup, maybe you’re god-touched too. Why, tonight you almost got touched by Mars.”

That reminded me of what had happened with Phoebus and all, and I started feeling a mite unhappy about it. When the door opened, I pushed out first and started walking towards our room. Dusty followed and said, “You should have seen his face when your shot hit. He didn’t look like Mars then – more like Vulcan, cause he sure was lame!”

We were back at the room by then, so I just went in and sat in the chair facing the wall. With my back to her and all, Dusty had to start speaking with her voice instead of her hands. “Hey, what’s the matter,” she said. “I was just joshing you. There ain’t no call to cry, you know I hate that! I’m sorry!”

I turned to her and said, “I’m not upset at you. It’s just Phoebus and what he tried to do!”

“What? Are you upset about that?”

My jaw dropped. “Course I’m upset! He tried to take advantage of me, tricking me into that bet like that! And he woulda done it too, if I had lost! Ain’t you mad at Fiero?”

“Naw, he’s too dumb to be mad at. And besides that, why should I be upset when I won?” I just shook my head. “Shucks, Daisy. Some guys are like that, is all. If you’re gonna keep going on dates and all, you better get used to it!”

“Phoebus ain’t no gentleman, that’s all I know!”

“I’ve known worse. He didn’t force you to do anything, did he? Sure he tried to persuade you, but there ain’t no harm in persuading. You always coulda said no.”

“You don’t think there’s harm in what he did?”

“Naw. It was kinda stupid of him to think he’d beat you, but there wasn’t any malice. He just liked you is all. But if you were all that upset about it, why’d you take the bet? You coulda told him to knock it off, and that would have been that!”

I just glared and gestured, “You made me take that bet!”

“I didn’t make you do anything. I just said I was sure you could win, and even if you didn’t, we’d find some way out of it. You decided to take that bet, and you know it.

“You listen to me, girl. About half the time you’re with a guy, he’s imagining how you’d look without your clothes on. That’s just how he thinks. Believe me, I’ve been in those minds, I know what’s going on in there! Why, you might as well get mad at a dog for wanting a bone as get mad at a guy for wanting a girl. That’s just how they’re made.”

“Posca was a perfect gentleman. He didn’t try nothing.”

“That just means he didn’t have the nerve.

“Listen Daisy, I’ll admit Phoebus was a bit of a jerk. But even perfect gentlemen like getting close to a pretty girl – they’re just a little more refined about how they go about it. You keep saying you want to get married someday. Well unless you want your husband to spend every night out in some bar like Daddy did, you gotta stop crying and carrying on and instead figure out how to make him want to be with you. That’s all I’m saying. You want a happy dog, you gotta throw him a bone every now and then.”

Well I couldn’t figure out how Daddy fit into it, but I could see there was no point in arguing further. So I just took up my diary and spent some time writing them last two entries while Dusty watched her shows on the computer. She laughed lots at them, and writing about what had happened helped calm me down. I mean, Dusty was right – Phoebus didn’t force me or nothing. And when he lost, he didn’t try to stop me from going.

I put on my nightie and got into bed and tried to sleep. But even after Dusty turned off the lights, I just couldn’t get comfortable. Anyway I’d lie, it seemed I was on a lump or something, which was strange because that was the softest bed I’d had in weeks.

Why had I taken that bet? Dusty was right to ask that. I kept turning it over in my head, and I still didn’t know. I mean, I saw that stunning gun and wanted it bad, but the Captain said he’d give us a chance to buy up new weapons, so there weren’t no reason to go taking a risk like that. And I thought I’d show Dusty that I could be bold as brass, just like her, but I realized now that was a pretty stupid thing to want to be.

The more I thought on it, the more I remembered what it had been like down in soldiers country. Everything was so exciting in that little booth, what with Phoebus saying such nice things. He sure seemed to like me, and when he wanted so bad for me to take that bet, well, I hated to refuse him is all.

Just look at Fiero, practically jumping out of his skin to get Dusty to take the bet, what with her being so pretty. And Phoebus, well, he was smoother, but I figured he was feeling the same towards me. I mean, don’t get me wrong – I didn’t want to lose. My heart was in my throat as I was shooting, and I would have been awfully upset to have to pay off that bet. I want to be a good girl, to make Momma proud of me. But when Phoebus put his hands on me to help me shoot, well, I wasn’t thinking much on Momma.

But then things just kept turning in my head. I mean, Phoebus looked at me like the Creep looks at me, only more so. He even made that same dumb strip poker joke. Why was it upsetting when Deaf Joe did that, but not when Phoebus did? I just couldn’t figure that one out.

And then, what about what the Lady said? Was I really god touched? Them god-touched had a special gift. I’m just a little cripple, unable to talk or anything. I don’t have a gift. Only maybe I do. But if I do have a special gift, shouldn’t I do something special with it? And how did that kind of special tie to the kind of special that Phoebus wanted from me?

Suddenly, I didn’t know much of anything. I didn’t know who I was, or where I was going, or what I wanted. I used to think I wanted what Momma had, but I was starting to wonder. I mean, the universe is an awfully big place, a lot bigger than the Fringe. Maybe I should see some of it before I got married. Maybe I should see a lot of it and not get married at all. And if I didn’t get married, then I didn’t owe my husband anything, and what did I want to do about that?

