Frenzy & Torch

Chapter 24: Alligators Ride Dirt Bikes

Orbiting a pink gas giant in a distant star system was Peacekeeping Station 241; Lisa, Ken, and Cassidy were on standby playing poker in a lounge area. After the war on Keeyorbie and the attack on the Alliance meeting, all PPF personnel were put on emergency alert orders. Nobody was allowed to go home until the situation was deemed "stable". Between failures in apprehending the Gladexians and everybody missing out on time with family during the holidays, morale was low all around.

"They could at least have more fuckin' cream if they wanna keep us here," Lisa set down her mug of coffee. "This is retarded, I hate this shit." She looked at the TV and saw the news report of mass panic after the Alliance meeting attack. "What a damn mess. Shit's been ... weird, lately."

"What makes you say that?" Cassidy asked. "How we're tearing the galaxy apart looking for a couple psychos with superpowers, or the fact that you're playing cards with a cyborg and a monster from another dimension?"

" ... All of the above."

"Excuse me, 'monster' is a hurtful term. Anyways, if this current trend keeps up, the galaxy will surely descend into chaos. At least that's what my magic eighteen ball tells me." Ken took the toy out from under the table and shook it.

"You mean 'eight' ball?" Lisa asked.

"It's eighteen in my dimension. Anywho, what do you think of those mech pilots who've been augmented to us?" Ken asked.

"The first four are assholes, the last one seems like an actually decent guy who got pushed into this shit. By the way, I raise you three hundred, Ken."

"Nuts!" Ken hadn't been expecting her to call his bluff. "Uh, I mean, haha! Fool!"

Councilwoman Clancy walked into the room. Her orange cloak was wrapped diagonally across her torso like a bedroll. The strap of her quiver overlapped it, forming a neat and tight "X" on her chest. She sat at the table right next to Lisa and crossed her legs. "How is everybody?"

"The hell are you doing here?" Cassidy asked.

"What's with the hostility? We're on the same team here!" Jane took out a plate of cheese cubes. "Want one?"

Lisa and Cassidy shook their heads. Ken took one.

"I thought you said you were lactose intolerant!" Lisa said.

"I lied." He chomped down on the dairy and patted his mouth with an handkerchief. "So, are you part of our little rabble now?" Ken asked.

"Yes I am, they're my new marching orders." Jane said.

"Did they assign you to a team or ours specifically?" Cassidy asked.

"You all have had the most contact with them compared to the others. They figure if anybody can get me close to them, it's you."

"Hold on, get you closer to them?" Lisa asked. "Who the hell do you think you are? Look, lady— "

"Clancy, Jane Clancy."

She was envious of that name but continued. "Look, Clancy, your BFFs-for-life or whatever-the-fuck tried to kill me and the other two people sitting here. We've got something personal against them, so don't come in here acting like you're a messiah and that we'll blindly do what you say."

Ken thought back to the heartburn episode he had in the station near Las Vego and how Annabelle had the chance to murder him. Her giving him the potion stuck with him. He wanted to play devil's advocate, but felt the time wasn't quite right with emotions flaring.

"I'm not coming here to act like some kind of messiah," Jane said, "what I am saying is that a Gladexian is what you need to reign in another Gladexian, and you know it. You're just too proud to admit it."