Authors!

Do you want to join the Tag Team in Space? We are looking for new contributors and new characters to keep the story going.
Requirements: 300 - 500+ words in first person that tie into and expand the story line with any character of your choosing every 3 - 4 weeks.
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Interested? Send Naomi an email at naomisweets at gmail.com.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Episode 28 - Man Was She Hot

"You see doc, I told you she was up to something crazy."

"Derrick, I don't think it's like that. You don't know Katie like I do."

"Well doc, it wouldn't appear that you know her all too well either. Who is that guy she is talking with, and what the hell are they talking about? And did you see what happened to your best buddy Fogweet? I thought you two were attached at the hip? I'm surprised you didn't get the bump on your head from him being hit."

The doctor and I crouched behind one of the loaders at the entrance of the terminal. Across the floor, at the other end of the terminal we could see Fogweet unconscious on the ground by the lift and Katie sitting at a table with some guy who looked vaguely familiar. I couldn't quite place his face, but I felt like I knew him from somewhere. Regardless of who he was, I had work to do and this guy would not stand in my way.

"I admit, the man knocking out poor little Fogweet pisses me off a bit."

"'Pisses you off' huh? Wow, that's the most emotion I've heard out of you yet. Maybe you wanna' waltz on over there and do something about it? Maybe take that guy out back and show him a thing or two?" 

"Uh... Well, I mean... There's no need to resort to" I was running out of patience and quickly cut the Jerry off, "Yeah, doc, I get it. No need to resort to violence, but we are at a time and place where violence is probably the first, second and third option for dealing with these traders and getting the fusion device back. We've been standing pat for way too long hoping that these Rogarians would simply stumble their way out of the tunnels and into our hands, and time is not on our side."

I looked over at the Jerry and he looked as if he might pass out at any moment, "Listen Jerry, if you need to sit this one out maybe you can go hang out with your girlfriend over there and you guys can work out whatever idiotic plan she has cooked up. But I need to get going and pretty soon at that. I don't know what nonsense she has planned with that guy over there but the device and this mission are far too important to risk on wild cards like these."

"No, no. I'm okay. I promise. While I definitely trust Katie, I too am not sure what this guy has to do with our mission and I think you could use my assistance as well. Your arm has only just healed from the last meeting we had with those traders, and should you get injured again I could be of great service."

I smirked a bit at the idea that I could or would ever need the doc's help especially in an encounter with the traders, but I wasn't going in the mood to argue anymore. I didn't know what the hell Katie was up to and I needed to get down in those tunnels before she could do anything stupid to jeopardize this mission. If she was working against us, well that would be a damn shame. Man was she hot. I really hoped I didn't have to kill her when this was all done.

I grabbed Jerry by his arm and we made our way to the emergency access portal just to our right. I hacked the electronic lock and we entered the doorway. As the door closed behind us I could smell the stench of what must be several of those Rogarians upwind of us. The doc let out a slight whimper and I pushed him forward down the corridor, this was going to get ugly I imagined but we continued on.

(Read the rest of the Episodic Saga here at TTiS)

Friday, March 15, 2013

Episode 27 - Mike Martin joins the Team

Mike Martin  - New character by A.L. Jambor

I watched the Martian grab the girl.  I’d been watching them for several minutes, and I had a gut feeling this wouldn’t end well.  I looked around for something to bash him over the head with and found a large stone in the decorative fountain near the entrance of the Starbucks.  As the girl struggled, I bashed him over the head and he fell like a sack of potatoes.

“You okay,” I asked.  She looked stunned and her arms were covered in slime.

“I’m fine.  I had this under control.”

She looked pissed off so I offered to buy her a coffee.  She didn’t want to at first, but then she agreed.  I could see she was rattled, but she kept pretending everything was cool.  I picked up two coffees and brought them to the table.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she said.  “I was handling it.”

“Yeah, you looked like you were handling it.”

“Who are you?” she asked.

“Mike Martin.  And you?”

Ensign Katie Golden.”

“Ooo Ensign.  So, what’s with the Martian?  I saw you talking nice and then he grabbed you.”

“I was asking for his help.”

“Help with what?”

She hesitated for several seconds.  “I wanted him to talk to Marla.”

“Marla!  You don’t look like the type,” I said smiling from ear to ear.

“It wasn’t like that!” she said.  I liked seeing her face turn red.

“Then what was it like?”

“That’s classified.”

“Oh, come on, I saved your life, for Pete’s sake.”

She looked to her left and then her right.  “What do you do, Mr. Martin?”

“I was released from the joint a week ago.  Presently, I don’t do anything.”

“You were an inmate?”  Now she really looked pissed.

“You say it like it’s a bad thing.  Yeah, I was an inmate.  So what’s the deal with Marla?”

Katie sat back in her chair.  She was obviously frustrated and now that I had compromised her deal with the Martian, she must have been weighing her options.  I pulled out a cigarette and lit it which sent another look of disapproval my way.

“I needed her to go underground to lure someone out,” she said.  “I don’t suppose you’d know Marla.”

“Well, not to brag, but me and Marla go way back.”

“Really,” she said, her eyes lighting up.

“Yeah, sure, I know her pretty well.”

“Then you’d talk to her for me?”

“I’d have to know what you wanted her to do first, the whole story this time.”

“Fine, but you have to understand this is a matter of national security and if you tell anyone, I mean anyone, it could mean life or death for billions of people.”

So, that’s what it was about.  The stolen chip.  Oh, yeah, we hear things in the joint.
“What do you want her to do?”

“We need her to lure a trader out of the tunnels.  A Rogarian trader – a nasty piece of work.”

“And just how would you guarantee her safety?”

“I’d follow her down and make sure she was protected.”

“You!  You couldn’t protect yourself topside from a drunken Martian.  Nah, I can tell you right now she’d never do it.  Marla likes money, but she’s no fool.  No, you need someone with some tunnel savvy.”

“And I bet you know someone like that.”

“Of course, I do.  Me.”

“You.  Really.  And just how long were you in prison, Mr. Martin?”

“Six months.  Listen, for your information, Sweetie, I happen to know a Rogarian trader who fits your description.  He’d talk to me.  I could get him to come out no sweat.”
I’d ruffled her feathers by calling her Sweetie.  I loved playing this broad.

“And why would he follow you out?” she asked.

I grinned and sat back.  “Because I owe him money.”