(Continued from last story post)
The merchant’s ship slowly drifted down the docking structure, until the whole ship was jolted by a bang, and the sound of rushing air rang out as the airlock was secured.
“Now let’s just hope these are friendly fellows.”
Opening the space hatch, Marcel got his first look at the interior of the station. Though the age of the technology showed in the halls of the station, they were obviously of the best money could buy.
The merchant stepped out into the dark hallway, and made his way toward the middle of the station, looking around for any sign of the crew, yet finding no one.
He turned to the right at the next hallway, then left, coming across an empty control room.
“Is this station on some sort of auto-pilot?” he wondered.
Continuing to make his way toward the vessel’s middle, he found a sort of conference room, with a holographic map of the nearest solar system rotating over a large table.
“What if they’re trapped in another section of the station?” he wondered, sitting himself down at a computer panel, and checking the space station’s schematics. “No sealed hatches within the station... Odd.”
He turned around to the solar hologram, watching as it slowly turned round and round, until he couldn’t help but fall asleep.
Some hours later, when he awoke, he found a tray of crackers and fresh fruit sitting on the table.
“What’s this?” he asked, glancing across the room to see if anyone was there. But he was still all by himself. “Robots, perhaps? And where could such fresh fruit have come from?”
Thankfully eating the food set before him, Marcel hoped to see his gracious host before he had finished, but no one ever appeared.
“Looks like the solar storm has passed. So better get going.” Then, looking up at the ceiling, he said “Thank you, kind people, whomever you might be.”
And he stepped out of the conference room, and made his way back to his ship.
But her took a wrong turn somewhere, and ended up in front of a round door that read “Botanical Sphere.”
“So this is where that fruit came from!”
He quickly pushed the button to open the door, watching as a jungle of exotic alien plants appeared before. Stepping into this garden, he couldn’t believe all the strange plants he was seeing. There were small trees with furry pods dangling from their branches, vines that ran up a metal wall, with purple-tipped leaves that seemed to sway on their own, and in the distance, and flower that produced it’s own reddish light.
Marcel quickly made his way for this last plant, reminded of his children, to whom he had hoped to be bring back extravagant gifts. But he still hadn’t been able to get word to them that his partners had taken it all for themselves.
Of his three daughters, the two oldest asked for expensive new suits and gadgets, but his youngest, who at first said that there was nothing that she needed, finally requested a star rose. At least he would be able to bring that back.
So he carefully reached out, and plucked one of the luminous flowers. But no sooner had he done so, that a great big animal came charging at him from another part of the garden!
Among its hairy body, the creature’s face was long like a horse, having a nose that hung down over its chin, with tusks that jutted from its mouth, horns that spiraled of its head, and large ridged ears standing straight back from its head.
Its long front arms touched the ground like a gorilla, ending in enormous curved claws that curled down under its fist. While its back legs were long and thin, followed by a grasping tail.
The creature ran up to the merchant, causing the man to fall to the ground. When the animal spoke:
“What is this you have done?! I try to show kindness to you by letting you into me space station, and giving you my food, and this is the thanks I get?!”
“I-I’m so sorry, kind sir.” replied Marcel. “I-I didn’t know.” he stammered, glancing at the flower in his hand. “It was for my daughter.”
“Daughter?” asked the creature. “Then what business brings you by my home?”
Marcel swallows hard, then explains “My family used to be quite wealthy, until I lost what I believed were all my trading ships, only to hear that one survived, and came in late. But by the time I got here, my partners had divided the profits amongst themselves, leaving nothing for me or my family. Please sir, I have three sons and three daughters, I only wish to be able to get back home to them.”
“And why was this flower to be a gift for your daughter?” the creature asked.
“She is my youngest, and instead of anything expensive, she merely wanted one of these star roses. But I do apologize, I was foolish in thinking you wouldn’t miss it.”
“Well I cannot just let you go. You must pay for that flower by working here on the station.”
“But kind sir–” Marcel pleaded.
“You were the one who stole it, and so you shall pay. But this daughter of yours, I should like to meet here. Go, say goodbye to your family, and if your youngest daughter is willing to come on her own, and only then, I want you to bring her to me. Instead of a worker, she shall be my honored guest.”
“But–”
“Those are my conditions!” snapped the creature. “You will take my star cruiser. It is programmed to return here in one month’s time. If you daughter will not come, return here alone, or I will come and fetch you myself!”
The merchant nervously nodded. “If that is what you will, sir.” scrambling to his feet, and heading for the door.
“Wait!” roared the creature.
Marcel turned around to see the star rose held out to him.
Giving the flower to the merchant, the creature said “You plucked it from its vine, the least you could do is give it to the one who requested it.”
–Charles M Warren