Dusty was starting to stir, and I saw that it was almost time for breakfast. I wondered what today would bring, and if I’d go on another date with Posca and if he’d get up the nerve to try something, and if I’d run into Phoebus standing guard somewhere around the ship.  I kinda hoped I would. Maybe I wouldn’t just wait to see him. Maybe I’d just go down to soldiers country and we could sit around that lounge again with all them men around. I mean, they was all awfully nice down there, and he didn’t do anything all that bad, not really.

But this time, no bets. Well, maybe for kisses. That wouldn’t be too bad. But not for the rest of it. I wasn’t going to get in that kind of mess again.

“G’morning,” said Dusty. “Sleep well?” I just shrugged and she got up and went into the bathroom. I still didn’t know what I felt about much of anything. But it sure was going to be an interesting day.

Dear Diary,

All that happened, and still the night was only half done.

When Dusty and me was heading back towards our part of the ship, and she was laughing and chattering on about how them two guys looked when my shot hit, this servant feller came running up to us and said that we was wanted. It seems like that emperor’s concubine lady took a shine to us, and she wanted to talk to us some. That seemed strange to me, but I figured I was up to anything this night, so Dusty said sure. Only we’d have to go back to our room to freshen a bit.

After a little freshening, we left the guns that we won off them soldiers back in our room. We figured it wouldn’t be a good idea to take weapons with us, no matter how small and hidable they was. Then when we went out of the room, that servant asked if we wanted to bring anyone else with us.

I reckoned that it would be okay to take Mr Dutch or Doc, but it would probably be a bad idea to take Hank or the Creep. You just never know what Hank is going to say next, and the Creep is, well, the Creep. But Dusty said the more the merrier, and we’d just take the whole crew along.

We found them back in their rooms. All except for the Creep, that is, who had gone off alone somewhere. Just as well, I reckoned, so after we managed to wake up Mr. Dutch (he sure does snore loud – it reminds me of how Daddy sounded after he spent an evening out with the boys), the rest of us went without the Creep. (I wondered where that Creep got to. But after thinking about it a bit, I decided it was just as well that I didn’t know.)

Captain Crispin met us in a part of the ship we hadn’t been to before. He said that the Child of Heaven and her people wanted to talk with us, but that we’d better be on our best behavior. If we got them angry, they might not only kill us, they might start a war. That seemed pretty scary to me, and I was ready to go back and hide under my covers, but Dusty said shoot, she didn’t figure they’d start a war over her. And if they did, well what a lark that would be.

The captain didn’t seem to think much of that, but he didn’t have no choice in the matter neither. So he told us to remember everything that was said, and he wished us luck.

The room we was led to was decorated nicer than any room I’ve ever seen. All the walls were draped with fancy silks in all sorts of bright colors and embroidered with the tiniest and hardest stitches, and the floors were covered with the softest carpets I’d ever felt, all deep reds and blues with crazy beautiful patterns all over them. Even the air smelled good, like some strange spicy flower that I never smelt before.

But there weren’t no chairs, nor proper furniture at all.  Instead, at the far end on a little platform the Concubine sat on a silken cushion between the little girl and her servant. A little closer to us the guard feller in the bathrobe sat on his own pillow with his sword across his knees. We came in and I gave my deepest curtsy, and all the fellers gave a deep bow.

The concubine didn’t look too happy. She said something in some strange foreign language and her servant said, “Is it common practice among barbarians to bring uninvited guests when asked to an audience with their betters?” That guard feller was gripping his sword real tight, and I figured we was in for it now.

But Dusty said, “We apologize if we have done wrong, for we are poor simple folk who don’t know no better.” I thought that was laying it on a bit thick, coming from Dusty and all, but she just continued. “We thought you might want all of us here to answer any questions you might have.” That didn’t seem to please that servant any too well, and she started in with a whole bunch of mean questions.  But I guess the Lady was okay with it, because after giving us a long scary stare, she nodded. The guard, whose name was Jugotaisama, quickly got up, and I thought we was done for. But instead, he just put up three pillows on the floor for our fellers to sit on, to add to the two that were already there for Dusty and me.

Once we sat, the concubine looked at us and spoke in that funny language again. Her servant said, “The Celestial Mistress wishes to know why you are going to kill the Son of Heaven.”

Well, that just about floored us, I can tell you. I didn’t know what to say, so it’s probably just as well I couldn’t say anything anyway. But Dusty said, “We are so sorry, but we do not know anything about the Son of Heaven, and we would not want to kill him even if we did.”

There was a painful silence then, and Jugotaisama started gripping his sword real tight once more. The servant looked daggers at us and said something to the Concubine in the weird language of theirs. Then she started laying into us again, but after a moment the Concubine opened her fan real rough like Mrs Hawkins used to tap her pencil when she was mad, and the servant got up and bowed and left through a little door in the back of the room.

Then the Concubine looked at us again. It turned out she didn’t need that servant after all, because she just piped up in vulgate with, “Now that she is gone, we can speak.” And she told us how Tacita the Oracle Girl had a vision that Dusty and me was going to kill this Son of Heaven of hers, and there wasn’t anything we could do to stop it. Well, I wondered why Tacita didn’t see fit to mention it to us, but Dusty just said we didn’t know nothing about that, and we didn’t have no reason to kill any old Son of Heaven

The Concubine said it was bound to happen, but she didn’t seem to mind all that much. Anyway, she pretty quickly dropped the subject and started asking us all about what our life was like. She seemed real interested in Dusty and me, and why we was riding around as guards and shooting up bad guys and all. She thought that was mighty strange, and she wondered if all our women did things like that.

