The Golden Crunk of Cringle Read online

  "Gram," the other said, and both moved towards her.

  "Oh, so it is that way," she said, pointing in Daneb's direction.

  One sniffed the air then said something to the other, who joined in.

  "Ok, thanks," Pira chirped as they stepped forward. She flowed down the stairs. "I guess you were right Gabe. It's this way."

  Daneb gave her a worried look, and they hurried away from the exit. When they passed an adolescent boy sitting with his hands in his lap, Daneb pulled Pira aside.

  "Ask him where the nearest store is that sells high-end goods."

  Pira tried to shove her breasts up, which made no difference, and squatted next to the boy. "Hello," she said in an overblown seductive voice.

  "Hey," the kid responded, giving her only a cursory glance.

  "My man over there says he'll buy me something nice for my birthday, but I can't find anything I like around here. Is there somewhere better, so a girl can get something good for once?"

  The boy stared at her. Pira looked back over her shoulder, questioning, and Daneb nodded for her to continue.

  "I don't suppose you could help out a lady in need?" Pira fell onto her hands and knees, practically touching the side of the boy's face with her collarbone.

  "Leave me alone."

  "Fine," Pira said, dropping the pretense. She stormed back to Daneb. "I think you're more his type," she said with an annoyed grimace.

  Daneb sat next to the boy. "Sorry." He tapped the boy's shoulder with his own. "She's an idiot. If you could help us out I'd really appreciate it."

  The boy turned a questioning face to him, but didn't speak.

  "We haven't eaten in a while and need a place to buy some food and stuff, but we can't get by the guards." He wanted to leave any useful avenue open. "Please."

  "That's B-Town." The boy pointed in the general direction of the sphere exit. "If you want something nice, you want to go in there. Hey, if you have money, can I have some?" He stuck out his hand.

  "Sorry. I don't actually have money. We're just trying to get by."

  "Oh," the boy said and lowered his head.

  "I do have this though." He reached into his shirt and pulled out the other beef and broccoli ration that Pira hadn't eaten.

  The boy reached for it, but Daneb pulled it away. "Nothing's free," Daneb said. It was a common phrase.

  "Right." The boy lowered his eyes to the ground and sat motionless.

  "Look. All I want to know is how to get into B-Town."

  "Can't."

  "Can we get in from one of the other spheres? You give me some good information and I'll give you this pack."

  The boy stared at the pack, seemed too tired to eat. "Maybe through West."

  "West?"

  The boy had a moment of clarity and looked Daneb in the face, but then the tired look returned. "Over two spheres." He pointed.

  Daneb turned to see what the kid was pointing at, but couldn't make sense of it.

  "Go down there, then over."

  "Ok." Daneb started to hand the ration pack to the boy, but then pulled back. He wanted more.

  "I used to live there with my dad. That's how we got in."

  "All right." He gave the kid the ration pack, and tried to offer a smile, but it didn't quite come across. He knew a single pack wasn't going to turn the kid's life around.

  "I told you," Pira said in triumph while they walked away.

  "He was just a kid."

  "Still, these didn't sway him." She made a slice across the air in front of her chest. "But he talked to you."

  "Shut up," he said with a half-hearted huff of a laugh. He was glad she was teasing him, even if it was the same old joke. The normal Pira harassed him at every opportunity, and he felt the person he was with wasn't quite her.

  Once they'd dropped back down a couple of floors, they found a small passage lined with tinted windows. It reeked of a dank, organic smell that reminded him of home, but not in a good way. From there they could see a smattering of lights that lit the adjacent level of the next sphere.

  They passed an open storefront where an Ornlop was caressing an old human male with its tentacles. The man's back was to them, but he seemed to be enjoying himself.

  The new sphere had less foot traffic and was in worse shape. Since it was an attachment sphere, there wasn't a central open chamber. The smell he assumed was fungus farms followed them down the hall and around several corners. Having grown up on land, it didn't take long for the labyrinth of corridors to confuse them.

  "Were you mapping?" Daneb asked. He had been too worried about getting away from the port to make a mental map. There were too many passages anyways.

