"Inky-Dinkey and the Tea Party." Gems for Fools. Part 2
22 Jul 2016Stryker Aune
<< Part 1]Shaw Port, Sowiio
Commanders Log: A blast from my not so distance past. Madam Aveline De'foro Tri'qua has personally requested me to give her a tour of Shaw Port. She claims that she heard I was here and wanted to see me. I have no idea why. I had first met the eccentric socialite when I was attending the Imperial Corp of Engineering academy on Cubeo. I had taken out my Diamond Back Explorer for a short one day excursion. During this time I picked up a distress signal, and decided to lend a helping hand. Fixed up the FSD on her stranded luxury liner, an Orca. Seems she took quite a liking to me. I am currently taking her back to her ship. I still have that incident report to finish.
Madam Tri'qua spoke as they walked down a brightly lit corrador.
"Quite the quaint little facility Stryker! Such lovely place to make berth. I will have to frequent this place more often." Madam Tri'qua exclaimed. She paused for a moment and continued. "It would seem that you finished your studies, yes?"
"I have Madam. This is my first assignment."
"I simply cannot imagine a better officer." She smiled.
The conclusion of the walk involved standing in front of her Orca.
"I would rather request you over for dinner." She continued.
"Oh..." Stryker fidgeted. He really did not want to do that. "I...I'm honored, really I am, but I have.... a date." He lied.
She clapped her hands. "Oh how splendid! A love interest! I must make her acquaintance. It wouldn't be proper otherwise. Can't be seen as barbarous now can we?"
Stryker groaned inwardly. He knew better. For the short time that he knew her, he noticed a peculiar, and most obvious trait. She always got what she wanted.
"Tell me what delights her palate. I will be sure to let cookie know. Have the most splendid spread for her. Shall we say, in 3 hours?"
Stryker nodded dumbly. It was all he could do in the moment, inwardly cursing. Not only did he have that report to finish, now he had to find a date.
"Alright, I'll go and talk with her." He lied again.
"Do, darling, do."
He knew the person he would be looking for would be found around here some place.... He accessed a terminal, and requested the location for Evy Del Monte. The computer responded.
"Evy Del Monte can be located at Landing pad 15."
He shut it off, and made his way to the indicated location.
He found her welding some circuitry down in one of the hangers. The flash of light brightening up her face. She wore a set of welders goggles, heavy gloves and Imperial Issued Engineering trousers. However, she just wore a simple tank-top, the jacket tied around her waist. Her sandy blond hair was tied into a pony tail.
"Evy....EVY!" Stryker ended up yelling to get her attention.
"What?" She stopped her work, turned shut off the welder, and pulled off her goggles.
"I need a favor from you."
"Oh ya big guy?" She snapped the gum she was chewing on.
"Ya. I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend."
"Why in the name of Denton Patreus' saggy left nut sack would I do that for?" She stood, hand on her hip looking him over. "You know, he named 'em." She smiled.
"Evy..."
"Its true. The right one is Lavigny. The left...."
"Evelyn!"
"Okay okay okay, geesh....Mr. grumpy...." She stopped her ribbing, the smile on her face vaporizing. "Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot. I heard about this morning...Honestly I think your doing a good job. If that's any conciliation. "So, you need me to pretend to be your date? You know, dependin' on how desperate you are, I could really exploit this...." Her grin returned.
"And I could pull rank." Stryker retorted.
"You'll order me to be your pretend date?" She flashed her grin again.
Stryker knew she had him. "No, I wouldn't. Shouldn't make empty threats..." He folded his beefy arms.
"I'll tell you what Hercules. Since your having such'a crappy day, I'll give this one to you."
"Your too kind...." Stryker paused for a moment. "Dinner is at ten hundred hours. Docking pad five. Its formal so wear something nice."
"So, no backwater colonist teeth?"
Stryker smiled and let out a chuckle remembering the first day he had met Evy. She had come to work wearing those horrible fake teeth, hair tied into two pigtails and half of her work overalls tied....
"Actually, I think our hostess might find it rather amusing...I'll meet you there."
---
Stryker used the time remaining time take a quick shower. He donned his Imperial Corp of Engineers uniform. All pressed and crisp. He cut an impressive figure and continued on with his report. He had noted, that incident reports involving a causality, were much less tedious then a report where the individual was injured. He amounted it all to bureaucracy.
Evy meet him at landing pad 05. She also wore the uniform. But, she had tied her hair into two braided pigtails, and in her hand she was tossing the fake teeth. She grinned. "Ready, love...."
Stryker nodded. "Lets get this over with."
He took her hand in his own, and walked up the ramp to the entry port. He pressed a com.
"Master Aune, and guest. Madam Tri'qua most humbly welcomes you to the Astral Star." A butler welcomed them into the ship. "Right this way."
Evy giggled. "Star star?"
Stryker shook his head, and looked around. These Orcas really are nice. Polished hard wood floors and trim. Marble like materials. Water and plant features. Lighting. Leather adorned furniture. The butler had lead them to a neatly fashioned drawing room. "Please, make yourself at home. Any refreshments?"
Stryker and Evy took a seat on a couch, and Evy looked up at the man "Ya, coke. Add a tad bit of whiskey to it too chief."
"Water will be fine for me."
The butler gave a curt nod, turned on his heel and strode out of the room.
"Really nice. Faaaaancy...." She said.
"Well my dear! I should hope it is! Only the best. Of course I'm being modest, as usual." Madam Tri'qua entered the room from the other side. She was wearing a Kimono of old, Complete with silk sash about her midriff. Hair tied up and held in with decorative sticks. She patted quickly, and quietly over in her socked feet.