Well, we straightened her out on that. Even Dusty was telling the truth to her. I don’t know if it was that sword in Jugotaisama’s hand or what, but she was sure better behaved then I ever saw her being with Momma. And she told all about what our life was like, and ranching, and riding with the guards, and all.

One thing the concubine lady asked about was Mr Dutch’s beard. I gotta admit – it’s an awfully notable beard. I’ve seen shorter horsetails, and it’s about as bristly as a turkey’s butt. Mr Dutch said that his people all went in for them types of beard, and that it had something to do with Zoroaster, who he worshiped, which was something I never knew.

She then asked if we was thought pretty among our people. Well, I just blushed at that, but Hank said he thought we was pretty enough. Not like real beautiful, like a goddess or like the concubine or nothing, but more what he called an achievable beauty, something that a guy like him could figure on getting ahold of some day.

I thought that was pretty bold of him, first saying that we wasn’t really all that beautiful, then saying that he figured we was good enough for the likes of him. Achievable beauty, he says. Not much chance he’ll achieve us, I reckon.

But I didn’t make a fuss. And we told the concubine more about our people.

Then she asked if Dusty and me had gotten them guns from Phoebus and Fiero yet. Well, I didn’t know how she knew about that, but she said that Tacita had told her about it. (That’s another thing I gotta talk to Tacita about.  If she knew what Phoebus was going to be up to, well, it sure would have been nice if she had told me.)  So we told all about what had happened, and how I had outshot Phoebus.  She seemed to think it was pretty funny that I had outshot one of the Eyes of Horus. And when she told Jugotaisama in their language, he just laughed fit to split and gave me a big smile.

That’s the first time I ever seen him smile – it looked kinda cute on him, in a strange sorta way. Well, Dusty noticed it, so she piped up and said I was looking for a boyfriend, and maybe Jugotaisama would be interested. The concubine said that was an idea, and maybe we could go on a date, but I reckon that it would be awfully hard for us to communicate, with him not speaking my language and me not being able to speak at all. Course, Dusty said she figured we could communicate everything that really needed communicating, but I didn’t think that was so.

The Lady asked if I had ever shot one of them lasers before. I said no, but I figured out how they worked pretty quickly. Then Dusty piped in and said I always knew how to do things even when I shouldn’t. The  Lady seemed awfully interested about that. She asked some more about it and said that she figured I was what her people called in Harmony with the Tao. That means I just know how to do things without being trained or nothing.

I was real surprised. I just figured that’s how it worked for everybody, but Dusty said no, she couldn’t do it, and nobody else could cept me.

The Lady said how interesting, and that we (meaning all of us) seemed to have all of the types of special people with us, a special healer (which is Doc), a mind reader (she knew all about Dusty’s ability, though I don’t know how – maybe Tactia told her that one too), and me. Only there’s one other type, a ship-pilot, and she wondered who that might be. She also said something about a warrior and a maiden and maybe some others. Then she had Jugotaisama put a little dab of something on mine and Dusty’s head. Dusty’s left a dot, but she said my dot just faded away, and the Lady said that meant I was one of them Tao people.

(I still don’t think I’m touched by the gods, no matter what the dot on my head said. I mean, I just know how to do stuff is all. I must be the maiden she spoke of instead, so I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t lose that bet.)

Anyway, she put down her hair then, and we had a real good time. Dusty and Hank showed her how to square dance, and she said that she’d ask the Captain to let me and Dusty come to her country some day soon. I figured that would be fun, but I wondered if she really wanted us there, what with us going to kill that Son of Heaven feller and all. Dusty said just to shush about that though. And the Lady gave Dusty and me this red book that told all about her people and how they live and stuff.

After that, we all got up to leave. Then the Lady apologized for how mean her servant had been and said it wouldn’t happen again. Then she said something to Jugotaisama, and he left the room for a minute. He came back and nodded to her, and she said, “When you leave, please tell the captain to send someone to remove my servant’s body. She has had a fatal mishap.”

Well, I didn’t know what had happened. I mean, if Jugotaisama had killed her, did I really want to go on a date with him? But then, Hank was killing people all the time, and I was starting to get used to him, so maybe it wouldn’t be too bad.

Anyway, we got up to go then, and the Lady promised she wouldn’t tell nobody about me or Dusty and what we could do. And the guys said they’d keep it quiet too. I curtsied again, and waved at the little girl, and then we was gone. And except for explaining everything to the captain, who said it could wait until morning what with us looking so sleepy and all, my long strange night was over.

Dear Diary,

I’m back in my room now. It’s been a long night, and a lot of things have happened. Well, one big thing happened, and then a bigger thing didn’t happen, and finally another maybe bigger thing (but not as big as the second thing, not for me anyway) happened. And I’m still trying to figure it all out.

It all started with me putting on my new dress that I’ve been working on since Cragmont. I tried to get Dusty to take it – I made it for her to wear – but she said that I was the one going on the date, so I should have the pretty dress. I really do like that dress – I’ve been working on it for a week, and the cloth sure is that special silk that I got in that strange little shop – so I said okay and wore it myself.

