The Journal of Caius Oakley

[Coin]

The following extract is based upon real events. Names have been withheld for privacy reasons.

After my shower, I had intended to head down to the fleshpots of Cambridge. However, the maiden voyage of my new firefly had been far less profitable than I had planned, and I consoled myself with the delights of the spaceport bar. The microwaved rubbery chicken, overcooked chips and cold peas were pretty much on a par with every other spaceport bar, but at three times the price that I had grown accustomed to paying. It did have one thing in its favour though: it wasnt synth paste.

I was relieved that it wasnt the same barman as before, unless the master spy had shaven his head and grown a mono-brow in the mean time. At the very least the changing shift meant that he actually acknowledged my presence and didnt dump my change on the bar.

The giant viewscreen was showing Starflier races from Connecticut, but I found my mind drifting back to my own race earlier that day. Had the gunboat been an unofficial escort? I suppose that cruising through the back-lanes of Sirius with a large escort would attract attention, but how much clout and money does someone need to buy off a Corsair for the day, and make sure he stays bought?

I headed back to the ship, wanting an early start in the morning, but my mind was clutching at the straws of Alex DAubenys wheelings and dealings. First up: Avoid Rheinland. Was he avoiding the military or the RHA? Who did he meet on Kurile, and why did we have to leave so suddenly? As I settled into a jury-rigged bunk in the back of the cockpit, I was thinking of the trip to Gran Canaria why did I have to fly there to get paid off? Why not just pay me on the dock here at Cambridge? I hoped that Gran Canaria might provide some answers or at least some money.

Hung-over, tired and cramped from sleeping in the cockpit, I stamped my feet into a pair of flight boots and squelched my way across a landing pad still damp from the mornings dew. Very few flights had launched so far this morning, the smog had yet to settle in, making the hills of Cambridge sharply green against the powder-blue of the sky. I had eyes for none of this; I wanted coffee, something to eat and a shave. Unfortunately, the coffee served at the spaceport bar tasted like someone had used the water to shave in already, but it was hot and sweet, and I was past expecting decent fayre on Cambridge.

Without payment for being a high-risk taxi driver, H-fuel was the only cargo that I could afford to take down to Omega 49. It had the benefit of not being exciting enough for pirates, but the 300K profit wasnt going to make anybody rich. As I supervised the dock hands loading, I reflected that this was more like the journey I had planned for the Fireflys maiden voyage, before being suckered into the DAubenys madcap wild-goose chase. Prelaunch checks completed, I left Cambridge behind me, and settled into the zen-like state of a trader docked with a trade lane: one eye ahead, one eye on the radar, the system-wide radio on, brain, off.

I passed through London without incident maybe everyone else was hung-over too docked with the Dublin jump-gate, and cruised over to the Omega 49 jump-hole. There was a Bounty Hunter over by Battleship Essex, but apart from him, I had Dublin to myself.
The asteroid field inside Omega 49 was lit up with laser fire, as Bounty Hunters and Corsairs battled it out. I skipped through the middle of the battle, and cruised over to Lanzarote, dropping off the H-fuel.

Right, Missy, I hope youve got a suitcase full of cash for me I thought as I docked with Gran Canarias mooring point. I dumped the ship down hard on the landing pad, bringing a few sharp looks from the dock hands theyre the ones who bash out the dents we make and walked quickly to the spaceport terminal.

Inside, I found the equipment dealer, re-wiring a light-fighter class shield.

Its amazing the damage one asteroid can do. Hi, Im Gordon Byrd, my friends call me Gordo, what can I do for you?

Well, Gordo, Im told you have a goodly selection of armour upgrades.

His eyes narrowed. We usually do, but right now Ive only got one class 8, and thats been reserved already.

Oh, well, I guess, never mind then. Inside I was fuming. Had the D'Aubenys sent me down here so that they could clear off from Cambridge without me around? I was also told you might know a friend of mine Beatrice DAubeny?

Ah, yes, I do know her. Are you Caius Oakley?

I am. Did she leave a message for me, I was expecting to meet her here.

She was here yesterday, and she did leave a message for you. And more, in fact

I raised an eyebrow. Oh?

Yes, the armour upgrade that I couldnt sell you, she bought it yesterday and said that youd come to collect it today or tomorrow.

Why didnt she just take it with her?

Youll have to ask her that, I presumed that it wouldnt fit on her ship. Shall I send it out to the landing pad the Firefly wasnt it?

Yes, its on landing pad four. You didnt happen to see which ship she was flying did you?