They stood up. She came and kissed each one on the cheek, and then spotted Evy's teeth. "Oh Dearie! Oh! Would you look at that! I dare say" She pulled out a paper fan, unfurled it, and started to fan her face, "Oh!" She was being quite dramatic. "Quite a convincing replica of poor oral hygiene! Where did you find those!"
Evy smiled, but wasn't too sure. She got the response she was looking for, but the wind was taken out of her sail when the eccentric old woman asked where she had acquired the fake teeth. She spit them out.
"I think....Actually, I don't remember..."
"Well, I do love them. What I love more, is that you wore them! Do you know how old it gets being around a bunch of stuffy prudes all day. A nice good clean joke. I dare say, we could positively be kindred spirits! Sit!" She took a seat and crossed her legs in lady like fashion. The butler returned with their drinks.
She continued. "So, do tell me. How long have you two been a couple."
Stryker and Evy responded at the same time.
"Three months" was his answer. "One day." was hers. They looked at each other. Stryker mediated. "What we, er, mean is its been 3 months, but it feels like its only been a day...."
Madam Tri'qua smiled, picked up her sake, "Those are simply the best kinds of relationships. The ones were the time simply melts away" and took a sip. Evy nudged him and grinned.
Madam Tri'qua continued. "He must make you feel safe dearie. A man as large as him, must have its benefits."
Evy grinned. "Well, you know what they say. The larger the man, the smaller they are....I like to call him 'Inky-Dinky'" She pinched her fingers close together.
"Oh!" Madam Tri'qua dramatically exclaimed again, and clapped her hands together. "Well! One does learn something new every day! How rather shocking. I had just assumed..."
Stryker just stared at Evy. She grinned back. "I'm sorry Honey. I forgot..." She turned her attention to Madam Tri'qua. "This is a very sensitive topic for him." Then back to Stryker while placing a hand on his strapping forearm. "But remember what the counselor said. The sooner you come to terms with your -shortcomings- the sooner we can move into a deeper and more meaningful relationship.
Stryker continued to stare at Evy...
"I love you no matter what your deficiencies may be, Honey...." She continued.
He then pinched the bridge of his nose willing for patience and through gritted teeth said. "Are you having fun?"
"Oh, of course! This is the best date that you've -ever- taken me on!"
"Oh, Lordie!" The old woman exclaimed theatrically. "You two are too much, I haven't had such an amusing conversation in so long! Well, seeing a counselor! In my day that was positively Taboo! But seems to be rather chic now. Things must be getting quite serious! Talk of wedding plans? "I would most love to attend!"
"Dinner is served." The butler had returned and according to Stryker, with impeccable timing.
Madam Tri'qua clapped her hands together. "Splendid! Shall we?"
They had all made their way to the dining room. Table set elegantly. Fluted glasses with some champagne just poured by the butler. The cook brought out a vessel of soup.
Soon after the soup was served, Madam Tri'qua looked at the pair. "I have to say, I really appreciate you two spending you evening with an old woman." She paused for a moment. Her continence had dramatically changed. "My husband just recently passed away."
Evy tilted her head and looked directly at the woman. "I'm sorry."
"My condolences" was all Stryker could think to say.
"We were married for 50 years." She continued. "I dearly loved that man." She paused again. "The estate had all been settled. I have something I would like to ask you Alvadar."
"Go on."
"Understand, I loved my husband dearly. But the accountants that have been handling the estate, have found irregularities in the ledger. It would seem that a substantial amount of credits were being funneled into an offshore account. Naturally, I hired a investigator. It would seem, he was financing an expedition." She gave a brief respite and placed her hands on the table "You could imagine my shock. I had no idea he was up to anything." She opened her hand to reveal a datachip. "This, my dear, is a stellar chart. According to the records that were found with this, a most wondrous gem was lost. I believe my husband was trying to find it. And I would most like to finish the work he had done." She closed her hand, and sat back.
Stryker spoke. "Why me?"
"Isn't it obvious? Look at you. Your huge, intimidating, and I would rather think that most people would think twice about toying with you. And, your sweet. I would like to think, that I can trust you. You certainly had shown your not the kind to take advantage of others...."
Evy laughed. "Going on a treasure hunt, X marks the spot.... Well, if your going -Dear- I'm going too. We can make it pre-honeymoon!"
Stryker had, had enough. "First. We're not a couple." He pointed to Evy. "I just... I didn't want to have dinner tonight. I have a pending investigation, and an incident report to write. The paperwork..." He finger quoted "That Thaddeus eluded to, is a fatality report. I lost a man in an accident this morning. It's getting late. I'm tired, and really, I can't think about this right now. Please excuse me." He nodded to the lady, to Evy, to the butler, and took a step towards the door, when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Stryker dear. I didn't know." She stepped around the man and faced him. "I know I can be pushy. Bossy and downright snobbish. I hear the whispers. What the others call me. Regardless, I am sorry for your loss. What can I do to help you prepare for this investigation...."
"I need to sleep."
"I'll tell you what. Why don't you do that. I'll speak with Thaddeus. Pull some strings. Once this investigation is over, come with me. It'll be like a vacation. Looks like you rather need one. Evy, your such a delight. You simply must sojourn with us too. And who knows....I sense a bit of chemistry between you..."
Evy beamed. Stryker gave a curt nod, grunted, and headed off to his quarters.
[Part 3>>
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