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"Beneath the Cities of Men"
May. 13th, 2022 04:06 pm"Beneath the Cities of Men"
11/16-11/17/2007
I.
Two women stepped out an alley in a bad part of town. Zarithen was well into middle age, a bit bent, a bit grey. She wore loose pants and long-sleeved blouse of tan cloth, with a wide-brimmed hat. Over one shoulder was slung a small knapsack and a leather purse was tied to her waist sash. Few observers would have noticed her, though, simply because she was standing next to Valera.
Her bright blue uniform of snug tunic and pants, with its white trim and red boots was striking in itself but Valera would have caught the eye no matter what she wore. The Melgar princess was tall, just under six feet, and slim but athletic in build. She had rich yellow hair loose around her shoulders, and sky-blue eyes in a beautiful face. Valera carried a large trunk in one hand and a duffel bag in the other, and strapped across her back was a leather sheath holding something longer than she was tall. As they stepped from the alley into the morning sunlight, Valera flashed her dazzling smile at her companion.
"Welcome to the Human world," she said. "You have not been here before, my dear, it is larger than all the adjacent realms combined."
Zarithen took a good look before answering. "Busy it is, and noisy. You told me of these carriages that roll without horses to pull them. And you told me I would see Humans of every color and size, so these do not surprise me. But why do these folk hurry so?"
"It is their nature," Valera answered. "Come. Follow me."
"Yes, princess." Zarithen tagged along behind the boldly striding Valera as they walked east along 34th Street. They paused before the Hotel Lanchester, a modest establishment that stood opposite the Empire State Building. "This will do," Valera decided, marching through the double glass doors and across a lobby of white tile and marble. At the desk, a smiling young man greeted them, eyeing Valera with appreciation he could not quite hide.
"We shall need rooms for a few days. Say, one week." Valera put down the trunk she was carrying and reached inside her leather belt to take out a small billfold. In it was an American Express Card and driver's license made to "Valerie Androval." She had been in the world often before and came prepared. Also in that billfold was five hundred dollars in fifties and twenties, a Visa card and an ID for an account at the Chase Manhattan bank.
As a bellboy hurried up to help, he grunted in surprise at how heavy the trunk was that Valera had been carrying with one hand. She let him struggle with it. It was best not to give away just how powerful she really was. They made their way to the bank of elevators, rode up to the 18th floor and were shown into a luxurious suite with tall windows that let in the morning light. Valera thanked the boy and gave him a tip, while Zarithen looked over the rooms.
"This is suitable for one of your station, princess," she conceded almost grudgingly.
Valera smiled and wandered about. "Ah, I have camped in deserts and jungles and barren mountains in my day. Many a night I had no blanket to pull over me and my forearm was my pillow." She showed her old nurse the bathroom and demonstrated how the toilet and shower worked.
"I am impressed with Human ingenuity," Zarithen said, almost to herself. "But I do wonder why we do not bring such devices to our own realm."
"It is not the Melgar way. To be frank, we are slow to change our customs and we have not changed much since the Darthan Age." Valera picked up the remote and turned on the TV to CNN. As Zarithen stared hypnotized at the screen, Valera put away their luggage. She glanced over and smiled at her nurse watching the dancing candy bars during a commercial.
"Zarithen!" Valera said sharply. "These are my words. You are not to leave these room except in extreme emergency such as fire. Do you hear and obey?"
The older Melgar bowed her head. "Yes, my princess."
"Here in this mechanical icebox I have placed fruit, bread and cheese. This is dried meat and here are bottles of wine. The water from this sink is fit to drink. I do not plan to be gone long but if I am, pick up this instrument" and here she demonstrated with the phone by the bed, "and ask for 'room service.' Order what food you want, it will be charged. Do you understand?"
"I do, princess. But may I not go with you?"
"No. I want you here. I may call this phone if I have instructions or if I need help. It is important that you stand by and do your part." Valera's tone softened. "I count on you as I always have, my friend and comrade."
Zarithen bowed low and went to sit on the low couch, Despite herself, her eyes went to the TV which now showed a singing couple in front of three judges. Valera smiled, and took a white topcoat from her baggage. Removing the scabbard from her back, she put on the coat and strapped the seven foot sheath over one shoulder again. Long years of practice let her move about without awkwardness from the weapon she carried always. Valera tied her long blonde hair in a ponytail with a twist of blue silk, patted her pockets and glanced in the mirror. At the door, she waved to Zarithen and went out toward the elevator.
Out on the street, the Melgar woman got her bearings and headed east. She did not feel out of place anymore, having traveled in the real world in her time, and she strode confidently toward Third Avenue, then swung left up to 44th Street. Here was the building she had been told to find. It was only four stories high, of yellow brick, with a sign on a stand listing the businesses within. Between "EMERGENCY ONE- WALK-IN CLINIC" and "SPA HIGHLAND" was "DIRE WOLF AGENCY." Valera nodded and headed toward the glass doors but hesitated. Long decades of adventure had given her a sense when things were amiss. She walked past the building and peered into the narrow alley between it and the next, taller structure.
There was the man she had come to see, his arms raised as he faced three men with guns in their hands.