Corporal Phoebus showed up right after dinner, just like he said he would. He was all dressed up in his fancy uniform with all the gold braid and medals on it, and I thought he looked awfully nice. He seemed to like how I looked too, cause he kept saying how pretty I was and smiling at me with his big bright teeth and twinkly eyes.

At first, he didn’t seem too happy to have Dusty come with. But Dusty told him how I wouldn’t be able to talk without her, and that I’d feel better having her along. So he just grinned and said he figured that’s fine, and he could find a guy for Dusty if she wanted. Dusty didn’t seem too sure that she wanted a soldier boyfriend, but Phoebus said he knew some nice guys who sure would like spending some time with a pretty girl like her.

He took us to the lounge down in soldier’s country. That’s what he called it, anyway. It’s the part of the ship where all the soldiers on board live and do their training and stuff. They don’t allow any navy guys down there, he said, and any navy guy who dared go into soldier country would come back with a whole bunch of bruises and a lot fewer teeth.

The lounge was a lot bigger then the one near our rooms, and a lot noisier, and the lights were a lot dimmer. It was full of soldiers, all big guys around the size of Phoebus, some even bigger, and they was all drinking, and loud music was playing. Dusty and I were the only girls there, and everyone stared at us as we walked in.

Phoebus took us to a table in one corner of the room. He waved over a waiter and told him to bring a bottle of wine and three big glasses, and to keep it coming. He filled up my glass to the top, and held up his own and drank a toast to my eyes. I just took a little sip, cause I didn’t figure he’d like it if I got all silly, so I decided not to drink too much.

Them soldiers sure were friendly. A whole bunch came over, one or two at a time, and introduced themselves. They all was real nice, though none of them looked as pretty as Phoebus. None of them had as nice a uniform as his neither, and none had medals and braid like him, so I guess he must have been the best soldier of them all. I mentioned it to him, and he said I was absolutely right about that.

At first, he seemed to like having them come over, at least for a little while. He’d put an arm around me and wink at them, and I’d smile and they’d all laugh and look at me and Dusty and call Phoebus Old Two-Shot. I asked Phoebus what that meant, and he said that was what they called him sometimes, cause he liked to carry two guns into battle. It seemed like a funny nickname to me, but I could see how it might fit.

There were some guys playing cards over at one table. Dusty said that she liked cards, and wondered if she could get into the game. Phoebus said maybe she’d like to try that strip poker game that the Creep talked about that time. Dusty just gave him a look and said she wasn’t going to stake her clothes on no cards. Besides, she said, I was the one who liked clothes, not her. She just wanted to win their money. Phoebus said that since I was the one who was into clothes, maybe I should play instead. But I said I wasn’t no good at cards, and he just laughed and said all the better.

After a bit, this other guy came into the room, and Phoebus called him over. His name was Fiero, and Phoebus had him grab a chair and join us, sitting next to Dusty. Meanwhile, we had some more wine, and Phoebus and Fiero told us all about being soldiers.

They said they weren’t just any soldiers. They’re Eyes of Horus, and that’s just about the best kind of soldier there is. They told us all about the battles they’ve been in, and how they helped defend the Emperor’s honor and got his special thanks, and how sometimes they had to go on secret extra-dangerous missions. They told about once when they got separated from their patrol and had to fight their way back through a whole herd of minotaurs. It seemed pretty scary to me, but Dusty said that weren’t nothing, and she told them how we had rescued the Oracle girl from a whole raft of demons and dragons and stuff, and had to fight off a whole army of goons who wanted to get Tacita and do unspeakable things to her before throwing her straight into the pits of Hades.

Well, Phoebus and Fiero, they just laughed, but I didn’t think they believed Dusty at all. (I couldn’t blame them, what with half of everything that Dusty said being lies and all.) They thought the idea of girls fighting was pretty funny, but Dusty said that I was a dead shot with just about anything. That made them laugh even harder, and Phoebus patted my knee and said he figured I was too pretty to kill anyone.

Dusty was starting to get riled, and I figured she was getting ready to cause trouble, so I decided to change the subject. I asked them what kind of guns they used, and they said they had lasers and blasters. I said I ain’t never shot one of them before, and how I’d like to try one sometime. Phoebus gave a grin and mentioned as how they had a shooting range for the soldiers, and though it was kind of late and probably no one was there, he knew the combination if we wanted to see what it was like.

Well, I wanted to see one of them lasers, so I nodded yes. Phoebus and Fiero grabbed up a couple of extra bottles of wine and got up and led us out.

While we was heading over there, I got to wondering if Phoebus liked me, so I asked Dusty if she was getting in their heads and seeing what they was thinking. She said she didn’t need to get in their heads to know that, but I wasn’t sure what she meant, and we were there before she could explain.

The shooting range was dark and quiet. Phoebus put on one dim light and led us to this little booth where he said you stood to shoot. It was kind of crowded in there, and I was pressed pretty close to him, but he didn’t seem to mind any. There was a line on the floor on one side of the booth, and the room went on past that a ways, and there was targets set up at the far end with shapes of men drawn on them, each one with a set of rings around where the heart would be.

