The Blue Angel Bar and Bolt-hole

by Melodie Campbell

The weedy guy at the bar was starting to annoy me. He was alien, for sure, with that leathery brown skin, but most definitely a guy. Don't know why it is, but race doesn't seem to stop most males. If I had three eyes and no hair, they wouldn't care as long as the front rack was generous and came along with all the usual female apertures.

But I could see Dalamar starting to steam in the corner. So it was time for me to step in.

“Umm…you might want to cool down now, as my boyfriend in the corner isn't looking too happy.”

Calling Dalamar a ‘boy' friend was a bit like calling the big bang a recent event. The fellow is built like a Talesian Warlord, and has seen more battle than a decent man ought to remember.

He's pretty decent to me, though.

The tall alien swung around. Dalamar was on his feet and coming over. I leaned forward and said quickly, “What's your name, honey?”

The alien squeaked, “Tommas.”

Dal was upon us. He had his dark look on, but I confused him with a smile. “Dal honey, have you met Tommas? He was just asking about you. Tommas, this is Dalamar the Paladin. You know. You must have seen the vids.”

Tommas looked up, and his brown face tried to smile, but the quivering marred it.

“You know what a Paladin is, hon? Well in the old days, they would have been a special kind of knight, I figure. These days, they do dangerous jobs for hire. Dal here is the best.”

Dal smiled, and it wasn't nice. Teeth were showing but the eyes weren't smiling.

“You starting a zoo, Mel?”

I put on my stern face. “Now, be nice. Tommas has come a long way, and he wants to be friendly.” The sort of friendly he originally suggested was not available in this bar, but I've learned there are some things you don't need to expound upon with Dal.

I turned back to Tommas, but he was scooting out the half door.

“Well, would you look at that? No guts at all.” I shook my head.

Dal laughed. “Smart, though. At least he has good taste.” He reached over and rumpled my long brown curls with a big hand.

I smiled up at him. Dal was a fixture at the Blue Angel, and that suited me fine. It isn't easy running a bar on your own when you're a female human on the edge of the known universe. All sorts of frontier types show up here thirsty, and some of them don't have civilized manners. Uncle Rog had left me this little gold mine in his will. I wanted to do him proud. And money, it was for the making, if you didn't mind serving the oddest beings in the galaxy and slapping away a few stray hands, paws or tentacles .

Dal is freelance, and calls The Blue Angel home when he is between jobs. He has a little room upstairs close to mine. I don't mind that he gets a little jealous. Makes for grand reunions.

“You going to do that job?”

I saw him frown. He knew the job to which I referred. The dusky blond had come with all the right equipment to snag Dal's attention. She was bad news, I just knew it. But I didn't tell Dal what to do. If there was coin or credits to be made, he had a right to make it.

He looked over and searched my face. “She's not my type, you know. I like curvy brunettes.”

“Thanks for the reassurance. Not thinking of that.” But I was.

My turn to frown. “There's something about her that doesn't ring true. I'm worried, Dal, and about you. Something stinks about this.”

“Escorting her to a new government job on Sirminor 3? It isn't dangerous. I've done this stuff before. Easy credits.”

I shook my head. Government job, my size seven foot. She didn't work for any civil service. There was nothing civil about that gal at all.

“There's something not right about her. Sorry, Dal, just got this feeling.”

Dal took my feelings seriously. After all, I came from a long line of gypsy fortune-tellers. It made for an interesting sideline when business was slow.

“When are you meeting her?”

Dal looked at his wristband. “Just about now.”

I watched the door.

“Gone for how long?”

“The minimum, if I have my way. Two days there, two back and one over.”

I shivered. Damn, but I was feeling creepy. I turned from the front and made my way behind the bar. It was a slow part of the afternoon. Just one gentle Plantilian in the snug fast asleep, and a couple of old frontier prospectors quietly playing cards. Customers would be piling in later, after work. Jackson would come to relieve me soon, so I could have the night off. Sad that it would be a night alone.

The blond was back. Nope, I really didn't like her. There's something about synthetic blonds, especially tall thin ones. The blouse was too tight, and if that rack was real, I'd eat a reptisaurus.

“So, ready to go, handsome?”

Did I mention the fake Dixie accent?

“Mel, have you met Regan? Regan – Mel. She owns the bar here.”

Regan raised one eyebrow in disdain. “Charmed, I'm sure.”

Just like a snake, I wanted to say. Instead, I nodded, friendly-like.

“We'll take the table over there, “ Dal said. Putting space between us was a good idea.