  "No. Can't we just hide in here for a while?" Pira reached up to the nearest door control panel.

  "No," Daneb said, and jerked her hand away. He held her by the wrist and stared into her eyes.

  "Ok, fine." She gave a smartass curtsy, tilted her head, and walked off.

  Daneb followed her through passages and open doorways. When they passed a shop with a dull, orange, blinking light, he made a snap decision.

  "Here," he said loud enough for her to hear with her back turned. He then walked into the store.

  A few half-bare shelves contained a wide menagerie of things. The sign on the door appeared to be Kregal, which neither of them spoke. Daneb worked his way to the back of the shop where the keep was, occasionally eyeing Pira to make certain she followed.

  "Are you sure?" a big guy at the counter asked the keep.

  The guy behind the counter was tall, but hunched in the back. He flicked his eyes to Daneb for a second. "I don't know. Tell me again what these two kids look like."

  Daneb's eyes widened. The other man had his back to them, so Daneb hadn't realized it was Erie.

  Erie released an audible huff. "How can you smell anything down here? It's two kids, older boy, younger girl. He's this tall, she's about this tall."

  Daneb turned and motioned to Pira. They moved to the aisle farthest on the right and squatted behind a display. Pira gave him a questioning look, and he mouthed Erie in something less than a whisper. Her eyes jerked about, and she looked both ways down the aisle. She nodded towards the exit, but he shook his head.

  "And you're sure?" Erie asked annoyed.

  "Ah, yeah. I don't think I've seen anyone like that. How can I get hold of you if I do? Is there a reward?"

  Daneb wondered if the shopkeeper would change his mind if there were, but there was no other exchange. They stayed hidden, not daring to peek. Erie was quiet when he wanted to be.

  The shopkeeper appeared at the end of the aisle. "He's gone. You can come out."

  "Thank you," Daneb said as he stood and helped Pira up.

  "Ah, no worries. They come in her looking for people all the time."

  "Erie does?" Daneb asked.

  "That guy? No. There's dozens like him though, grunts working for someone who promises much, and only gives them enough to keep them around. Bunch of assholes, the lot. I'm Thomas." The man scooted his way over to them with effort, and offered his hand to Pira.

  "I'm Monica. This is my bodyguard Gabe." She gave the man a smile with a slight tilt of her head.

  "Monica and Gabe, huh?" He shook Daneb's hand, and nodded for them to follow him back.

  Behind the counter, a door led to a small room. A long thin bed was against one wall and a single electric burner was on the opposite wall next to a tiny sink. The man leaned against the sink, and motioned for them to sit on the bed, which they did.

  "So, that Erie fellow said you had something valuable."

  Daneb shot upright.

  "Not so fast. I'm not going to steal it from you. You came in here to maybe sell it to me, right?"

  Daneb looked at Pira, who shook her head. "Right," he agreed, looking back at Thomas.

  "I don't have much cash to pay for trades, and what you got might be a little too hot for me. Let me see it, so I know what we're working with."

  "No," Pi
ra objected. "We're not selling it."

  Thomas looked at Daneb questioningly.

  "We are," Daneb assured him. "She's just a bit attached. It's probably best if we don't show you." The man seemed nice, but Daneb didn't trust himself with the GCC out in the open, and didn't want to find out what the stranger's reaction to it would be.

  "Can you tell me what it is at least? I can't help if I don't even know what it is."

  "I don't know," Daneb floundered.

  "Look. You don't want to sell it, that's your choice. The person that Erie character works for isn't going to stop chasing you as long as they think you have it. You pawn it off to me or someone else, and if it's as valuable as you think, you take that money and go somewhere nicer. This isn't the kind of place for kids."

  "It is," Pira spouted, defending the worth of the GCC clutched beneath her shirt.

  Daneb wanted to tell her to stop fiddling with the box because moving it let off more of a smell or whatever. More so, it made it obvious she had something special there.

  Thomas exchanged a questioning look with Daneb. Daneb thought it was about Pira, but he couldn't tell.