Phoebus got out his pistol, put an arm around my waist, and took me over to the line. He took aim at the target, fired three shots, and hit with all three. He sure was good with that gun.

I had Dusty ask him if I could try shooting, and he said sure. He handed me the pistol, but when I started getting into a firing stance, he said that wasn’t how you fired a laser. A laser has no recoil, he said, so you stand different when you fire it.  He showed me by standing right behind me and holding me flat against him with one hand on my belly while he used the other to help lift up my shooting arm.

Well, with him so close and all, I was a mite distracted, so my shot went wild. I didn’t hit the target at all, but he said that was okay, he didn’t figure that I would be as good as him, cause he was a specially trained soldier and all and practiced almost every day. But I was starting to get a feel for the laser, and I figured that I could do better if I tried again, especially if he wasn’t standing quite so close. I wanted to see the look on his face when he saw how well I could shoot, and I thought that Dusty would get a good laugh at him.

But then, I thought I might just get a laugh on Dusty too while I was at it. She was always bragging about all the bets she won, playing cards and all. But I figured I could show her up. So I winked at her, where she was standing next to Fiero at the back of the booth. Then I had her say to Phoebus that we should have a shooting contest, just him and me, and we should put a little bet on how it would turn out.

His eyes perked up at that, and he asked what I might want to bet. I said I had some money back in my room, but he said he figured that we could find something more interesting than that to gamble over.

I wasn’t sure what he had in mind, and I wasn’t sure what I’d want to win from him anyway. I mean, I just figured I could win some coins and show Dusty that she wasn’t the only one who could win a big bet. But then Dusty said that what she’d really like was for me to win one of them laser pistols, because they had taken away all our weapons when we came on the ship and she wanted something to protect herself with.

Phoebus looked a little worried. He said that the pistols weren’t theirs, they belonged to the army. And he wasn’t sure that we were supposed to have any weapons anyway.

That’s too bad, said Dusty. Cause that’s all we wanted to bet for.

Phoebus got this gleam in his eye as he looked at me. Then he said, well, I can’t give you one of these pistols. But I got this stunner here, and it’s mine, not the army’s, and I’ll put it up as my stake. Dusty took a look at it, and she passed it to me, and she said that would do. We’d bet for that there stunner.

Not so fast, said Phoebus. Now that we know what I’m putting up, we have to figure out what you’re betting. And as he said it, he gave me a big grin and brushed a hand down my hip, which made me jump a little. The look in his eyes made me think of how the Creep looks at me sometimes, only the Creep always looks like he’s trying to figure out what I look like under my dress, but Phoebus already seemed to know. I started to feel real nervous.

Dusty tried to make the stakes be something that wouldn’t be so bad for me to lose. Phoebus said if he won, he wanted to worship Venus with me, so Dusty said that if that happened we could go to the temple together. But he wasn’t having none of that. He said that we could do the kind of worship he had in mind right here, and since I was a such a pretty thing, I could be Venus. Then he gave me that look that made me feel all naked and said that since he was a soldier, he’d be my Mars.

Well I been to temple school, so I knew what he meant by that. But I wasn’t ready to go that far, so I told Dusty that I’d bet for kisses instead. That wouldn’t seem so bad, if I lost. But Dusty said he’d never go for that. Them soldier boys wanted more then just a kiss, and he would only bet for the chance to get me out of my clothes and stuff.

I didn’t know what to do. I sure didn’t want to lose, not a bet like that. I mean, I want to get married someday, and if I do, I owe it to my husband to let him be my first. That’s what Momma always said, that only bad girls did it before they was married. But I thought I could shoot that pistol much better then I had, and now that I had held that stunning gun, I sure did want it. I mean, I never did like hurting people when I was being a guard, and I figured that with that stunner, I wouldn’t have to. And besides, I really wanted to show Dusty what I was made of.

So I asked her what she thought I should do. She used hand talk, not like she usually does, and said she was sure that I would win. And even if I didn’t, she’d figure some way to keep me from having to pay up. That didn’t seem right to me, to make a bet and not mean to pay up if it didn’t go well, so I told her that if I did lose, I wasn’t going to welch out like that. She just grinned and said that I’d better not lose then.

Well, Dusty knows lots more about betting then I do. So I figured if she said it was okay, then it probably was. But I still wasn’t quite sure I could beat Phoebus, so I told her that maybe I’d do it if I could have five shots to his one. If any of my shots beat his, I’d get that stunner. And if not, well, then he’d get what he wanted.

He looked down to the end of the room where my first shot had gone wild. And then he gave me a long stare up and down that made me blush, and he nodded and said sure thing, he’d take the bet.

Then Fiero pipes up and says to Dusty, hey, I want a piece of this action. How about you and me have a side bet?

Well, Dusty said that she reckoned that I was sure to win, and so she’d be glad to bet. But all she wanted was one of them laser pistols, so that’s what he’d have to put up.

Fiero looked awfully unhappy at that. He said that he couldn’t give up one of them pistols, he just couldn’t, that they didn’t belong to him and he’d get in terrible trouble if he lost one. Dusty just said then there ain’t no bet. And Fiero, he was getting all frantic like, and he says just wait here a minute, and he runs out of the room. Pretty soon he’s back with a tiny little tube in his hand. It’s called a holdout laser, he says, specially designed to keep in a hidden pocket. Ladies especially liked them, he said, and he’ll put that up if Dusty’ll bet what I bet, only with him.

