Lunarly: A Fire Sale Classic

Plight - Booze Before Rescue

Plight's

"Parental Guide: Booze Before Rescue"

       Exparite was just like Hale. Everything was metal and grey. The buildings, the streets, even the street lights were a dull grey. She thought the gate between the two cities would be interesting, but she hadn't even noticed the crossing until Pork pointed it out. In the distance, she could see where the two domes connected, intersecting in a "V" of electricity, but nothing more exciting than that.

       They went past the Lunar Trade Center, right after they entered Exparite. A big hexagonal building, with landing pads on top. Pork told her that the Lunar Trade Center was the main shopping center of the moon, where all the goods from Earth are imported and traded. But that was mostly for the regular mooners, the larger moon organizations and gangs had their own trading arrangement with Earth for whatever they needed.

       She also saw the Big Bad Telescope. An old historic building, built before Exparite, while they were building Hale. It was a popular tourist attraction, but with all the compact Telephotic Telescopes, that were just about as powerful and a hundredth the size, The Big Bad Telescope no longer was used. Now it was just decaying from neglect, one of the front doors had even fallen off, and the windows were all smashed in. The mooners didn't even repect their history. 

       They had taken the same convertible hover car that Pork had driven from Port Hale to the navy base.  She had not wanted Pork to come, she didn't need an escort, and certainly not one as distracting as Pork.  Hollow Leo insisted, saying that a Captain of the navy was a tempting target for any one of the gangs.  She needed a guide anyway, and Pork seemed to know his way around, though he insisted he had never been there before.

       When they got to the headquarters of the Gordozos, the team that Hollow Leo had sent ahead was setting up in an abandoned house across the street.  They parked behind the house so as to stay hidden, but Plight didn't really see how it mattered; this was Gordozo territory, they would have eyes all throughout the city of Exparite.  The Gordozos must already know they were here.

       The team was not much for negotiations, either.  Leo had sent the Decay Brothers, though that was just their name; they were not related and Plight had heard there was a woman amongst them.  From the rumors, they sounded like a disgusting bunch, and their lust for violence was unequaled.  Their leader was Lieutenant Growth, and he was the most foul of all the Decay Brothers.  Just looking at him made Plight want a drink, but she had left all her booze back on the Galileo.  She would have to take care of this little problem quickly.

       "Welcome, Captain," said Growth, picking at a tumor on his face.  He greeted Plight and Pork in the living room, filled with furniture covered in plastic and packing boxes.  Whoever had lived here before had left most of their stuff, apparently.  "I like your hair.  Can I smell it?"

       "We are here to find my daughter Gretchin," said Plight, ignoring the question.  "What is the situation in the Gordozo headquarters?"

       Growth shrugged.  "What you would expect.  They are looking for new ways to die, and I'm thinking of new ways to kill."  The tumor on his face was leaking puss down his cheek.  "Leech!" he screamed.  "Leech is our surveillance expert."

       Leech came down the stairs.  Her head was connected to her right shoulder and looked like it might fall off entirely at any moment.  Her breasts looked more like puzzle pieces then anything to feed a baby with, weird lumps spawning in every direction.  "Yes Growth?"

       "Captain wants to know the situation."  Growth started picking at a tumor on his shoulder, through his tattered navy uniform.  Through the gaps in the cloth, Plight could see that his skin was falling off his body.  "I want to smell her hair."