Chapter 1 - Welcome to "The Bean"
24 Sep 2022GoblinCoffeeShop
**Dear Reader, you are in possession of a manuscript that has not yet been made public. For the purposes of RP and squadron lore, this story is secret and will not be known by your commander character. This story contains some mature language and content. Thank you, and enjoy.**Chapter 1
Welcome to "The Bean"
June 20, 3304
Bean Terminal, orbiting Anekaliti 2
Darkness was an invitation.
The darkness of night invited his gaze to the sky, revealing the marvels of the galaxy. And there, free to imagine, he felt the gravity of his own yearning,
But the darkness of solitude invited things that refused to be forgotten. And within the empty silence, memories stalked…
His small hands were clasped as if to pray, but the child gazed up at a man with dark circles around his eyes. “What is it?” the man asked.
“I don’t want to say,” replied the boy.
“Trevin, the Father sees all. There is no hiding what is in your heart.”
“I just. I … sometimes I wonder where the Father is.”
“Everywhere, of course. You know this.”
“No… I mean.. Where is he? I don’t… see him anywhere… he doesn’t say-”
“Trevin.” The man’s voice leaned in on him, stern and disappointed. “The Father can be seen in all things. His majesty is evident-”
“But how do you know when he is invisible?”
“Trevin!” The man’s face was tangled like a briar. “The Word tells us, you know this! You have been a Child of the Light your whole life. Almost ten, and here you are talking like The Faithless instead of saying your nightly prayers!”
Trevin looked down at his hands, a pout trembling against his will. Silence was thick around him, but he let it hang.
The man went on, “What has gotten into you? You used to be such a good boy.”
“I still want to be good!”
“So why aren’t you praying?”
More stiff silence as Trevin searched for an answer that could somehow be true without being… wrong. “I don’t…I just…”
“Say it.”
All at once the fearful words tumbled out, “What if The Word is just a story? How can we really know it’s true?” Trevin’s stomach clenched as he waited for…
“Trevin. These thoughts are unacceptable to The Father. You must not let evil become rooted in your mind. Your spirit belongs to the Light. Repent these evil thoughts at once. And then seven times your usual prayers. We will not discuss this again.” The man’s voice was calm, but his disgust was impossible to hide.
Trevin glared at his small hands, straining in frustration. Throat tight, he blinked away the heat of unshed tears. He swallowed and forced out the words…
“Yes, Daddy-”
CLUNK
Trevin collided with the floor, awakening to pitch blackness. His breath was hot around his face. Muffled speech and footsteps came from closeby. The footsteps drew near, latches clicked open, and a crease of light widened to embrace him.
“How’s it goin in there, Trev?”
Trevin squinted up at a young man built like a linebacker. He could only make out buzzed blonde hair, but he knew Jeffery by his voice. As his eyes adjusted, he saw the boy hunched over and smiling at him.
Trevin grunted and sat upright in a large luggage crate. He was on the metal floor of a hangar foyer, near the passenger lifts. To his left was another trunk, and inside it his best friend Max was getting to his feet, scratching his dark hair with a grimace. He gave Trevin a nod.
Trevin turned back to Jeffrey, “Next time you’re riding cargo so we can toss you around while you suffocate, yeah?”
Jeffrey straightened up, laughing. “I’m too tall for that box, and you’re too weak to carry me.”
“Whatever.” Trevin rubbed his eyes.
Max stepped out of the trunk and slapped the lid shut. “Laugh all you want, asshole. You owe me 20 grand. Your share of the Apex fare plus pain and suffering.” Standing there with his finger pointed at Jeffrey, Max looked slim and boyish, but he was perhaps the better looking of the two.
“That’s your parents’ money anyway.” Jeffrey scoffed. “And they don't give a fuck.”
Trevin bent to latch the lid on his trunk. “Please stop talking.”
“So now that we’re here…Clothes?” Max said, toeing the luggage. “Trunk’s empty, remember?”
Trevin shook his head, rolling his crate to the row of elevators “Man, is that all you care about?”
Max shot him a dismissive glance, but Trevin was already calling the lift.
“Coffee,” Trevin said, facing the doors. “Coffee is paramount.”
-
The sounds of the station swallowed their footsteps as they entered a spacious hallway. Loudspeaker announcements bounced off the walls and the grinding rush of thrusters marked the coming and going of spacecraft. The space station felt like an airport crossed with a shopping mall, built out of metal. Trevin gazed out the huge windows as they walked, looking out on the central docking bay. Storefronts, access doors, and other kiosks made up the opposite side of the hall.
“I don’t think you should get your hopes up, Trev,” Jeffrey explained, “my brother doesn’t exactly have good taste in… fuckin', anything, really.”
A stubbornness came over Trevin. “It would be a literal sin for a place like Bean Terminal not to have good coffee. Whether Jordan knows what he’s talking about or not.”
“So when is Griffin going to show us the apartment?” Max asked, ignoring Trevin.
Jeffrey looked at his datawatch, “I dunno when he’s off work. We might not have time to find decent clothes and stop at the cafe.”
Trevin veered over to a public information terminal. “Hey, what did Jordan say the cafe was again?” he asked, pulling up a directory.
“Uhm… it was like, Bloodline or… I dunno something to do with-”
“Life Support Cafe,” Max interrupted, pointing to the list of names. “It’s right here.”
