Destiny's Annex

In retrospect, Matt decided, springing for the oxygen mask option would have been a good idea. The orbital re-entry portion of the cab ride was particularly harrowing under near-asphyxiation conditions.

But here he was, in front of Destiny's annex. A disco as it turns out. The long line of beings winding around the building promised a long  wait.

Mat decided to play the "Decoder Ring Card" and shoved his way to the front of the line, risking evaporation by lazer, anhilation by plasma and some really dirty looks.

"Hey Buddy" he addressed the bouncer, "I'm supposed to be in here. I have a Decoder Ring."

The Malthusian Grock Warrior stared down at him from his two and a half meter height. He gave Matt all kinds of time to regret all of the day's decisions before saying "You and everyone here sunshine. Get to the back of the line."

Matt looked back down the line, every being waved a decoder ring at him and some not wholly pleasant smirks.

Well, he thought, this was a complete bust.

He wanted to head straight home but, of course, you can't find a cab on this end of town when you need it!
from thesamim

Matt headed back to the end of the line. His fellow queue nerds greeted him along the way. Some with disdain that he’d been such an egocentric ass as to assume he belonged ahead of them. Some with empathy for his walk-of-shame to the end again. Some with admiration that he had the guts to confront the Malthusiasn Grock Warrior.

After that spectacle, Matt had to stay.

Another cab materialized at the end of the line as Matt approached. He slid into place before the next lucky dweeb exited in search of Destiny.

A Nibelanjer climbed out of the cab, a typical lanky specimen. He seemed to register actual emotion in response to the length of the line—remarkably uncharacteristic for the level-headed species.

But hey, Matt thought, when you’re out to seek your Destiny on command of a cereal-box-secret-decoder-ring message, what do you expect? Well, if you’re gonna wait anyway you could do worse than talk with a Nibelanjer. “Decoder ring?” he deadpanned with a nod to the newcomer.

from survey

"No. My name is RinBin."
Matt frowned at the non-sequitur. Then he remembered that Nibelanjers were notoriously literal minded.
"My apologies." he replied. "my meaning was to inquire whether you too had received a decoder ring?"
"I see. No I have not."
Hmmm.... was RinBin here to dance??? Really? "So.... what brings you here?" he asked.
"That cab brought me here."
Matt just barely stopped himself from smacking his forehead. "I meant, what is the reason for the visit to this establishment on this night?" he rephrased.
"I come in response to this invitation." RinBin held up a see-through strip of milar encrusted with what Matt assumed were Ninblanjer symbols.
Great, Ninjamblers get invitations, I get a decoder ring! "I do not read Ninjblanjerese. If it is not too forward, may I ask you what the invitation says?"
"It says nothing. It has no vocal apparatus."
Oh, this was going to be VERY frustrating. "Sorry I meant...." but the Ninjblanjer held up one of his six hands. There was a twinkle in his third eye.
"My apologies Decoder Ring. I merely jest. Attempting to employ human humor."
Matt grinned. A Ninjblanjer with a sense of humor. THAT was unusual!

"The invitation is a summons to this establishment employing a rather trite word play on the Ninjanblese meaning of Destiny."
"Ah. Somewhat similar to what I got then.... Must be somebody's idea of a joke."
"Apologies Decoder Ringer, but I think no joking is involved here. Do you see the Malthusian Grock Warrior at the door?"
"Yes. Had a brief conversation with him just now."
"Well, the cost of employing him nightly is roughly equivalent to the gross planetary product of some of the smaller colonies. To have him keep guard at this door implies significant commitment to the task."

Matt's stomach did a small flip.

