16 Mars Tango 1

Mars is a place of debauchery and lust. It is where men and women stay in hopes of having the time of their life. Outside Mars, there's nothing but the empty universe staring at you like a blind man. It does not register you at all, not even as a grain of sand.

I am standing in the streets of Mars. Oil, nicotine, gasoline, cannabis, and even the putrid perfumes coming from the girls of this city coated me. There are also gay guys, eyeing at your sausage like a dog ready to bit. Do you expect me to stand still knowing that? I did not so I just started my legs, walking around the sideways, avoiding the mass of people.

The weather was a weeping metallic woman. Crying as the acidic rain of Mars would fell down above. Mars has a wonderful system that converts acidic rain into pure filtered water. The water is used to wipe the city clean, the water then going to the drainage system, used to water the farm beneath the City. There are four layers to a Dome City of Mars. The First Layer is the Upper City, the place where the Guardians of the City stay and where the landing pads are. The Second Layer is where the security area is and where the cargo bays are. The Third Layer is where the City is. This place is where the inhabitants of Mars are truly are. The Fourth Layer is like I said, is where the Farms are located.

From where I am standing, I could see the flow of water entering the large drainage area. The sound of water flowing down, along with the sprinkler rain made me wipe my face. It made me wonder how many times this happens. I only learned this a while ago, chatting to a woman who was trying to brawl a cyborg. She was a feisty one, almost got punched by her too, good thing I offered her a drink instead. This was mars so she got a link up with me. Her name was Sheila, one of those folks who usually use their charm to kill someone.

Katia said, "Mars is a place of socializing." I kinda agree with that. I've seen many people here that could give me some connections. Sheila had many contacts around the solar system. She's the kind of woman who was a tigress in a sheep's clothing, pretending to be innocent. Trusting people easily is asking for death. I've enough of trusting anyone that has a rank or a standing in this system-wide society.

I continued walking from Tilt Street to the alleyway, pretending to be a shadow that creeps away from the degenerates that lurk the area. I am not fond of them. I can talk with the rest of the folks. But these alleyway creepers are nothing but powder-snorting fools that would end up being someone's goldmine.

A bastard eyed me so I glared at him, holding on to my pistol. He shrunk like a snail, running away from me. If that guy didn't get scared, I would have shot him. Can't let anyone here think that I can be easily bullied. Captain's fearlessness is hers, not mine.

…

This city is small. I've bumped into Henry Jims. He was carrying his weapons bag to a conference in the upper district of the city. It was a small office with a bunch of suit-wearing folks. They discussed the effects of the war, how they are planning to expand the city deeper into the core.

Henry Jims, who was carrying his weapons, did not come here to join the meeting. He was the one that shoots anyone who tries to argue. I was working for free. I didn't think of it much. I just hollered at Henry Jims to offer me some perks for joining the bar. He was offering an ancient drink. A wine left behind by the old era. It was something he got from some fool he capped.

The conference started. Ten men argued about the expansion, citing that the effects of the expansion means that they have to extend the dome. Some man thought it was a good idea to seek help from the Corporation. Unfortunately, there was some tool who was in cahoots with the Corporation. He offered the Corporation's help, but in return scamming the guys – or that's what I thought.

The man who hired Henry Jims motioned his fingers. Henry Jims, just pulled the trigger of the weapon he was hiding, decorating the office with the dried insides of that tool who thought he could get away with cooperating. The guards of that tool growled. I put them down while their eyes were pointed at Henry Jims. It was quite the mess since I was not carrying a high-tech weapon like Henry Jims.

The arguing men quieted. The boss who hired Henry Jims was named Alta. He was a suit-wearing jock with the signs of being a soldier. His three-piece suit and the belt he carries made him ominous. Not to mention that he is a guy that would break your neck personally. The Mafias are still alive. It wasn't a surprise considering that the Law cannot keep up with securing the criminals wandering this system.

"We will expand the dome. Let the others know that we've come to this decision."

The Boss only said that. The leftovers scattered, leaving like ants scattering from the wind. Henry Jims and I were left standing in the conference. I took four steps back, leaning my back on the wall. Henry Jims and Boss Alta discussed something quietly. I've no reason to meddle so I just stayed idle.

It was only when Boss Alta motioned his fist that he told Henry Jims, "Introduce your friend to me."

I walked in front of him, "I am Nix."

"What a sissy name," said Boss Alta.

I didn't give him the satisfaction of seeing any reaction on my face. I just stared at him like a corpse. He began to frown at me, expressing his displeasure. Henry Jims said something, which made Boss Alta erase that face of displeasure.

"I should have guessed. Forgive me, Soldier. I do not visit those forums anymore."

He was referring to the bounty hunter forums. He continued, "How about we talk?"

...