( the rest of the story )
11/16-11/17/2007
I.
Two women stepped out an alley in a bad part of town. Zarithen was well into middle age, a bit bent, a bit grey. She wore loose pants and long-sleeved blouse of tan cloth, with a wide-brimmed hat. Over one shoulder was slung a small knapsack and a leather purse was tied to her waist sash. Few observers would have noticed her, though, simply because she was standing next to Valera.
Her bright blue uniform of snug tunic and pants, with its white trim and red boots was striking in itself but Valera would have caught the eye no matter what she wore. The Melgar princess was tall, just under six feet, and slim but athletic in build. She had rich yellow hair loose around her shoulders, and sky-blue eyes in a beautiful face. Valera carried a large trunk in one hand and a duffel bag in the other, and strapped across her back was a leather sheath holding something longer than she was tall. As they stepped from the alley into the morning sunlight, Valera flashed her dazzling smile at her companion.
"Welcome to the Human world," she said. "You have not been here before, my dear, it is larger than all the adjacent realms combined."
Zarithen took a good look before answering. "Busy it is, and noisy. You told me of these carriages that roll without horses to pull them. And you told me I would see Humans of every color and size, so these do not surprise me. But why do these folk hurry so?"
"It is their nature," Valera answered. "Come. Follow me."
"Yes, princess." Zarithen tagged along behind the boldly striding Valera as they walked east along 34th Street. They paused before the Hotel Lanchester, a modest establishment that stood opposite the Empire State Building. "This will do," Valera decided, marching through the double glass doors and across a lobby of white tile and marble. At the desk, a smiling young man greeted them, eyeing Valera with appreciation he could not quite hide.
"We shall need rooms for a few days. Say, one week." Valera put down the trunk she was carrying and reached inside her leather belt to take out a small billfold. In it was an American Express Card and driver's license made to "Valerie Androval." She had been in the world often before and came prepared. Also in that billfold was five hundred dollars in fifties and twenties, a Visa card and an ID for an account at the Chase Manhattan bank.
As a bellboy hurried up to help, he grunted in surprise at how heavy the trunk was that Valera had been carrying with one hand. She let him struggle with it. It was best not to give away just how powerful she really was. They made their way to the bank of elevators, rode up to the 18th floor and were shown into a luxurious suite with tall windows that let in the morning light. Valera thanked the boy and gave him a tip, while Zarithen looked over the rooms.
"This is suitable for one of your station, princess," she conceded almost grudgingly.
Valera smiled and wandered about. "Ah, I have camped in deserts and jungles and barren mountains in my day. Many a night I had no blanket to pull over me and my forearm was my pillow." She showed her old nurse the bathroom and demonstrated how the toilet and shower worked.
"I am impressed with Human ingenuity," Zarithen said, almost to herself. "But I do wonder why we do not bring such devices to our own realm."
"It is not the Melgar way. To be frank, we are slow to change our customs and we have not changed much since the Darthan Age." Valera picked up the remote and turned on the TV to CNN. As Zarithen stared hypnotized at the screen, Valera put away their luggage. She glanced over and smiled at her nurse watching the dancing candy bars during a commercial.
"Zarithen!" Valera said sharply. "These are my words. You are not to leave these room except in extreme emergency such as fire. Do you hear and obey?"
The older Melgar bowed her head. "Yes, my princess."
"Here in this mechanical icebox I have placed fruit, bread and cheese. This is dried meat and here are bottles of wine. The water from this sink is fit to drink. I do not plan to be gone long but if I am, pick up this instrument" and here she demonstrated with the phone by the bed, "and ask for 'room service.' Order what food you want, it will be charged. Do you understand?"
"I do, princess. But may I not go with you?"
"No. I want you here. I may call this phone if I have instructions or if I need help. It is important that you stand by and do your part." Valera's tone softened. "I count on you as I always have, my friend and comrade."
Zarithen bowed low and went to sit on the low couch, Despite herself, her eyes went to the TV which now showed a singing couple in front of three judges. Valera smiled, and took a white topcoat from her baggage. Removing the scabbard from her back, she put on the coat and strapped the seven foot sheath over one shoulder again. Long years of practice let her move about without awkwardness from the weapon she carried always. Valera tied her long blonde hair in a ponytail with a twist of blue silk, patted her pockets and glanced in the mirror. At the door, she waved to Zarithen and went out toward the elevator.
Out on the street, the Melgar woman got her bearings and headed east. She did not feel out of place anymore, having traveled in the real world in her time, and she strode confidently toward Third Avenue, then swung left up to 44th Street. Here was the building she had been told to find. It was only four stories high, of yellow brick, with a sign on a stand listing the businesses within. Between "EMERGENCY ONE- WALK-IN CLINIC" and "SPA HIGHLAND" was "DIRE WOLF AGENCY." Valera nodded and headed toward the glass doors but hesitated. Long decades of adventure had given her a sense when things were amiss. She walked past the building and peered into the narrow alley between it and the next, taller structure.
There was the man she had come to see, his arms raised as he faced three men with guns in their hands.
( the rest of the story )