from Wordlinger

Matt had run out of small talk.  He fidgeted with the decoder ring while constantly surveying the line up and down.  People continued to line up behind him, which in his mind, meant he wasn't the biggest loser out here tonight.
His new Nibelanjer friend watched him bounce in and out of the line, never stepping out far enough to actually lose his place.
"Mr. Decoder Ring ..."
"Matt, my name is Matt."
"Ah, much better, Matt, you seem to be a man of much action, but your action accomplishes nothing."
"That's me alright, you just met me and already you know me better than two ex-wives."
"Please explain why you are with the action?"
"I just bounce around when I'm nervous."
"I see.  I too am with much excitement."
"Oh yeah, I can tell, I mean, why are you so excited?"
"So many people all coming to same place for secret reason.  We see them go in, very slowly, but none come out.  Must be very good inside."
"But why the secrecy?  They give out secret coded instructions in cereal boxes, it sounds like a publicity stunt, but we get here and it's still a secret.  Where are the cameras?"
"I think we will know soon, we have moved forward five places already."
"Not soon enough for me.  I wonder what idiot came up with this gag?"
"I see many beings in line to go in.  Maybe it not a idiot that do this?"
"Just because we're bigger idiots does not exclude him from the club."
"You think I'm an idiot too?"
"You're standing in this line talking to me.  Don't you have something better to do?"
"No."
Matt waited for Rinbin to elaborate, but nothing came.  "No?  You have nothing else to do with your life?"
"Certainly.  I have many other things I could do, but nothing better than this."
"That's sad."
"Not sad.  My entire life has been planned out for me.  Everything has been exactly as it should.  I was expected to be exactly as I should.  I was not expected to be here."
"Wow, you're quite the rebel, aren't you?  Don't answer that."  Matt continued to pop out and check the length of the line both ahead and behind.  "I think, maybe you were right about one thing, you weren't expected to be here."
"I already said that."
"I know, I know.  But have you noticed, you are the only Nibelanjer in this line?"
"No, I wasn't looking."
"Well, I looked.  And, another thing, everyone else here has decoder rings.  Where did you say you got that invitation?"
"I did not say."
"Where did you get it?"
"It was served to me with my morning meal."
"Your morning meal?  Does your morning meal happen to come from the Allfoods Corporation?"
"I do not know, I don't go in the kitchen."
"Never?"
"Not ever."
"Why?"
"Why is not important."
"Who never goes to the kitchen?"
"Me."
"What if you want a water?"
"Someone brings it."
"You've never ever been in the kitchen and you're morning meal was served to you with an invitation to be here, and if you get thirsty, someone brings you water?  Who are you again?"
"I am Rinbin."
"Where does Rinbin live?"
"It is not important."
"Why are you the only Nibelanjer here?  Where do you live?"
"I'd rather not say." 
"Of course, more secrets.  Why would I expect anything else?"

from Ivory

Matt’s curiosity grew. “You say your life has been planned out for you. Who planned it?”
“I’d rather not say.”
“Does anyone know you are here?”
“You know I am here. Others in line know I am here.”
“Yeah, cut the crap. Does anyone from your home know you are here, beside yourself?”
“I do not cut crap.”
“You know what I mean. Tell me the truth. Does anyone from your home know you are here?”
“I’d rather not say.”
“Do they know you are gone? Or did you sneak out or something?”
“I cannot know what they know currently.”

from LitMOO

 

Ando Weir's lanky frame paced back and forth across the entrance to the club. He wrung his hands around his Grey skinned wrists, and expanded his overly large eyes as stretched his already thin neck trying to peer around the imposing Malthusian Grock warrior guarding the entrance. Loud music from the club permeated the entry way, filling their ears with a monotonous drum beat. Despite the din, Ando's edgy voice cut through the air and grated on the nerves. “Why is it taking so long?”

Dap Cord sat in a dark corner of the entrance. He was the mastermind hired to do the job. It was his idea to lure the target in with this grand opening. He calmly dealt out another hand of solitaire on a small desk and said in a deep soothing voice, “Because it's a good plan, and good plans take time to develop.”

“I still don't see why we don't just go out there and get him.”

“That's because you're a dim witted moron! Look out there and tell me what you see?”

“I see a bunch of saps standing in line for nothing, that's what I see.”

“How many?”

Ando stopped pacing long enough to make a rough count. “I dunno, maybe about three hundred.”

“You know what you call three hundred people standing in a line?”

“Uh...ummm...”

“It's not a riddle you imbecile! They're called witnesses! So, you'll just have to wait.”

Ando continued his pacing. “I don't think I can wait.”

“That's your problem right there. You need to pause between your sentences. You don't think. End of sentence, pause. You can wait. End of another sentence.”

“I don't think you're being very nice to me.”

“There you go again. You still don't think, and of course I'm being nice to you just because I haven't stapled your flapping lips shut yet, now have I?”

The Grock warrior glanced over his shoulders as if expecting an order to squash Ando.

Ando stopped pacing long enough to view the line through a pair of binoculars. “What do they want with him anyway? He doesn't look very remarkable to me.”