  "I," Daneb considered, "don't think you can afford it."

  "I see. I'll tell you what young man. You seem to be in a hard place. Nothing's free, but I have an acquaintance that might be more what you're looking for."

  "We don't have anything to trade for information."

  "This is for a debt that I owe someone else."

  While Pira bit her lip, Thomas told them of a trader in one of the larger spheres.

  "His name is Big Charles. People call him other things, but you'll want to stick with that. Tell him Lucky said you're welcome."

  Daneb gave him an odd look.

  "Just do it. If you don't, they won't let you in the front door."

  "And how do we find him?"

  "Big white pillars, can't miss them."

  "Thank you," Daneb said and stood to shake the man's hand. He kicked Pira in the foot who was staring off at nothing.

  "Thanks," she said, and forced a smile.

  Thomas looked at Pira for a few seconds, who was looking away, and then gave Daneb a solemn nod. "You should be careful."

  "Thanks. We will."

  He said we, but he knew the man meant him specifically. Even strangers could tell something was wrong with Pira. They were a team, as his mother had said right before she walked back to her fate. She had only been able to arrange passage for two. Ever since, it had been him and Pira. Their father had probably died creating the distraction. Their mother probably died not long after.

  *

  The sphere everyone called West was the second largest on the station. It was the first addition to Ben-2 and looked its age. It was an odd combination of broken and busy. One hall contained trash and people sleeping huddled together, the next was bustling and lined with old but functioning shops. The directions Thomas gave them took them through a couple of the less savory sections. Pira followed in silence and it didn't take Daneb long to find the place.

  Two large white pillars stood at the joint of a pair of passages that formed a V. Across from them, dilapidated lights lit the unused shaft-gear. The gear looked like it could crumble apart at any time. In contrast, crisp blue lights lit the front of the entrance with the white pillars where two guards strafed a wide door. One was a big human brute, the other a Bramel.

  Daneb walked up to them with as much confidence as he could. "I need to speak to Big Charles."

  "Garmanrc," the Bramel said.

  Daneb glanced at Pira, who remained quiet. "Lucky sent us."

  "Rummrr." The Bramel nodded at him and approached.

  The Bramel motioned for Daneb to raise his arms, and he obliged. He patted Daneb down then moved in front of Pira, who was once again absent the present.

  "Hey," Daneb said, poking her in the side.

  Pira gave him an annoyed look and spread her legs. She placed one hand in the air, but continued clutching the box with the other. The Bramel ran a pair of hands down each of her legs. He then ran one hand up her side and grabbed her raised shoulder to pull her arm down, which was out of his reach. One hand held Pira by the wrist, while another removed her free hand from the box. He pulled her shirt up with his third hand and caught the box as it fell free with his fourth.

  "Hey!" Pira screeched. "That's mine." Pira kicked him in the leg.

  The Bramel shoved her back and unlatched the simple clasp on the box.

  "Don't open it," Daneb warned. "That's for Big Charles."

  The Bramel squinted at him, and then looked back at the other guard, who shook his head slowly. The Bramel then held the box up to its face and took a long whiff. He closed his eyes, took a second whiff, and his member started to emerge from its protective pouch.

  Daneb snatched the box away, clasped the latch closed and dropped it into his shirt. "It's only for Big Charles."

  "Go on in," the human guard said as he moved towards them.

  Daneb didn't wait for the other to agree. He grabbed Pira by the hand and headed inside.

  "What's wrong with you?" the guard asked the Bramel.

  The building with the white pillars was a gambling hall, not a trade shop like Daneb expected. There were plenty of lights, guards, booze, and commotion. Scantily clad people of several races mingled with the crowd. Daneb noticed an enticing human woman. It was just a glance, but with the box pressed against him, the mere sight of her was arousing, so he tried to think about something else. He was still holding Pira by the wrist since she wasn't quite with it yet. Her skin was so smooth, young. Daneb dropped her hand and bit at the inside of his cheek.

  "Can you tell me where Big Charles is?" he asked a woman who appeared to be part of security.

  She nodded towards the second floor.