Alta stayed seated. I looked at him, pondering, what should I do? I honestly don't want to interact with this person. He has the aura of a troublemaker. I've seen enough troubles in this lifetime. I know one when I see one. Clearly, this person is one of those people that I should watch out for.

"You sitting, Soldier?" he said.

I folded my arms, "What do you want from me."

He scrunched his brows. He leaned back, giving the expression of someone who got the gist of things. He was eyeing me, head to toe. I believe he's scrutinizing me. Henry Jims gave me a look. He was telling me to sit down and be nice. I did not want to cause trouble for the Boss of this city, so I took a seat.

"Quite the draw hand you have there. Sharpened it enough on the death grounds?"

"Yes."

Death Grounds are the places filled with the hostile. Either they are planets with hordes of Arachnid-like aliens. Or dried up shitholes long forgotten and now has turned into a world of violence and lawlessness. I've been in those places. Alta seems like he has been there too.

"Hmm, I guess we'll never escape this addiction."

"You got that right."

I agreed with him. Alta seems to be recalling his day as a soldier too. His eyes became a pit of darkness. It was a dark hole with no light in it. And in those same eyes, I can see my reflection. I have the same eyes as him, and I cannot deny that.

"So what do you want from me?" I joined my hands.

"How's the war?"

"They said we are winning it."

"Bullshit," he snorted loudly.

"I'd like to think that we are actually winning."

The aliens we are facing were unlike anything we've ever seen. Ever since humanity has gone to the stars, the enemy has been wandering the universe, looking for something like us. When they found us, all we knew is that they were differently shaped and we don't know anything about them, so we killed them. The enemies would not have been able to reach the stars if they weren't smart enough. So they choose to fight back. Negotiations or anything like that was thrown out of the equation. All we know that is humanity wants to rule the stars. We cannot live with other sentient beings like them. Either we rule the stars or we vanish.

"After so many years do you think that we can still win? We have the greatest weapon there is but I think it is not enough. These aliens are capable of producing faster than us. Not to mention that if we do rule the starts. Do you really think that in this universe, there are only two races?"

"So you are one of those Xenophobe Watchers?"

"I thought you'd be one."

"I am indifferent. I do not care."

"Then you should care."

"I don't bother thinking about these I cannot control. I am just some speck in this universe."

I didn't want to talk to him any longer. I motioned Henry Jims with a nod. I left the building, ambling along the road that smelled damp. The hubbub around me was disorienting. The neon lights, the smokes coming from the cigarettes, the lights flashing and flickering made me scowl. There was no one that heard the commotion inside that conference room. That place was soundproofed, and the noise around me was loud enough to cover the whimper of a plasma weapon and a blast of a high-tech weapon.

My PDA flickered. The face of Captain appeared. She was inside the Fortuna, her hair was messy. There was grease on her face.

"What are you doing?"

"I am doing Maintenance."

"Oh."

"Bring me materials. I'll upload it to you. And bring some food too."

"Okay."

Her projected face disappeared. I was left standing in the middle of the road. People were going to bump me sooner or later so I decided to scurry away to the nearest shop that could sell me the materials. Captain has uploaded a list of items. Most of the items were a pain to the wallet. I bought them. I went to the upper city and knocked on the door of the Fortuna.

Captain came out of the Fortuna wearing a tank top. She was wet with sweat. Grease and oil stained her. She eyed me before looking at the materials I am carrying. She motioned her hand for me to put it down. I placed the materials near the doors of the Fortuna, she eyed them, looking and examining the items.

"Thanks."

She did not say anything other than that. She went back to work. I stayed outside the Fortuna for a while before helping her out. I assisted her in troubleshooting the Fortuna while she handles the hardware. The software of the Fortuna was rather user-friendly. It was something that even I could understand. Captain had more knowledge concerning the hardware of the ship so she did most of the job. I just followed the steps given by the software.

After the maintenance Captain installed a lock system that would recognize only me and her. We can loan the ship but it needs permission from the both of us. We then did maintenance to the Carnifex. I've experienced in troubleshooting it so the maintenance went without a hinge.

With the maintenance done we went back the City. Captain wore her coat and went with me to the bar in Tilt Street. We stayed drinking, drowning ourselves under a bottle of alcohol. I felt like my world was spinning. Captain was leaning her right arm on my shoulder, still drinking the bottle of alcohol.

She was ranting about something.

"You know...I have a friend that I did stuff. She's like an hourglass, and her three sizes were phenomenal!" she started to describe this friend of hers. "She has black hair, fiery red lips, and she's one hell of a soldier!"

Her description made me sweat. The image of someone came to my head. I could not remember her name at all. But I do remember dancing with her.

"What's her name?" I said.

"Faye Kyra," she smiled like an old man. "She was my practice buddy in bed!"

That remark made me drop my jaw.