“I don't know, and I don't care. But, he looks remarkable to me, remarkably like half a million imperial credits that is.”

“Who's that guy he's talking too?”

“What do I look like to you? The information directory?”

“I'm just making conversation, you need to lighten up.”

“And I'm just looking for my stapler, so you need to shut it.”

“What about all these people? Why do we have to take them too?”

“Do you want the inter stellar police force putting all their considerable people to work hunting you down?”

“Ummm, isn't that exactly what they're going to do if we take all these people?”

“First, they'll have to interview all their families. Thats three hundred families with mothers and fathers and maybe some brothers and sisters. Then they will have to track down all these missing people, not just us. And these people will be going a lot of different directions for them to follow.”

“Hey, that's pretty smart! I like that!”

Dap shook his head and groaned from his corner, “I'm sooooo glad you approve.”

from Ivory

“Ando, you can tell the Grock to let another 30 or 40 in, if that will shut you up.” Dap waived his arm to dismiss Ando.

“Bout time. We’ll be here all night by the time the target gets inside.”

“Yeah, well patience. Bet you lose everything prematurely, don’t ya? Just go.”

Ando ambled toward the Grock, enjoying his moment of command. “Hey, let some come inside. 30 or 40 should do it.”

The Grock Warrior looked past Ando to Dap for confirmation.

from Wordlinger

 

The Grock Warrior unhooked the rope allowing the next group in. Matt and Rinbin dutifully filed forward into the club. The Grock stepped in front of Matt and said, “All full.”
“But I'm with him,” Matt explained, “can't you let us stay together?”
The Grock glanced over his shoulder and Rinbin nodded his concurrence. The Grock shrugged his shoulders and simply said, “Ok. You go.”
The Grock slammed the door shut behind Matt.
Matt turned sharply and objected, “Hey! What gives?”
Ando ushered the group in front of them through the next set of doors, then shut those doors as well.
Before Matt could renew his objections, the Grock warrior was all over him. He gripped Matt under the arms and lifted him into the air like he was a child.
Dap spoke into a small radio, “We got him, start up the transports.”
Nobody paid any attention to Rinbin. He quietly stepped behind the Grock warrior and unfurled four of his six arms. He placed the upper two on either side of the Grock's head. His third hand went over the Grock's upper heart, and his fourth covered the lower heart. Then, Rinbin started to sing.
Matt had no idea what he was singing about, the words were all gibberish to him, but the sound was beautiful. Rinbin's voice was slightly deep and sounded like a chorus of cellos. The Grock Warrior loosened his grip slightly and Matt managed to wriggle free. He started looking for the exit, but had to stop when he heard the a new voice behind him. He turned around and saw the Grock staring deeply into Rinbin's eyes. He was crying and singing in the sweetest tenor voice.
Matt was stunned, and started to say so when Dap threw a rope around him, pinning his arms to his chest.
With the Grock subdued, Rinbin turned to assist Matt, but Dap had already pushed him out of the room to the transports. Rinbin started searching for the exit but heard the transports lift off and knew he was too late.
He pressed his finger to his temple, activating the transceiver under his skin. “I was too slow. They have taken the outlander. Yes. Yes. Understood, I will pursue.”
The Grock Warrior put his arm around Rinbin and said, “It's ok. Everything will turn out just fine.”
Rinbin hoped it would be so, but could offer no response.
The Grock then excused himself saying, “I have to go call my mother.”

from Ivory

As the Grock’s eyes cleared, he realized that all the doors in the chamber were shut and he was alone with Rinbin. Dap and Ando were missing. “Hey, what?” he said.

“Aren’t you going to make that call?” Rinbin asked.

“What call?”

“Your mother.”

“Why would I call my mother?”

“My mistake. Where’s the exit?” asked Rinbin.

“Exit? I operate the entrance.”

“Can you open the entrance?”

“Yes.”

“Please open the entrance,” Rinbin said.

The Grock released the lock on the entrance, and a crowd swarmed in from the line.

Rinbin slipped out.

from LitMOO

   Matt's head swooned. He felt like his brain was spinning around inside his head, and the room rolled around beneath him. He thought he was going to throw up, but stopped himself when he realized a hood was over his head. He shook his head and discovered the floor really was moving beneath him, artificial gravity. He'd been snatched. As clarity returned to his mind, he realized he must have been drugged. He tried sitting up, but was still too wobbly.

