Thinking Of You

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“Ha. You tell ‘em, Lina.”

Dante Romero leaned back in the chair of his single seat patrol craft floating near an Ancient comms relay. With his space ranger jacket folded over the chair, the young human man in his mid-twenties lowered his holopad and gazed out the cockpit window. He stretched and smiled as he took in the resplendent red and gold nebula before him. Even though he grew up in this sector, it never got old. He marvelled at how enchanting and beautiful the galaxy was, even with all its ever-present dangers.

Seeing the wisdom in Lina’s words, Dante tapped his holopad against his chest a few times, then spun it around and opened up his contacts. Not really expecting an answer, he turned down the music blaring in the cockpit on a holographic display of the waveforms and waited as it rang.

His heart jumped in his chest as it chimed, and a feminine voice filled the cockpit. “Well, well, well. Can’t say I was expecting to see your name on my display, but I’m not complaining. Hello, Dante.”

Feeling caught in the headlights, he stammered, “H-Hey, Lentriss! Not gonna lie, I wasn’t really expecting you to pick up.”

She laughed. “Oh? Were you trying to call one of your other lovers and called me by mistake? Give me a moment. I need to make a scene.”

He tussled his shaggy hair. “I’m ashamed to admit, but that has happened before.”

Lentriss laughed harder. “You devil. I need to hear that story sometime. So, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

Dante took a deep breath. “What can I say? Out on patrol, staring into the beauty of the cosmos, and thought of you. Just wanted to say hi and hear your voice.”

She put on a more sultry tone. “Hi, Dante.”

He swayed side to side in the chair. “Hi, Lentriss. I’m glad you picked up.”

“Me too.” He heard her smile in her voice.

They let the moment hang and enjoyed the digital connection.

After a minute, she said, “Lucky you called when you did. I just exited the FTL tear.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Guess it was fate, then. Lucky me. You travelling around for your new book tour?”

She groaned. “I was. Had to cancel half the appearances because of some bullshit embargos and trade disputes that have nothing to do with me. Don’t they know who I am?”

He tutted. “Right? Who are they to stop the queen of spicy romance and coupling columns?”

“The audacity. Only thing I’m smuggling is good, sexy times. Maybe I should be in charge. The galaxy would be a better place if more people read my stuff. Just like I’ve been saying, make love, not war.”

“Hey, you’ve got my vote.”

She chuckled. “You’re sweet.”

He leaned forward. “Still, that sucks. Anything I can do to help?”

Lentriss sighed. “Don’t think so. Might make me feel a bit better if you blasted through the blockade and kicked that rude officer in his gonads, but the investment in the tour’s gone already.”

“Hey, I’ll do it, if you want.”

She laughed. “I know you would. Nyalu hassa.” She used a Sahalan word for fool.

Dante drummed a beat on the console with his fingers. “Well, I’m around if you want to talk about it and catch up. Can’t recoup book tour credits on my salary, but I can take you to dinner. Still have your place on LTC Zebrill?”

“Dante Romero. Are you asking me out on a date?”

He smiled. “Hell yeah, I am. Can get some drinks, food, then stroll along that boardwalk you love.”

“Lucky me. I think we’re scheduled to reach the station by the end of the day, but the crew’ve been running back and forth for some reason. Not sure what’s going…”

The line filled with static. Dante said her name a few times until the call ended, citing a poor connection. He looked out the window at the Ancient relay that effectively worked signal bouncing magic for tens of thousands of years without issue. It could be nothing, celestial interference or her ship’s comms crapping out, but he had a bad feeling.

Dante put on his space ranger jacket, buckled in, and rocketed toward the FTL lane on the edge of the system.

***

Though the liner’s hall filled with loud show tunes, the passengers didn’t feel like dancing. Wearing an ostentatious hat, the pirate captain felt no such qualms as he sang and spun around the hold of his new catch.