I took a rag and swiped at the bar.

Ten minutes later, Jackson had arrived and Dal looked about ready to leave. I walked around the bar and went over to say goodbye. This is a dangerous part of the galaxy. You never know what's going to happen when people walk out The Blue Angel, so I always make my feelings plain. Dal was waiting for a big hug.

“Now don't you go worrying about us,” Blondie said. “We'll be just dandy, and I know a million games to pass the time.”

I put on my sweetest smile. “Regan, you have a spot on your blouse. I have autocleaners in the washrooms, if you'd like to avail yourself.”

She looked down. “Well so I have. Back in a minute, y'all.”

She sashayed down the hall, slim hips swinging this way and that. I watched her turn left into the washroom.

Dal was looking at me, not her. “You really don't like her.”

“She sparks with snakes, as far as I'm concerned.”

He laughed, then pulled me into a sideways hug.

“When are you leaving?”

“About two hours. I need to get supplies, then load up.”

I nodded, went up on tippy-toes, and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Be safe.” He tried to reach for me, but I slipped his grasp. I ran up the stairs without looking back.

#

Easy to sneak onboard when Dal was out collecting supplies. I knew the code of course. It was my birthday.

“Mel, long time no sense.” Roz is Dal's onboard computer.

“Hiya hon. I'm planning a surprise for the boss. Mum's the word.”

“I had records of your last surprise. The boss made me delete them.”

“Just be quiet about me being here. And don't you dare make records of us, honey.”

“That's what the boss said. About the records. As you say, mum it is.”

I didn't bring much. Just my regular things…nothing fancy. A change of clothes and a few essentials. My ID was under the skin of my left forearm. Dal always brought plenty of food and water. So I parked myself in the head and waited. Good place – everyone goes to the bathroom before a big trip, right? No need to use the head for a while.

I heard them board and drop parcels on the floor. I could hear talking, and once Dal laughed, but it was muffled. There was a clank as the docking clamps let loose. I felt the puff of maneuvering jets, then we hit the drive in Dal's characteristic way that leaves your stomach on the floor. I opened the door a smidge to peek out.

Dal was at the controls and Regan sat in the co-pilot chair. My chair.

“So straight to Sirminor 3? No sideline shopping trips to the outlet malls?”

I saw Regan leave her chair and circle behind Dal. “No need, my friend. We're not going far.”

There was a weapon in her hand and it was aimed at Dal's head.

“What the-“ Dal had turned to face her.

I can move fast when I need to. The stunner beam hit her in the back turning her neurons inside out. She crumpled with an ‘Eeeeep!”

Dal stared at her, then at me. He was mad…fuming mad at letting Regan get the drop on him. He exhaled sharply. “You really don't like her.”

“Not so much,” I said, reaching down. With one motion, I pulled off the blond wig.

“Wallen!” Dal cried out.

“Isn't that the son of the man you escorted to Minlon last month? The guy headed for sonic obliteration?” A civilized world would have wiped the felon's brain, then put him to cleaning toilets for the rest of his life. Minlon wasn't civilized. They sold vids of the execution to defray costs.

“The very. He nearly got me on Blandon last week. But how did you know, Mel? What gave it away?”

I wrinkled my nose. “She looked like a woman, but she didn't act like one. Not sure I can put it in words, but it was something about the way she looked at me. Predatory…like some men do. So I set her up. That spot on her blouse? I wanted to watch her go the washroom.”

Dal's weathered face was still puzzled.

“She went to the Men's, Dal! Acted on instinct, like I thought she would.”

“Son of a bitch.”

“Probably was,” I agreed. I went over to sit in my chair.

Dal picked up the still unconscious Wallen. “Buddy is going to walk home.” He carried Wallen to the airlock. I heard it cycle, and shivered. Dal came back alone. He looked at me, and shrugged.

“He played with the big boys and lost.”

I swallowed hard. “I know. I can never get used to it, though.”

Dal strode over and took me in his arms. “Stay that way, beautiful. But let me keep you safe, next time.”

“Did it work, Mel?” Roz's voice soared through the cabin.

“Yes, honey. He was surprised.”

“Surprised! I almost got killed.”

“That wasn't part of the surprise?”

“No, Roz.”

“Sorry, Boss. To change the subject quickly, does that mean you get to snuggle again?” She's such a romantic.

“I get a lot more than that,” I piped up. “And no records, honey.”

Roz sniggered. She knew a lot more about the human condition than she let on.