   "Ah, Mr. Schuster," Dap said, "I see you are awake."

   Dap pulled the hood off of Matt's head. Matt blinked and closed his eyes till he could adjust to the light.

   "You gave us a pretty good chase, Schuster, but you'd be surprised what kind of information a little money can buy."

   Matt managed to finally pull himself upright and said, "You must have me mistaken for someone else."

   "Please don't tell me you want to carry on with this Matt whoever charade?"

   "I'm afraid I can't help you, Buddy."

   "Hmm. No matter. I'm just a collector. First I collect you, then I collect the reward for your capture."

   "You're really barking up the wrong tree."

   "No, I don't think so, but then, I don't really care." Dap patted Matt on the neck with a micro hypodermic swab and said, "Good night, Mr. Schuster, or whoever you think you are."

   Rinbin had raced from the nightclub to the spaceport. A fast single seater was warmed up and waiting for him. He kept his eyes on his handheld monitor, and followed Matt's departure. He didn't want to test the range of the marker he slipped into Matt's pocket and rocketed the small ship off the ground and on their tail as quickly as he could manage.
　

from Ivory

"You gave him too much" a hissy, low pitched voicesaid."I gave him the right amount, how was I supposed toknow he'd be so sensitive?"

Another brash voice bellowed."How do you not know he'smissing two livers? Everyone KNOWS the story of how he lost them.

"Matt's head was pounding, distinctively reminding himof a marching band walking across his forehead. Groggy, he tried to open hiseyes, but blinked them shut again; there was a blinding light shinning downfrom above and it pierced his retinas with cruelty. Matt felt cold all aroundhis body. He attempted to move an arm but it stayed at his side.

"One liver, three livers, what's the difference; wholoses a liver and doesn't get it replaced right away anyways?"

Shocked by the voice, Matt caught his breath. 'Great,' hethought 'I'm in an organ chop shop. That's what they were doing with all thosepeople. Put a ring in cereal, trick them into showing up thinking it's all funand games, then CHOP CHOP cut a few organs out, and bam, the next day there 300people wake up in ice filled bath tubs with "Go to doctor NOW" pinnedto their shirts. Typical.

"It doesn't matter, it's your problem," The hissyvoice remarked. Matt guessed from the deep, throaty sound that it was aDiberian, one of the less savory races, not unusual to see involved in shadydoings.

"I'm not waiting anymore for him to wake up. It's yourshift now, enjoy."

A door slammed and there was much grumbling. Footsteps andsuddenly Matt was being shaken. He grimaced but kept his eyes shut.

"Wake up you worthless glarfnock! You LIKE getting mein trouble don't you?"

Matt was still. He felt the unknown person set his limp bodydown again and breathed a slight sigh of relief. It was then that he got aswift punch in the stomach. Matt sat up with a wheeze and cough, eyes wideopen.

"Ha! I knew it, I saw you make a face, I saw you sigh,you faker!"

Matt turned and scowled, ready to come back at him with afist, but stopped dead cold.

from Aylce

Rinbin saw Matt's tracer enter into the thin atmosphere of Tau Pont, the fifth planet of the Tau Mega system.  He pulled his petite craft into orbit around Tau Pont's second moon and launched a small stealth probe into a synchronous orbit over Matt's reported position.
He held is finger to his temple and smoothly stated, "Voice encryption standard five, scramble code theta-theta-theta.  Connect network covert systems, sub-band delta epsilon."
The receiver in his head crackled for an instant then sprang to life, "Case authorization?"
"Three-three-zero-zero-zero-three."
"Authorization verified.  Code name Spider Bite.  Connecting..."
"Spider Bite?" he thought.  He's definitely going to have to file a grievance over this.
"This is Web Mother.  Report."
"Subject has been delivered to Tau Pont."
Rinbin could hear computer keys clicking.  "Thats too bad, we have no extradition agreements with Tau Pont.  How soon can you be back?"
"This is not acceptable.  I told you this was a bad idea.  He has no business being here.  You should have sent in a trained operative."
"And risk losing a valuable member of our team?  Besides, he volunteered."
"Your respect for life is truly deplorable, and he certainly did not volunteer."
"We just gave him the ring, we didn't force him to figure it out and go there.  Besides, we don't have anyone that looks like Schuster, and he's a dead ringer!"
"Perhaps you should not use the word 'dead'.  Do you not think they will notice he is human?"
"When will you be back?"
"Find out if we have allies that have extradition treaties with Tau Pont."
"That's a job for the diplomatic corp, we are just the inter galactic police.  When will you be back?"
"Is not our motto still 'To serve and protect?"
"When will you be back?"
"I did not think our motto meant to serve innocent bystanders on the silver platter!"
"WHEN WILL YOU BE BACK?!?"
"I do not know."
"What do you mean you don't know?  I want you coming straight home."
"I can not predict the inconsistencies of space travel.  I will be home when I am home."
"Come home now, that is an order."
"I must retrieve my probe, it is too valuable to leave behind."
"Very well, get your probe, then come home."
Rinbin clicked off the receiver.  He would get his probe, especially the probe he slipped into Matt's pocket.
from Ivory