Dusty asks to hold the laser and Fiero takes the power thingy out of it and gives it to her. She plays with it for a minute, and I can see that she likes the feel of it. And he sees it too, and says that they can skip the bet and do a swap instead, she’ll get the gun if she gives him what he wants. Dusty just snorts and says she ain’t going to just give it away. Then she takes one more look at the pistol, gives just about the brightest smile I’ve ever seen on her, and says Sure thing, she’ll take the bet. And Fiero looks like he’s just dropped about a hundred pounds of sand, he’s so relieved, and he puts out his hand and Dusty and him shake on it.

I look back to Phoebus, and he looks me right in the eye. And he says, “I don’t want there to be any confusion about what we’re betting here. If you win, you get that stunner. But if I win, then you’re going to strip off that pretty little dress of yours, plus whatever you’ve got on underneath it, and then I’ll get to do what I want to you.  Are we in agreement?” I take a deep breath and give a little nod. He then smiles fit to beat the band and says, “It’s a bet then,” and he reaches out his hand.

HIs skin feels awfully warm, but that might just be because my hand is so cold. Then he presses a button on the wall and a machine at the far end of the room changes the target to a fresh one. He gives me a grin that makes me think of a cat with a mouse, takes his pistol, walks up to the line, and slowly raises his arm.

It’s an awfully good shot. It isn’t quite at the center of the bullseye, but it’s not far off, just touching the inside edge of the smallest ring. If that target were a man and not just a picture of one, he’d have a good big hole in his heart about now.

I’m feeling like I’ve got a hole in my own heart. I’m wondering if I can beat that shot, and what’s going to happen to me if I don’t. Phoebus just turns around, hands me the pistol, and leans against the side of the booth. He’s smiling now, with his arms crossed, and he gives me a wink. I look back at Dusty. She’s grinning now too, and she gestures to me not to worry, she’s got a plan even if I do lose, which I’m not going to anyway. I don’t know what her plan is, but I’m guessing it involves a cheat of some sort, and that doesn’t seem right at all. So I figure it’s all up to me.

I pick up the pistol and lift my arm. My hand is shaking a bit, but it soon steadies. And I suddenly know how to shoot this thing – it just feels right in my hand. I pull the trigger.

I hit the target, just outside the inner ring. About an inch out past his shot. So far, Phoebus is winning.

He’s grinning too. “Nice shot, pretty girl. Better than I expected. Too bad it’s not quite good enough.”

“Don’t you worry,” says Dusty. “She’s still got four more shots.”

“I’m not forgetting,” says Phoebus. I just gulp and take aim again.

Whenever I try a new skill like this, I always do my best the first go. I don’t know why that is, because you’d think that once I did it, I’d only get better. But it don’t work like that – somehow, the knowledge doesn’t really sink into my head until it’s had a week or two to settle. So when I pull the trigger again, the gun still feels right in my hand – but not quite as right as it did the first time.

I hit just within the outer ring. It’s worse than my first shot, and I have only three more to go.

Phoebus is looking fit to bust, like he’s planning the quickest way to get my dress off right here and now. Fiero is just staring at Dusty, his eyes running up and down her body and his tongue dabbing his lips. I think for a moment about my future husband and say a little apology to him in my head.

There’s a small cross right at the center of the target, and my third shot grazes it. The burn mark is closer to the center than Phoebus’s by at least two inches, and I realize I’ve won. My shoulders slump as I let go the breath I didn’t know I was holding. Dusty gives a little whoop, and we slap our hands together in the air. Phoebus looks shocked, and Fiero just stares at Dusty with big sad eyes and tosses her the power thingy for the little laser.

I fire off my last two shots. One hits just outside the second ring, the other misses the target entirely. It doesn’t matter. Phoebus hands me the stunner and Dusty and I hug before heading for the door. As I’m leaving, I look over my shoulder. Fiero is punching Phoebus in the shoulder, hard, saying, “I can’t believe you got outshot by a girl!  We’ll never live this one down!” Phoebus just shakes his head as he watches me walk away.

I meet his eyes and give a little grin and a shrug. Then Dusty and I are gone.

Dear Diary,

I just got up, and you’d never guess what I found. Posca left me flowers outside my room, and a real nice note that said what a good time he had and how pretty and special I was and all. I sure did like reading that – it made me feel all tingly! I almost wish I wasn’t going out with Phoebus tonight, because I’d like to spend more time with Posca.

But Dusty says I better not stand up Phoebus. He might get all mad and kill Posca or something, him being a soldier and Posca being only a medical man. So I suppose I’ll go out with Phoebus after all, just to keep Posca safe.

But if we’re still here tomorrow, I’m going to ask Posca to show me more parts of the ship. And maybe show me where he got them flowers – they sure are pretty.

Dear Diary,

What a night it’s been! I’m back in my room now, but this has been just about the nicest evening I can remember.

It all started with dinner. They had the lounge set up all special, with couches set out for us to lie on as we ate, just like rich people do. We all lay around eating delicious things, only I felt like I was the guest of honor, because I had Posca lying on one side of me and Phoebus on the other.