“Such a bountiful haul of hapless fools sauntering unescorted through my stomping grounds. Must be my lucky day!” He guffawed as his crew pointed weapons at the passengers they assembled in the ship’s dining hall. “We’ll be relieving you all of your possessions and scrapping this heap, but fear not! You all should look forward to your exciting new lives in whatever market you land in.”

He pointed to a strapping rock man. “Labour.” He pointed to a porcine Bosvin. “Meat!” He narrowed his eyes at an unhappy Sahalan woman. “Service.”

The vivacious, snake-like humanoid stood up and glared at him. “What did you say to me? Service?”

He kept strolling and waved a dismissive hand. “Take it up with the slavers, honey. I just call ’em like I see ‘em.”

Everyone close by gasped as she lunged forward and shoved him into a pile of chairs. As he scrambled back to his feet, she planted two of her four arms on her hips. “Do I look like a maid to you?” Her forked tongue tasted the air, then she spat off to the side. “I can tell by your stank and choice in crappy music that you don’t get out much. Don’t you know who I am?”

Noting the other pirates watching to see how he responded to this, the captain squared up with her. “Tell you what, I can have you taken to my chambers where we can find a better use for that smart mouth of yours, or we can make a bloody mess of you right here.” He pressed his large-bore pistol under her chin.

She leaned in closer. “Please, look at your stupid hat. I’m too good for you, honey. Like I’d give myself to some nobody I’ve never heard of.”

He scoffed. “You’ve got spunk. I like that. Let me tell you all about the man you’re going to be chained to for the rest of your miserable life!”

The captain leaped on a table and put on a theatrical performance, regaling the room with his many tales of infamy and derring-do. One of his crew rushed inside and tried to get his attention, but they got swatted away. The swabbie gasped for breath as sweat poured down their head. They had crucial news, but knew they were one more interruption away from getting shot to set an example for anyone who dared disturb the captain when he’s in the groove.

As the show tune and the captain’s tale reached its crescendo, the doors hissed open and Dante Romero stormed in. His hefty blaster pistol dropped three pirates in quick succession. The captain was so into his performance, he didn’t notice until the stunning blast hit him right up the ass, causing him to flip off the table.

The space ranger almost missed one last pirate who popped out of cover and aimed their laser rifle at him, but the strapping rock man surged forward and uppercutted the pirate so hard they slammed into the ceiling before crumpling to the ground.

As the song ended, Dante deactivated the holographic boom box the pirates brought in, spun his pistol into its holster, and addressed the room. “That’s the last of them, folks! You’re safe. My name’s Space Ranger Dante Romero. Backup’s on its way from HQ. Might take a minute, but we’ll get you where you’re going as soon as we can. So sit tight, but I could use some help from the ship’s crew in getting these crooks somewhere secure.”

Shaking off the shock of what had just happened, many cheered as others grabbed the pirates’ weapons and dragged them off. Locking eyes with a familiar face, Dante smiled and strode up to the vivacious Sahalan woman.

“Can you believe these goofballs left their jammer on? Couldn’t even warn each other I was coming. Smart move getting him to monologue like that. Bought me the time I needed.”

With two of her hands still on her hips, Lentriss inspected her nails. “I had him right where I wanted him. Didn’t even know you were coming. Not that I’m unhappy to see you.” She smirked.

They hugged, and Dante pressed his cheek into hers. “I can give you a ride back home, if you’d like.”

Lentriss smiled. “Wouldn’t want to miss our date.” She whispered in his ear. “We have a lot of catching up to do.”

***

That night, rich red and gold light from the breathtaking star-soaked nebula poured in through the penthouse windows. It danced along two tulip-shaped glasses and an empty bottle of sparkling wine. The label, reading Viper’s Kiss, featured a snake caressing a forked tongue over a dripping fang. A leather holster, weighed down with the hefty blaster pistol it carried, hung from a nearby chair. A space ranger jacket, a pair of pants, and a slinky dress joined it on the edge of the plush couch.

To be continued…