 

Rinbin check the controls readying for an approach to Tau Pont. His hand paused. “They will certainly notice Matt is human,” he thought.

Clicking the receiver again, he heard the standard greeting and reentered his voice encryption data to log in.

“This is Web Mother. Report.”
“Where is the real Schuster now?”
“That’s classified. You know that. We discussed that before you began this mission.”
“Has he been moved recently? Are you sure he’s secure?”
“He’s secure. Now get your probe and get out of there. Why the questions?”
“Schuster has a sub dermal transponder. They will know if he’s exposed, so let’s expose him. Stop cloaking his signal.”
“What? Are you crazy? We’ve gone to a helluvalot of trouble to keep him safe. We’re not going to expose him. What are you drinking man?”
“I’m drinking pomegranate juice, but I don’t see the relevance.”
“Literal asshole,” Web Mother mumbled.
“We have to retrieve Matt. He’s not a trained operative. If you expose Schuster, they will wonder why they are receiving a homing signal. They will not know if they have the real Schuster or not. This will be my opportunity to extricate Matt.”
“Forget the stupid human. He’s expendable.”
“No. Expose Schuster under your watch. One hour should be long enough.”
“What makes you think they won’t kill Matt when they realize he’s not Schuster?”

from ruphass

Matt's head throbbed.  He wished they would stop drugging him.

"Ah, Schuster, I see you are awake again."

"I told you before, I never heard of this Schuster character."

"You're wasting your breath, besides, soon enough, you can explain it to the boss."

"Who's the boss?"

"He's the man who put a bounty on your head, that's all I need to know."

A lively tune started to play from Dap's hip.  He pulled out an old fashioned phone and said, "Hello?  Uh-huh, got him right here for you."

"What museum did you get that from?"Dap closed the clam shell and admired it for a moment.  "I won this in a card game.  It's quite rare, they tell me.  Good news, Schuster, they're here.  You'll be gone and I'll be paid."

"I hope they pay you enough to get the matching hand bag that goes with that thing."

Dap ignored Matt and opened the hatch to admit his guests.

A short man entered the room and said, "I'm Dr. Belkin.  I'll be examining him to be sure he is who you say he is."  Belkin walked up to Matt and ran a scanner over his temple.  

A voice from the scanner said, "Amand Schuster, President ..."  Belkin shutoff the scanner, uninterested in the rest of the report.

Belkin tossed a zippered pouch to Dap and lifted Matt onto his feet.

Dap peeked inside the pouch and said, "A pleasure doing business with you."

Belkin led Matt to the hatch but stopped when he was contacted by his boss.

"Belkin, get out of there it's a trap.  Schuster's transponder was just identified half way across the galaxy."

"Nonsense," he said, "his transponder checked out."  Belkin pressed his head to Matt's chest and listened.

Matt knew Belkin was only going to hear one heart, so he bolted towards the exit, but was intercepted when Rinbin materialized into the cabin and grabbed Matt, then transported him back to his ship in orbit.

Matt's head had barely had time to shake off the effects of the drugs, being transported was worse.

Rinbin sprang to the controls and pointed the ship back home.

Matt was furious.  He started yelling at Rinbin, "You stupid son of a bitch!  What the hell are you doing here?  Do you know how long I spent setting that up?  I even had you guys fooled into thinking it was your idea!  Do you realize how close I was to meeting the boss?  Thank you for ruining a year of work!"

Rinbin was flumoxed.  His gaze bounced back and forth from one eye to the other. 

"Well?  What do you have to say for yourself?"

"You're welcome?"
from Ivory