Im afraid that I spend most of my time in here, fixing up damaged Hessian equipment that the Corsairs bring in.

You said there was a message?

Oh yes, its just three words. She said: Let yourself go.

Let yourself go? Nothing else?

No, that was it. Does that mean anything to you?

It might, but Id havta think a while. As if Im gonna spill my all of my beans like that, Gordo.

While I manhandled the armour reinforcements into their sockets around the edge of the hold well if I was shipping it around for her, I might as well get some use out of it I was racking my brain for clues to the latest puzzle that Beatrice had sent me. The armour-plating in place, and me none the wiser, I headed to the bar to pick up the local gossip and some breakfast.

The coffee was better than Cambridges, but not by much. As I sat alternately sipping it and munching an egg roll, I turned to the Colony News Service, whose rising tone jingle All the news thats fit for you I had always found both irritating and patronising, when my brain, fired up by the second coffee of the day, supplied the answer to the bizarre message from Beatrice. About five years back, Spa & Cruise had run a Sirius-wide advertising campaign extolling the delights of their resorts, one of which was Destination: Curacao. Let yourself go. What a bloody silly message. Why not just TELL me where to go?

I left the remaining half inch of coffee in the cup, and headed for the commodity dealer, determined to find a cargo to Curacao. The only cargo worth considering was Deuterium; oxygen, water, food and spaceship crew were all cheaper on Curacao, but deut showed a healthy profit of 1125 per item. I spent my last red cent on that cargo, almost filling the hold for the first time since I bought her. I cleared the docking ring, and was setting way points and examining long range scanners for trouble, when I noticed a Starflier sat outside Gran Canaria.

Hello little Starflea, how did you get down here?

I dodged all the rogues, mollys and lane hackers.

Thats some tidy flying captain!

Thank you!

My next question is, WHY are you down here?

I was told that I could farm a wreck in this system, and make a pile of cash really quickly. Im only just starting out.

Hmm, that wreck was stripped a long time ago. Someones been yanking your chain. I scanned him, and saw he was fresh out of nanobots and shield batteries. You want some bats and bots? With 450 of each, I wasnt going to miss 10.

Yes please.

I jettisoned them, and watched to see him tractor them in. Listen, do you want an escort up to liberty? Im headed that way anyway.

That would be great, thank you.

He entered formation behind me, and we flew off towards the Dublin jump-hole. As we flew, I suggested a few simple runs that could keep him out of trouble, until he had a ship that could take more than one hit. Ill say this, for a rookie, he was a good pilot. A Molly gunboat was waiting in ambush for us, and had us pinned up against the mine field surrounding Graves station. He skipped that Starflier around the turret fire, and dodged the fighter escorts like a pro, until we were out of their range, and we could cruise away. He stuck to my starboard quarter through London, Manchester and Cortez, and I left him at the California gate.

Thanks a million, I owe you one.

No problem, another time.

My problem is that Im an incredibly suspicious bastard. I probably get this from Dad, who had to deal with people who were trying to hide stuff from him every day. He said to me once I stopped looking for whether people are hiding stuff a long time ago, now I only look to see how much. As I laned it back to Curacao, I was thinking that maybe it was the Starflier that was escorting me, rather than the other way around. By constantly chatting to me, it meant that I couldnt be in private comms with anyone else, and he could hear whatever I said in the system comms radio channel. Have I just led someone to Beatrice, or have I been led to Beatrice? I wondered.

As my ship settled on Curacaos landing pad no body-slam touchdown here I watched with an amused detachment as a pretty girl with short dark hair walked arm-in-arm with a tall blond man towards the landing pad.

Hello, Caius, how are you?

Im good. I couldnt resist a little jibe though: but Im a little tired today, I feel as if Ive flown halfway around Sirius and back.

That was met with a sharp look. Oh well, back to Frosty Beatrice then I thought.

Caius, Id like you to meet my cousin, Benjamin Roland, hes the Commodity trader for Spa & Cruise here on Curacao.

Please, call me Ben.

Hi Ben, good to meet you. Err, I have some deuterium in the hold for you, its not a full load, in fact this is the first trading trip Ive made since I bought the ship.

He cast a quizzical eye over the Firefly. Really, how long have you had her?

This is the second day I was pinballing around the asteroid fields of omega 49 this morning that niobium ore can make a real dent.

It sure can he laughed. Ill send the lads over to unload her. I dont have much in the way of cargo to sell you though.

Thats alright, Im not sure what my plans are for the rest of the day anyway. Oh, Beatrice, I have something of yours in the hold too.

