side, hawked trinkets and wall hangings. A pair of Bureau agents, only vaguely familiar to Caroline, prowled the trinket shop, scrutinizing the wares with indifference, as if it were the least boring option available.
“You know,” Caroline said, bringing up the rear in the quintet, “maybe we should…” She didn’t bother to finish. No one was listening.
“Arrangers?” Stovall asked brightly over his shoulder. Caroline held her tongue and no one else disagreed. It was decided.
Arrangers, a drinking and eating spot, had once been devoted to giving the most attractive women of Ell-C a forum in which to appeal to lonely men in other Lunar cities. A place to strike matrimonial accords. Earth, however, upon discovering what was going on, shut it down. All that remained from the ‘matchmaking’ days was the name.
Arriving at their destination, the group was stopped at the door by a hulking presence, larger even than Stovall. He held up one hand, even as he leaned to one side, allowing a local couple entry past Stovall and his companions.
"What's the problem?" Stovall asked calmly.
"You're all Bureau, aren't you?" It didn't matter that none of them were in uniform. HSPBers just had a look to them.
"Yeah, but it's not what you think. We just want a table in the main room."
"I got the word: No more Bureau. We have the right, you know," the mountain of a man replied.
"I've been here before. No trouble from me. Ever," Stovall reasoned.
"Doesn't matter."
Caroline stepped forward from the rear of the group. "What is it?"
She looked past the towering figure, into Arrangers and saw a bloodied and beaten man helped from a back room and down a corridor, out of sight. Trailing behind was a woman in tears who could have been his wife, sister or some other party interested in the poor bastard.
"Bloodbath stakes, is that it? That's pretty desperate," Caroline said to the enormous, contrarian figure before her. "Bare fists and carnage. Can't find any other way to make a living?"
"We have the right. Make our own charter. Only GLB can overturn it."
The man-mountain smiled smugly at Caroline. She placed a hand on Stovall's shoulder, not necessarily concerned that he was getting riled, but just as a preemptive gesture. The giant was right. Ell-C, as with all Lunar cities, was not subject to HSPB interference unless they were involved in activities fundamentally dangerous to Bureau or Earth interests. The GLB on Earth (Global Legislative Body) was required to act if changes were to be made. A pounding – even to the death – taken by a handful of Ell-Cers for the entertainment of locals and the basis for gambling didn't raise Earth's pulse one bit.
The five walked away. Stovall shook his head.
"I didn't know. Hadn't heard they'd started bloodbath stakes there."
"It's not your fault," Caroline said, leading the way back toward the tunnel separating Ell-C and its landing bay.
"There are other spots,” Stovall suggested. “The TGC Club, Harold Husband's Tabernacle Cottage. No chance they'll have fights staged."
Caroline shook her head. "I'm sorry. Just not up to it."
Stovall, disappointed, shrugged. "Maybe I'll stay with the others. They seemed to want to keep going."
"Good. I'll see you back there." Caroline offered a smile and a squeeze of Stovall's arm before returning the way they'd
“You know,” Caroline said, bringing up the rear in the quintet, “maybe we should…” She didn’t bother to finish. No one was listening.
“Arrangers?” Stovall asked brightly over his shoulder. Caroline held her tongue and no one else disagreed. It was decided.
Arrangers, a drinking and eating spot, had once been devoted to giving the most attractive women of Ell-C a forum in which to appeal to lonely men in other Lunar cities. A place to strike matrimonial accords. Earth, however, upon discovering what was going on, shut it down. All that remained from the ‘matchmaking’ days was the name.
Arriving at their destination, the group was stopped at the door by a hulking presence, larger even than Stovall. He held up one hand, even as he leaned to one side, allowing a local couple entry past Stovall and his companions.
"What's the problem?" Stovall asked calmly.
"You're all Bureau, aren't you?" It didn't matter that none of them were in uniform. HSPBers just had a look to them.
"Yeah, but it's not what you think. We just want a table in the main room."
"I got the word: No more Bureau. We have the right, you know," the mountain of a man replied.
"I've been here before. No trouble from me. Ever," Stovall reasoned.
"Doesn't matter."
Caroline stepped forward from the rear of the group. "What is it?"
She looked past the towering figure, into Arrangers and saw a bloodied and beaten man helped from a back room and down a corridor, out of sight. Trailing behind was a woman in tears who could have been his wife, sister or some other party interested in the poor bastard.
"Bloodbath stakes, is that it? That's pretty desperate," Caroline said to the enormous, contrarian figure before her. "Bare fists and carnage. Can't find any other way to make a living?"
"We have the right. Make our own charter. Only GLB can overturn it."
The man-mountain smiled smugly at Caroline. She placed a hand on Stovall's shoulder, not necessarily concerned that he was getting riled, but just as a preemptive gesture. The giant was right. Ell-C, as with all Lunar cities, was not subject to HSPB interference unless they were involved in activities fundamentally dangerous to Bureau or Earth interests. The GLB on Earth (Global Legislative Body) was required to act if changes were to be made. A pounding – even to the death – taken by a handful of Ell-Cers for the entertainment of locals and the basis for gambling didn't raise Earth's pulse one bit.
The five walked away. Stovall shook his head.
"I didn't know. Hadn't heard they'd started bloodbath stakes there."
"It's not your fault," Caroline said, leading the way back toward the tunnel separating Ell-C and its landing bay.
"There are other spots,” Stovall suggested. “The TGC Club, Harold Husband's Tabernacle Cottage. No chance they'll have fights staged."
Caroline shook her head. "I'm sorry. Just not up to it."
Stovall, disappointed, shrugged. "Maybe I'll stay with the others. They seemed to want to keep going."
"Good. I'll see you back there." Caroline offered a smile and a squeeze of Stovall's arm before returning the way they'd
Similar Books