I thought that might be awkward, having two fellers there and all. I tried to get Dusty to take one of them, but she just kept saying that I was the one who wanted a husband, so I was the one them guys were here for. It was funny, having them pay so much attention to me. But I kind of liked it too.

There was some soft music playing, but Dusty said that the two fellers should tell me some poems and stuff. Phoebus said he didn’t know anything that would be suited for a nice girl like me, all he knew was soldier’s poems, and they could be a bit rough. But Posca, he got up and started telling this poem all about this guy named Achilles that fought like the dickens. He seemed pretty tough to me, but Phoebus said them ancients weren’t so tough compared to the soldiers nowadays, and that with modern training just about any old private was probably tougher than Achilles. I liked the poem anyway, even if it was a bit violent.

I was having a good time, listening to them two boys argue about things. Only Phoebus must have been uncomfortable where he was, cause he kept pressing up next to me where we was lying on the couch. I kept shifting, to give him room, but he’d just move closer, and pretty soon I ran out of space. After a while, I just stayed where I was, with his leg up against mine. It seemed funny at first, but after a while I decided I kind of liked it. It sure was warm, anyway.

Once dinner was over, what’s-his-name, the chief of the ship, asked if I liked either of them fellers, and if so, which one. Well, Posca was awfully nice and really smart, but Phoebus was nice too, and he sure is nice to look at. So I couldn’t decide.

But it turned out that we was going to be on the ship for a few more days, so I could have a date with each one. I flipped a coin and decided to spend this evening with Posca and the next with Phoebus. Phoebus gave me a bow and kissed my hand – it made my hand tingle more then that weird shower – and said he’s see me tomorrow. And then Posca took me and Dusty and showed us the ship. (Dusty wasn’t on the date or nothing, but she came along to help me talk to Posca. Plus I wasn’t sure if I was ready to be all alone with him.)

Posca was awfully nice. He took me to a gun mount, where the gunner sits during a fight and shoots at the enemy ship. From there, you could see out into space. He showed me all the stars – there were more of them then I ever imagined. And he pointed the view finder back at Dirt. It was real pretty, a brown speck with a bunch of green spots here and there. He said the green spots were where they was growing plants, and you could see how things was going by how much green there was. Posca zoomed the view finder to where everything looked real big. We was even able to make out buildings in towns. We tried to find home, but couldn’t figure out where it was.

After we was done looking at Dirt, he made the viewfinder show stars again. He said he wanted to see me by the starlight, and that I was just about the prettiest thing he’d ever seen, and how much he liked my eyes and my hair and my skin and stuff. I reckon I blushed at that – Dusty is really the pretty one of us. But it sure was nice hearing him say all that.

Afterwards, he walked us back to our part of the ship. That Posca sure is a nice guy, and what Momma would call a perfect gentleman. And awfully smart, too.

Anyway, I guess that was my first date. I ain’t never been out with a feller before. It sure was nice, and Posca seemed to think so too – he said that he knew I was busy the next day with Phoebus and all, but if we were going to be on the ship longer then that, he’d like to take me out some more.  That sounds fine by me.

Dear Diary,

We went down to that big room for landing little ships to meet the important people coming in, and they was about the most outlandish people I ever did see.

First off, a little ship landed in the room. Then this guy came out. He was dressed in a bathrobe and carried a big sword. He looked all around everywhere, and then returned to the ship. Soon he came out again, followed by about the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Well, at least I think she was beautiful. Because she was wearing this big robe made of shimmery fabric, and her face was covered with white makeup, and she had huge hair that towered over her. But she walked like I’d imagine an angel would walk, all glidey and graceful. And when she looked at us, she had the prettiest bright blue eyes.

She was followed by a little girl and another woman who looked like a servant. They looked at us, and then continued on.

Afterwards, when we went back to the lounge, Dusty said she was the favorite concubine of the Son of Heaven. I didn’t know what that meant, but Dusty said that a concubine was kind of like a super high class whore, and the Son of Heaven was the Emperor of Nihon. So I guess that means she’s awfully important. She sure looked it.

Dear Diary,

Things have been getting real interesting today. There’s so much, I hardly know where to start.

First off, we saw everyone back in that lounge. They was all looking at these flat pieces of glass on little stands and rows of tiny buttons underneath them.  If you pressed some buttons and touched the glass in the right spot, you’d see shows and stuff. They called them computers, and I had heard of them before, but even the Hawkins didn’t have no such thing. I thought they was pretty neat.

At least, I thought they was pretty neat until I learned that they had brains inside them. I ain’t sure if they’re people’s brains or animals, but it all seems gross to me. And worrisome – I mean, what if they wanted my brain?

Just about then, some of them soldiers came back and said they had finished testing our swabs what they took when we first got to the ship. They said that Mr Dutch’s came out positive, so they had to take him away to do more tests. We all were worried about that, and Dusty said she figured they’d have to take his brain out and put it in one of them computers. I didn’t think they’d do that, but I was worried until Mr. Dutch came back. He seems about the nicest of the guards, and I’d feel bad if they took his brain from him.

But I was sure happy that I kept them from getting Dusty’s swab. I mean, what if they figured out she’s special and all. They’d take her brain for sure! Well, I suppose at least SOMEONE would get some use out of it then!!!

