Brass horns blared high tempo jazz as they entered Glevla, interrupted by the whisper of rapid
shuffling and boisterous hollers. Glitzy lightbulbs swarmed overhead. The carpet was a deep
red. Crowds encircled them. It stank of polish and spilled drinks.
A Torfus waitress sashayed past them. She winked and blew a sultry kiss. Ana ducked away
from it and knocked into a Krei sitting nearby. The impact jerked his hand down, sending three
slot reels spinning. Each of them stopped on glittery red cherries. The machine whistled as it
started to spit out coins.
"Sorry," Ana said, stumbling away.
The Krei was scooping up his winnings, laughing too much to hear. "Don't apologise," another voice said. It wrapped its hand around Ana's hips and pulled her close. It belonged to a grey haired Human in a white suit. He held up a coin in front of Ana's face.
"Kiss it," he demanded softly. Ana's eyes darted to the side, searching for Elizabeth. She could not find her. Ana's eyes
snapped back to the coin. A grimy fingerprint stained it. She planted a quick dry kiss. The man smiled, rolling it into the bandit's slot. His hand was climbed up her body like moss. She froze
like a stone.
"Lady Luck is not a myth," he told her, "Pull."
He offered her the bauble on the chrome shaft. It glistened with the sweat of previous contestants. Ana tugged the arm down quickly. Cherry. Cherry. The man's hand slid back down
to her hip, cupping her through the armour. Lightning bolt. His hold weakened and Ana twisted
away, ready to run for Elizabeth. He caught her hand in a vicelike squeeze. "I'm s... sorry," she said, stammering as her lip quivered.
He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it.
"Thank you for trying."
He tossed her away with a cackle, and only then did Ana remember her concealed derringer.
She ran through the wailing noise until she was free of the crowds. She skirted around the
edges of the carnage, keeping her hand against the cold wall. Eventually, she found Elizabeth
leaning there impatiently.
"You get lost?" Elizabeth didn't wait for an answer, continuing her march towards the elevator.
YOU ARE READING
Black Hole Heartbeat
Science FictionBlack Hole Heartbeat is Star Wars if the stormtroopers didn't miss all the time. Like Cowboy Bebop meets Butch and Sundance, or Guardians of the Galaxy in the style of Pulp Fiction. Self confessed thief of ill repute, Elizabeth Ranger, runs head fi...