Another warning flash from those green eyes. Have you had lunch yet Caius?

No, in fact, Ive barely had breakfast.

Oh you poor thing, come on, lets feed you up, youre in for a real treat; this place has to be seen to be believed. Benjamin, Ill catch up with you next time.

Okay Bea, take care, Ive got to get back to the office, anyway. Nice to meet you Caius.

I managed a snatched Likewise over my shoulder as Beatrice took my arm and led me off towards the resort. Im not sure if the sympathy for my famished state was a sham or just general feminine motherly instincts after all, no-one looks good on a hangover but it may have been just a way to get me to shut up, as I had been gently goading her. Dammit, I felt I had the right. She skips town, owing me 25 million, makes me chase across Sirius after her, picking up her luggage and only leaves a riddle to tell me where to go next? Who did she think she was? More to the point, who did I think she was?

I was a bit worried that you might not have made the connection between the message and this place. I didn't want to advertise my next move.

"Advertise - Ha!". Well, it was a bit abstract, but I havent exactly been living under a rock for the past 30 years. I must confess that I'm a little confused to find myself here. What was wrong with paying me off on Cambridge?'

'Caius, I do actually have things to do - I couldn't wait for you to return'.

'Well what was wrong with Alex paying me when we got to Cambridge?'

'It must be your low blood sugar that's making you so dense. That would mean that Papa would have been carrying 25 million - in cash - across the 'Oms'. Whilst you had passed our vetting process with flying colours, we deemed it wiser to remove temptation'.

'I see your point. I'm just a little narked at chasing you across the galaxy, picking up your luggage for you'.

'My luggage? What luggage?'

'The armour upgrade you left on Gran Canaria. What do want me to do with it?

That's not my upgrade. Thats yours.

Mine? Why-

If I had been able to meet you as planned, then you would have 25 million sitting in your hand, and you would be standing in one of the few friendly equipment dealers in Sirius that sells the best armour upgrades. Whats your next move, Caius?

Hmm. Damn, damn, bloody damn and damn some more. In one sentence shes tied me in knots and made me look pretty stupid. I suppose youre right, but Ive gotten used to making those decisions for myself.

Beatrice just smiled. Yes, I suppose you have.

Curacao spaceport bar is, in my opinion, the nicest anywhere on Sirius. Sure, the Bier Keller feel of Berlin, with its tiled floor and gentle aroma of peach schnapps sweating out of the golden oak barrels that line the walls beats the painted concrete of Leeds Beer-Barn style any day, but can you tell me another place with an acre of parquet flooring, coloured fountains trickling their accompaniment to the string quartet playing gently in the corner, as you sit sipping champagne in sofas so deep you worry about having to be winched out of them? The only fly in the ointment was the staff.

Good afternoon, Im David Johnson, the ma?tre d of Spa & Cruise, Curacao. Welcome back Monsieur Oakley.

Youve been here before? You didnt tell me complained Beatrice.

You could say that, yes, but I really dont feel that it counts.

Monsieur Oakley is being modest Mademoiselle, he holds the title of First Citizen of Curacao. We are flattered that he has chosen to revisit.

First Citizen?

Yes, a purely honorary title, but Monsieur Oakley was the first person to be born here on Curacao.

She turned to me Is this true?

The high-handed tone of this jumped up bartender was starting to clash with my hangover. Its true I was born here, but I didnt know I was the first. No-one else was born here before me?

Or since. The ma?tre d continued Spa & Cruise have a strict policy regarding all matters obstetrical. Very few of our patrons would elect to give birth here, preferring instead the expertise of a private hospital, and should the occasion arise, we are more than please to transfer the expectant mother to the state of the art facilities we lease on Manhattan at no charge a service we extend to all our employees.

Beatrice said Has Spa & Cruise got something against babies then?

Not at all Mademoiselle, but please understand, this is a holiday resort of sublime quality, and we do everything we can to ensure that our guests are not disturbed by the semi-controlled panic that I understand attends every birth. As it was, Monsieur Oakleys birth was something of a special case, occasioning many reports in the Colony News Service, which redoubled our occupancy rates.
Rather than appear churlish, the upper echelons of the Spa & Cruise management team deemed that it was a simple gesture to offer Monsieur Oakley honorary citizenship of Curacao. Monsieur Oakley, are you planning on staying with us for a long period?

Im not sure what my plans are, actually.

In that case I shall inform the management of your arrival without delay. Im sure that they will be anxious to organise a small ceremony welcoming your return to the place of your birth. You certainly are lhomme de l'heure! I shall send you a wine waiter without delay. If there is nothing else I can help you with? No? Well, in that case, Bon app?tit.

