space hippies

I turned from the observation window and the brown-grey land we approached to the crew, sitting, standing and scratching themselves in the Dog’s Head’s dining room.

‘OK. For those of you who don’t know, Tam’s made contact with the installation. We’re going to meet our first Ludenguard in a moment, probably an ambassador. Tell him nothing of worth. I know a few of you have yet to meet any of these beings but rest assured they are cruel, greedy and non-too nice to look at. Give them an inch and they’ll take a mile. Give them a parsec and they'll take twenty minutes. Watch your tongue, offer them nothing. This is business and they sure as hell know it and won't be playing fair.’

My crew looked completely despondent. I'd told the girls to dress up (or dress down) a bit by way of distraction. Melody complied grudgingly but Tam gave me the old one-two about being a male chauvinist. I hadn't even tried with Liz. Davvy, it had to be said, was looking rather dapper in black suit and striking blue shirt.

I had to divide my mind. Lem was Lem and he'd either win or fail - I couldn't worry about that until something kicked off, but with any luck nothing would. My concerns had to be for my tongue and my crew's tongues and bartering in such a way that the Ludenguard would give us our fuel and we could be on our way come lunchtime. Lem was to give a few arranged taps in the earpiece so I could hear he was safely back aboard the Dog’s Head and then we could shoot off in the direction of the mass relay and be home.

My biggest concern was Elizabeth and what she might do or tell the Ludenguard. I needed allies. I coughed, following Melody into the corridor as she collected her bag and holstered her gun.

I’ve known Melody many moons, since I left school in fact (and probably not the type of school you think I mean). Her folks had been new-age space hippies who chose love over weapons. When someone attacks me I shoot them, unfortunately Melody's family had no guns when they fell foul of pirates so Melody became just another orphan. It was on the streets of Araypter that we found each other and hatched some plans to get the money for a ship. Not everyone spends their days cruising round the cosmos in cool spacecraft - many can’t afford to or simply don’t fancy it. Instead they ride the stupid amount of motorbikes and quads you see on Arayptian roads. Anyway, me and Melody have been together a long time so I don’t want to lose her.

‘Melody?’

She looked up, brown bam-bam eyes probing.

‘I’m sorry I attacked you. We’re friends, aren’t we?’

She shrugged, delving into her bag.

‘Aren’t we? Melody?’

I touched her arm.

‘If you want to speak to me’, she rubbed an eye and ran it through bushy black hair, ‘take your mask off.’

I pulled off my mask. ‘Melody?’

‘Of course we’re bloody friends. Just get us through this morning, all right?’

‘I’ll do my best.’