Keeper Hunter

A feeling of déjà vu swept over me as I sat in a cantina sipping an ice-cold beer in a square glass. The cantina was an idiosyncratic place with bistro style tables and chairs and a long bar with stools in front of it. The décor lining the walls was typical of backwater towns. The customers mostly Human were what you’d expect in a town of this size. I was sitting here waiting again for the Valkyrie not like I had that much of a choice. Phedra had brought me here saying this was the safest place on Davenport she could think of. So far I’d kept a low profile. It had been an eventful few weeks travelling with the crew of the Independence. Phedra had been especially impressed of my knowledge of starship operations. I was thankful of Captain Wulfgara’s insistence that I’d learn the routines and stations aboard her ship and saving her from an insurrection that threatened to engulf the ship. A conspiracy that had been a prelude to the war on Alfheimir. I scoffed at it at the time but it looked that those lessons had proved useful. One vital thing I’d learned from my time aboard Phedra’s ship was that I still sucked at staff fighting. Frigga had wanted someone to train with and as the nearest thing to a full Valkyrie she’d asked me. I could hold my own with other weapons. Frankly I was surprised that she had a whole locker full of Valkyrie training weapons. Then as a Valkyrie what else should I have expected? What did surprise me was that I’d beat her easily in hand to hand combat more than making up for my useless staff skill. I don’t what it was about a length of wood that held me at such a disadvantage. Yet against the likes of Thirika and Runa my best was not enough.

The downside of my trip here was sharing quarters with Marcella the historian relentlessly harried me with questions about my Valkyrie origins it wasn’t like I knew that much. The Elders and those around them hadn’t told me what I should have known. I should have really pressed Miranda and Cinders on the way down the mountains. Unfortunately I was too busy worrying about pursuit to make it an issue of it and then there was no time afterwards. I found myself telling Marcella about my encounters with the Prophet and that he was a telepath. I was just glad to be off the ship and way from her considering she seemed to think I was a Clan Mother and an Elder of the Landottir Clan. I closed my mind to the maudlin way my thoughts were going and concentrated on the beer. It wasn’t too bad considering all things, the beer had been worse on the Ariadne. At least it was cold and actually had a taste. I sat at the back with one eye on the door in. A number of serving staff flittered around the other customers taking orders for food. I had to admit my stomach rumbled a bit seeing the food they were serving. After weeks of ship’s rations I think just about anything would taste good. This was my third beer of the day I doubted I’d get drunk on this stuff it had a low alcohol content. My eyes flickered to the door as it slid open and a painful memory surfaced. Vanessa, the frustration of my lack of progress on that was starting to grate on my nerves. It was only a couple with their baby. The sight of them reminded me that I hadn’t spoken to Ljufu in a while. I had to make it a priority but not to say I was going there. If I did the chances I’d get arrested were high and I didn’t want to be returned to the Empire. As far as the locals thought I was called Glenda Hampton, and had even booked a room in a hotel under that name.

The cantina was busy I’d picked the lunchtime rush and had to fight to get my corner facing the door. There were couples and groups drinking and relaxing. It was hot outside and the cantina had air conditioning. The couple with the baby settled in recently vacated seats and were ordering from a server. I ignored them they were no threat to me. My mind drifted for a moment thinking about the encrypted message I’d sent to Thirika about my location. I was getting tired trying to avoid the Valkyrie they’d find me not matter where I was in the Confederacy. The door sliding open again cut off my musing. Another couple entered this time I went on alert. I saw a Human male with a shorter female T’Arni with what looked like a large and heavy tote bag. They stood out from the normal crowd looking almost as out of place as I did. Both were blonde haired, which had me on edge. Their hair was the same colour as the Valkyrie. I watched as two pairs of eyes scanned the cantina taking in the people here. The Human relaxed visibly while his companion put her hand on his arm like they were an actual couple. Both were dressed in jeans and jackets the T’Arni’s colours more muted that the Human’s. Their jackets a type of faux leather were too bulky for the weather. It was that hot outside I was just glad to be in the cool. Their clothing was too good for them to be smugglers. Besides smugglers preferred the bars close to the shuttle port. Which was the reason I was here and not there. I’d heard bar fights were common there and I was trying to be low profile here. The T’Arni pointed to a table close to mine and headed in my direction. They skirted around tables and customers almost as if they didn’t exist. I knew hunters when I saw them, which I considered ironic since my name was Hunter.

I saw them glance at me as they sat down. I nodded in their direction and took a sip of my beer. They looked away the Human signalling a server.

“Two ’Debonair lights please,” he said in a clear Confederacy accent.

Debonair was the name of the brewery that dominated the town. It had four types of beer named unimaginably light, medium, heavy and export, which pertained to the alcohol content. I was drinking the medium and light referred to the non-alcohol version. It was obvious they were here for some other reason. I also noted they had their attention of the door while looking as if they didn’t. A good ploy in my books I reckoned I could learn much from their actions. The T’Arni placed her tote bag at her side on the floor in a position she could easily reach into it. I suspected they were both armed something about their pose told me that was the case. I was armed as well my Seven Double ‘M’ in a hidden pocket in my canvas like jacket. Like most of the locals I was wearing a T-shirt and synth cotton pants and unlike the women here I was wearing combat boots. They’d opted for sandals and high heels in various styles. The newcomers were booted as well the T’Arni had heels to hers making her look taller. Something about them called to me. They weren’t here to cause trouble but avoid it.

I sat and raised my glass to my lips my jacket slipping down enough to reveal my bracelet. I hoped the T’Arni at least recognised it for what it is.

“There is a back way out of here. See the screen by the bar the entrance is behind it. It leads to the facilities and a rear exit,” I whispered just loud enough for the T’Arni to hear. I assumed she had the better hearing the T’Arni generally did.

Only the raise of an eyebrow indicated that she had heard me.

I finished my beer and readied to leave when the door out opened again. Outlined in the doorway were two local Security Officers in Security armour long nightsticks hanging at their sides. The last thing I wanted to do was start anything here too many civilians would get hurt. I glanced to the couple only to find their chairs empty they had fled.

“We’re looking for a man!” One of the Security officers announced. He looked rough shaven with a hard face.

“So am I honey but he ain’t you!” a man called out. He was seated with several others and sounded a little drunk.

That got a nervous laugh from the rest of the customers.

The Officer scowled at the man and continued. “I said we’re looking for a man and woman.”

“Ooh you’re into that are you,” the drunk heckled the Officer.

I saw the Officer reach for his nightstick but his companion held him back.

“The ones we are looking for are dangerous criminals,” the other Officer said.

Somehow I knew that wasn’t the case. The two Security Officers walked into the cantina.