“This item carries a medicinal stimulant.”
“He’s on drugs. He seemed so clear-headed when we spoke.” Betta’s lips pursed. Could she trust a deal with someone that relied on chemicals to get through the day? What would happen if he ran out of his supply? What kind of people was he associated with? “Isn’t this a crime?”
“The drug is legal and Jadis Ter has a valid prescription.”
Betta’s stomach dropped and she felt a wave of empathy, recalling her youth in the pod, a mother she would never see again, and those brief moments when they had all been together. “He’s sick then?”
“It is difficult to ascertain. Jadis’s physiology is unique. We have no way to determine if he suffers from an illness given his amalgamation of genetic signatures.”
There was silence as Betta paused to recall Jadis’s words. He’d said that they were alike, and she assumed he meant dark-skinned Humans. In fact, the man – if he was a man – pointed out the similarity. It must have been one of his tactics.
“He looks Human. What exactly is he?”
“The details of the subject known as Jadis Ter’s medical profile is restricted. As proprietor of this station, I can give you a summary based on the scans that were taken when he boarded.”
“Please proceed,” Betta said.
The holographic image of the trench coat vanished and was replaced by something far more grotesque. Betta swallowed down the nutrient drink she’d gulped earlier before it rose too far. Her breathing came in shallow sharp breaths and her hand gripped the light fabric of her flight suit.
“That’s not possible. Did someone do that to him? Did he do that to himself?” There were several documentaries on the Net about Humans augmenting their appearances for strange purposes. Was Jadis like that?
“That information is restricted,” Agent Neilson said matter-of-factly.
Stomach settling and resolve rising, Betta moved closer to the slow-spinning image of a nude Jadis. His head was normal enough. He had her complexion, if a shade darker. His brows were full, but not thick, and his hair cut short, close to his scalp. Truthfully, she admitted to herself, she liked his appearance.
But then, she saw the gills at his neck. His chest was grey and covered in scales like a lizard, or a Drafer. Where his stomach should have been was the black, oblong abdomen of an ant or an Antogin. Perfectly molded to the insect abdomen were furred hips, crotch, and legs. They were well muscled and the fur an unkempt mess of black and light gray. His feet were not feet at all, rather they were massive paws.
The more she studied the image, the more Betta felt like there was a great deal more to Jadis than a mere smuggler.
“Where is Jadis now?”
“He has entered the Blue Tavern at Quadrant Twelve of the Disc.”
Betta didn’t attempt to get any more information out of the agent. Instead, she left the monitoring chamber to catch up with Jadis. She had more than a few questions of her own and today she was feeling strong enough to truly debate him.
A multitude of lists popped into her head as she considered what she would experience at the Blue Tavern. A more prioritized list superseded the others and she decided it was far more efficient to do two things at once. She contacted Teena, then continued on her path.
The Blue Tavern was filled to capacity as the Miner’s Half-Holiday was in full swing. Even though the excited of the day before rattled more than a few, including customers that demanded refunds and left the station entirely, overall the reaction was one of celebration. The miners, grateful to be alive, were partying as if this was their last night in the universe.
Betta pushed past many a patron before finding Jadis, sitting at the bar, staring down into what she suspected was a brandy. A Drafer woman was standing next to him, talking in rapid bursts. What was it with him and the Drafers? Without much effort she added this to her list of Odd Things About Jadis Ter. It was right up there with his attire, which she now understood, his rude personality, and, after the feds revealed it, his extremely grotesque body.
Jadis was not smiling as Betta thought he should be at receiving the attention of the Drafer at his side. Instead, he frowned down at his drink and heaved a few pathetic sighs.
For a brief instance, Betta felt sorry for him. What did she really know? He came to her station with a deal. Granted, he’d riled up her Teena with his rude insinuations, but he’d never pursued or approached either of them afterward. He was eating and drinking on her tab. A favor she’d freely given him without hesitation. On top of that, he was the wealthiest “person” in this part of space, short of herself. She imagined he could’ve been pompous and rude, but he seemed patient and interesting. The feds even trusted him. Lastly, and most importantly, he’d saved Betta’s Station.
And, even after all he’d done, he was the saddest “person” at the bar.
Betta forced her way next to him, easing a drunken man wearing a black flight-suit made of pleather, to the side.
“Easy, honey.” The man weakly stepped to the side before falling on his face. Betta fought the instinct to help him up as two workers immediately closed in on him. Moments later, they were dragging him into a back room.
“I appreciate the praise, but no more drinks, friend. Save your marks. Betta is paying for me tonight!” Jadis called over the thumping of some form of old-style punk music, his remaining on the drink he nursed.
“I will gladly tell them to stop your tab and allow this other ‘Betta’ to pay for you.” Betta raised a hand to get the attention of the bartender.
Jadis looked as though he were about to run out of the bar. “Miss Reganta?”
“Call me Betta, Jadis,” Betta showed him a genuine smile.
“Betta.” He said her name as though trying it out for the first time. The brief smile that touched his lips returned to a frown as he turned his eyes back on his drink.
The Drafer that was chatting him up, now stared at the two of them silently. Her forked tongue tasted the air before she smiled. Inclining her head to Betta, she walked into the crowd of miners.
“Did you come here to interrogate me too?” Jadis asked softly. The words would have been lost if it weren’t for the acoustics of the bar. Voices that were in conversation were amplified to the listeners.
“Something like that,” Betta admitted. “How about we drink, Jadis? It’s a celebration. You saved my station and, for tonight, you’re my hero.”
It was like a light went on in his eyes. His smile was broad and Betta felt her heart pump a little stronger in her chest. She tried to remember that under all those layers he wore there was something else, something that wasn’t Human at all. Still, she’d seen how sad he was before she arrived. Human or not, he was still a man she supposed. She considered that for a long moment, bringing the holographic image to mind. There’d been so much fur that…
“Thank you, Betta. I was worried that you thought like the feds.”
Betta decided not to reveal that she was the one that asked the feds to arrest and interrogate him. Instead, she patted him lightly on the shoulder.
The bartender was now distracted by a woman in a strapless black dress.
Betta pounded the bar with two strong fists, “Oi! Lover boy! Get me a Polaris Sunset!”
Jadis nearly dropped his drink as the bar went quiet.
The bartender hurried over. “Did you say a Polaris Sunset?”
Betta nodded. “You don’t know—”
“I can look it up, Miss Reganta.”
Shaking her head, Betta waved him back with both hands. She then grasped the side of the bar and vaulted over. It only took her a few moments to get all of her ingredients together. Soon she was pouring, grating, slicing, and mixing. The patrons watched in fascination, the quiet becoming murmurings and the music completely muted.