Soon after that, this girl came by. She was real pretty, and wearing this little dress that only went down about to the middle of her thigh. She said her name was Aphrodite, like the goddess, and she was from Slag. But she worked on the ship now, keeping one of their important thinker types warm at night. But she didn’t have nothing to do today, so she offered to show us around the ship.

At first, they weren’t going to let us wander around, but then Tacita the Oracle Girl came by, and it turned out that she could go most anywhere she wanted, and take us with too. So Aphrodite showed us the more interesting parts of the ship.

Meanwhile, Dusty got it in her head that I wanted a boyfriend. I don’t know how she figured that, but she decided that what with all the men in the ship and all, she might be able to find me a husband. I wasn’t sure about that. I mean, I want a husband someday, sure. I want to find me a good man to take care of me, and to give me a house to take care of, and to give me healthy babies, just like Momma had in Daddy. But I don’t know if I’m ready just yet. And besides, I still need to make money to save up for a dowry. So I don’t know if I want a boyfriend just yet, but you know how it is trying to tell Dusty anything. Once she gets something in her head, you just can’t get it out with blasting powder, and she got it in her head that I should have a boyfriend.

We went first to see the ship’s clinic. That’s the place they take care of the sick people and do whatever medical tests and stuff needs doing. (We looked for a brain-remover but didn’t see one. They must keep them somewhere else in the ship, or else put away in a closet or something.) We spoke to the doctor, and Dusty asked him if he couldn’t make me talk. I didn’t figure he could do anything, but he ran one of them testing machines over me and said that there weren’t nothing wrong with my talking equipment, only there was something broken in the wiring between it and my brain. He could fix it, he said, but it would take a long time. There ain’t time to do it now, but maybe someday I’ll be able to talk and sing and all. I never thought I’d be able to do that – maybe I’ll be able to sing a lullaby to my baby someday, when I have a baby, I mean.

(Anyway, he told Dusty that I really couldn’t talk – there really was something wrong with me. It wasn’t just cause I’m stubborn, like she always says. That’s just being mean, like I been telling her all along.)

There was this nice young feller working in the clinic named Posca. He seemed to like me, and Dusty invited him to come back and have dinner with us later. She said he’d make a good boyfriend for me. I don’t know, but he seemed nice.

After the clinic, we went to other parts of the ship. (I heard that I should never call it a boat, only a ship, so that’s what I’ll do.) They have a garden in here, and a big empty place where smaller ships can land, and big guns that fire out into space, and all kinds of interesting places. They also have a bunch of soldiers on the ship. We saw a couple guarding this one room. One of them was awfully cute – a bit guy with blonde hair and smooth skin and lots of muscles named Phoebus. Dusty invited him to come join us for dinner too. I don’t know what I’ll do, what with two fellers coming courting me and all. But I suppose I’ll think of something.

Anyway, we’re back in the lounge now. The big chief of these people says he wants us to come somewhere later and stand around and look nice and all. Apparently, there’s some important visitor from somewhere else coming on board, and she might want to see us since we’re the ones that found the Oracle girl. Anyway, he says he’ll pay us as long as we just stand there and be quiet. (That should be easy for me!) He says that if we don’t behave good, them visitors might kill us or something. That makes me a little nervous, but I figure I can behave well enough, as long as he’s paying me and all. So I figure I’ll go along.  But maybe Dusty should stay behind, because I don’t think she can behave herself for that long.

And oh – he spent a long time with us talking about what was going on with Tacita and why all them guys wanted her. But I wasn’t really paying much attention, so you’ll have to ask Dusty if you want to know what that was all about. About the only thing I remember was about the old woman who started the big nasty wars, the one that they was trying to bring back by killing Tacita. Anyway, back in her day she made vampires and other nasty things like that. That’s why they called her a terror former – she formed all them terrors and all.

Dear Diary,

Well, here I am in a ship up in space. It’s like nowhere I’ve been, and I kind of like it. For one thing, it’s just about the cleanest place I’ve ever seen. All the corridors are spic and span, and there ain’t no dust or grime anywhere.

All the people are awfully clean too. They’re all wearing these shiny smooth jumpers that look like they wouldn’t take any dirt at all. And they all seem nicely bathed, and smell good, and everything.

It’s not all that surprising that they’d be that clean. Dusty and me are sharing a room, and we have our own bathroom just for the two of us. Indoor plumbing and everything – it’s a real treat! Only it’s just about the strangest plumbing I’ve ever seen. There’s hardly any pipes at all, only a little tap that you can fill a glass from. Instead, they’ve got these weird silver things that you put your hands under, and one high up that you can use to wash your whole body. They ain’t got no openings like a proper nozzle, but they don’t need any cause they don’t spray water. Instead, they just kind of buzz, and you feel your skin go all shivery like, and the dirt just falls away. I don’t know if I like it or not – feeling my skin buzz like that is kind of nice, but kind of funny feeling all at the same time. And I just don’t feel quite clean without soap and water. But I don’t smell bad after using it, and all the dirt is off me, so I guess it’s okay.

And oh – they let you leave your clothes in a special laundry chute and bring them back all clean too.

After I took my shower (if you can call it that when there ain’t no water), I put on one of them smooth outfits, just like the people on the ship wear. I like how it feels, all smooth like. Dusty and me are going out to the galley to see what everyone’s up to. So speak to you later, dear diary!