  "Give it back," Pira moaned.

  The guard eyed them.

  "Come on," he said.

  People were having a good time and making a lot of noise. He could smell the sexual tension in the air. He floated up the stairs with Pira behind him mumbling something.

  Upstairs was more for socializing. People leaned in for whispers. Daneb knew they said dirty things. There was no other reason to lean in. Legs touched under tables. Lips were wet with alcohol. He wanted alcohol and needed lips. He wanted to dive into that place and never come out.

  "Big Charles?" he asked a random passerby.

  The person thumbed over their shoulder, and Pira stepped around them. Daneb decided to follow her since it was easier than thinking for himself. It also gave him more time to observe the multitude of pretty women. People dressed to the high end mingled with regular folk, which he found tantalizing. He wanted to engage all of them.

  "Big Charles?" someone asked.

  Someone answered.

  Daneb didn't want to move away from all the yummy people in the main room, but when he tried to turn around, something pulled him forward.

  "Lucky sent us," he said to whoever was listening. He eyed the Ornlop, wondered what the other Ornlop had been doing to the man in the massage parlor.

  "Come on stupid." Pira pulled him forward by the sleeve.

  They entered a large room with a kind of daybed throne in the center. Atop it was a well-groomed, heavyset man in a tailored red suit. His emerald eyes were bright, his black hair slick.

  "Lucky sent us," Pira said.

  "Lucky said you're welcome," Daneb corrected her, trying to focus on what they were doing.

  "Really?" The man rose from his side to a seated position.

  "We have the GCC," Pira said.

  "Shhh," Daneb objected. He didn't want anyone to know, since someone might try to take it from him.

  "You have the Golden Crunk of Cringle?" The man laughed in disbelief. "Children?"

  "I'm a man," Daneb said.

  "So I see. Why don't you show it to me?"

  Daneb didn't want to show him. The GCC was his. The man kept staring though, and Pira was staring at him too. br />
  "Please Danny," Pira begged. Her eyes were wide. She was worried. "You're supposed to protect me."

  Daneb saw Pira's face, but what he heard was their mother's voice.

  You have to look after her. She's just a child. One day she'll be a woman, but you'll always have to look out for her. Protect her Danny. She's you're little sister.

  Daneb pulled his shirt free, flipped the latch of the box open, and held it up like an offering. He didn't look at it, couldn't. It took everything he had to hold it there and keep his eyes firmly fixed on the ground. The smell filled him as he breathed deep. He clutched at a loop in his pants with his free hand. It was the only way to keep it from his crotch.

  "Ok he saw it," Pira said. She snatched it away and snapped the lid shut. She tucked it into her shirt and shuddered as it settled into place.

  Daneb didn't want to trade it, but out of view with the lid closed, he regained a bit of his senses.

  "Hurry up," Pira whispered out the side of her mouth.

  He could see she was struggling. He could also see that Big Charles was sitting forward in his seat.

  "Do you know what it does?" Daneb asked.

  "I've heard rumors, but why don't you tell me." The man gave a coy smile.

  Daneb figured the rumors didn't do it justice, and if they were anything like the one's he'd heard, they were wrong.

  "It will fulfill your desires."

  "Don't tug me about boy. Be specific."

  "It's sexual. The moment you touch it you'll be in another place living out your craziest sex fantasies."

  "So that's why you won't touch it. What is that smell?"

  "I guess that's the cringle. It has an intoxicating smell."

  "Pheromones?"

  "I guess."

  "Let me smell it, closer."

  "Ok."

  Pira gave him a worried look. Daneb put his hands on her shoulder to steady her, but she shook free. Charles waddled over to them, circled them both while sniffing the air. He stopped in front of Pira, got on one knee, and sniffed at her mid section.

  "It smells wonderful."

  To Daneb's surprise, the man returned to his seat.

  "And the price?" Charles asked.

  Daneb racked his brain. The man had money, probably a lot of it.

  "100,000 drachma."

  Charles let out a roar of a laugh and slapped his thrown. Then he nodded to a guard near the door who quickly left.