Merci, replied Beatrice.

I turned to Beatrice. Lomdy lure?

Man of the hour murmured Beatrice, sounding preoccupied.

Oh.

As I sat there, contemplating with no small amount of horror the torture that a Welcome Home ceremony would be, I felt Beatrices eyes on me, and they had a calculating look to them. You are full of surprises, arent you Caius?

What do you mean?

Well, you sit calmly at the table in the bar on Cambridge with Papa, picking at the exact same holes in his plan that I had said to him, you blithely skip through the terrors of the Omega systems, staying one step ahead of a Corsairs gunboat yes, we did hear about that you untangle an obscure riddle to arrive here a day sooner than I expected, and now I find myself in the esteemed company of First Citizen of Curacao. Are you aware that if Spa & Cruise leave here, you could lay claim to the whole of the planet?

Thats a nice thought, but its not going to happen. So, tell me Beatrice-

Call me Bea.

Okay, Bea, tell me, why couldnt your father travel to Kurile, hidden in a cargo hold full of other VIPs or even standard passengers? Why travel alone, and draw attention to himself?

As Papa pointed out in Cambridge, theres a whole world that has passed you by, for which you can be grateful. Her voice took on a more sombre tone. Any disguise would not have been able to hide that belly of his.

True, I thought. It does do a good job of hiding his feet from him. So what does Rheinland have against him then?

Thats not-

Another waiter had ghosted up. Dammit, Im trying to get some answers here!

Sir, Mademoiselle, dinner is served. If you would be so kind as to follow me? Mademoiselle, we have your usual table for you.

Usual table? I could get used to it too. We followed the waiter through the restaurant, out onto the terrace, where a large table laden with dishes was shadowed from the slowly setting sun by the leaves of over-hanging palm trees, and the view across the bay was punctuated by triangular white sails in the distance. Ive never been one to worry about which fork to use in my estimation the chattering classes have worse manners than dock hands but I was distinctly worried about how much this was costing. However, I reasoned that if Bea continued to make me dance around for the money, I could stick the bill on her and go back to a quiet life in the trade lanes. Being First Citizen had to be good for one restaurant bill at least.

I shant describe the dishes for you. They were good, very good, in fact, better than very good. As a hangover cure, I thoroughly recommend it. However, if, like me, you went and enjoyed the dishes, knowing that this was probably going to be the last time you were ever going to eat them, well, lets just say that egg rolls are a bit of a step down.

The meal eaten, we wandered down to the seas edge, shoes in hand, and stood watching the sun slowly sink into the sea. Beatrice turned to me,

Im very grateful for what u did for my father he told me about the cigar in the transporter. I know that he probably didnt even thank you for saving him, but I wanted to let you know that Im grateful.

She leant forwards and kissed me properly this time. I kissed back, of course.

She stepped back and pulled slightly away from me. At this point my ego kicked my conscience in the nuts, ganged up with my libido and took a hold of my tongue.

Bea, in my line of work I dont often get to meet girls as beautiful as you. In fact, Ive only met one of you, and I dont want this to slip me by. Where can I meet you again?

Im very flattered Caius, but Im sorry that-

Look sister, spare me the flannel it wont wash. You just have to say I dont date trader captains

No! I wasnt going to say that at all. Caius, Im involved in something very, very dangerous and as much as I want to, I cant get you involved in my life. It wouldnt be fair.'

Her words clashed with the peacefulness of Curacaos twilight. I dont know if you have ever been to Curacao, but I tell ya, sunset there, with a drink in one hand and a pretty girl in another its a goodly slice of heaven. It was like she was trying to tell me that the Easter Bunny had died of myxomatosis.

Well, if you wont tell me what it is, I cant help you with it. If I cant help you with it, and its as dangerous as you say, then Im only going to be getting underfoot, stopping you from dealing with it, putting you in more danger. Unless, of course, you tell me whats going on, and then I can help, and reduce the danger that you're in.

I wish it were that simple Caius, but its late and Im tired. Can we talk about this over breakfast?'

Bloody women. Okay. I promise to listen to reason then. I held my hand up in a parody of someone giving an oath in an attempt to lighten the mood, but it fell flat as the sea behind me.

Goodnight Caius, sleep well.

Night. I watched her walk up the beach to the resort complex. Bloody, bloody, bloody damn. Why is it that I always make the same mistakes around women? The ones who play hard to get are the most interesting ones, and the ones who dont, arent interesting at all?

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