Trevin’s eyebrows rose. “It’s right there!” he said, looking down the hallway.
Max kept scrolling through the list of shops. “Trevin, look I have like two pairs of underwear total. We need clothes more than we need some overhyped station coffee.”
Trevin was already walking again, “I’m buying,” he called.
Jeffrey shouldered his bag. “Well, in that case, lead the way cap-i-tan.” Max threw up his hands and followed.
The great hallway wasn’t exactly crowded, but Trevin noticed that everyone walked with purpose. He supposed most people had something to keep them busy this close to the hangars. A ship to catch, a deadline to make.
The entrance to Life Support Cafe was wide open to the hallway, but it felt like stepping into an entirely different station. It was quieter inside, and the small line of customers actually seemed relaxed. In the dim light, Trevin saw others seated with their computers or chatting softly.
It was then Trevin realized the entire back wall looked directly out into space. “Woah.” Stars eased by with the apparent rotation of the station, and the glow of ship thrusters carved a beaming arc into the blackness. A look of wonder crept into his features, lit by the green glow that bordered the window. “Check that out.”
“It’s probably from a camera feed.” Max explained, getting in line. “There’s actually quite a few floors between us and the exterior of the station. Haven’t you seen stuff like this on Serebrov?”
“Man, you know my parents,” Trevin said, shaking his head. “Anything cool is evil.”
“What’re you gettin’?” Jeffrey asked.
“Just the usual, man,” Trevin sighed. “Dark roast.”
Trevin watched the man behind the counter as he chatted with his customers. Trevin thought he was about fifty, wearing a sweater and a red tie beneath his apron. He spoke a low, grainy voice that crumbled like an espresso puck. “Thanks, Rachel, always a pleasure,” he said, handing the woman in front of them a white mug.
“See you tomorrow, Steve.” The man didn’t return her smile, but Trevin somehow felt one hidden in his face.
Jeffrey stepped to the counter up with a smirk. “Hey Steve, how’s it goin’?”
Steve looked at the boys. “Yeah, I don’t know you guys. You from outta system?” Jeffrey and Max exchanged a look of silent laughter. “So you already heard my name.” He leaned forward on the counter. “What’s yours? And what the hell brings a couple’a kids to Bean Terminal?”
Trevin spoke up, “We heard you had the best coffee in the bubble.”
Steve considered the boy for some time, expressionless. “You’re shittin’ me.”
Jeffrey said, “Well, my brother lives here and we just uh…came to visit.”
“I see.” Steve slowly rubbed his neatly trimmed beard.
“Seriously though,” Trevin continued, “his brother told us Life Support Cafe makes the best coffee he’s ever had.”
Steve blinked and nodded, his head cocked to one side. “Could be. I take coffee seriously. Maybe he does too. And what do you like to drink, nameless one?”
“Dark roast, please.”
“Same.”
“I’ll take tea if you have it.”
“Of course I have it,” Steve said, turning to grab a mug, “This is a cafe, not a lunar outpost.” After giving Max his tea of choice, Steve poured the two coffees. “So how long will you be at The Bean?”
“Month or so,” Jeffrey said.
“Well don’t waste your time with any other coffee shops around here,” Steve said as he handed over the mugs. “If this isn’t good enough for you, then you’re screwed.” Steve gave a little wink. “Enjoy, guys.” They thanked him and scoped out a seat.
“Dude is kinda weird.” Max muttered as they took their places in an empty booth.
“What, Steve?”
“Yeah.”
“Why d’you say that?”
“I dunno, he’s just… you know, fuckin' old heads, they’re just weird.”
Trevin frowned, “People seem to know him, though. I bet he isn’t so bad.”
“Ehh,” Max shrugged, “I dunno, just don’t tell him who we are. He talks too much.”
“Damn, this shit is fuckin' good,” Jeffrey said, eyes wide.
Trevin took a sip and closed his eyes. “Oh my God. This was worth the cargo ride, alone. Holy crap. You never get anything like this planetside.”
Max thoughtfully bobbed his tea by the string. “Yeah… Yeah, it does seem pretty legit.”
Trevin watched a dark grey planet sweep over the window, the wake of a small spacecraft glowing over the surface. “I can’t believe we’re free for a couple months. Like actually free.”
“Yeah it’s almost like being an adult, imagine that!” Max patted Trevin on the shoulder.
“You know they’ll be asking how things are going soon.” Trevin frowned and looked at his datawatch. “I keep getting this feeling they’re gonna find out we ditched.”
“Trev,” Jeffrey said, “I literally carried you to the Apex in a fuckin' suitcase. Your parents won’t have any idea you skipped the senior trip, or where you are for that matter.”
“But they know I’m friends with you.”
“But I’m just going to see my brother.”
Trevin sighed. “I know… I know we’ve been over this I just…”
“Yeah so shut up and enjoy the coffee, man,” Max smirked over his mug. “You’re not gettin’ caught this time. There’s how many systems we coulda gone to? Far as they know, you’re with the boarding school homies just … being boring religious kids. Feeling bad about popping a boner or whatever.” He took a sip of his tea.
Trevin laughed. “Right? Man…parents… I haven’t been to your place in way too long. This feels like junior high when we used to hang out over there all the time. How’s your mom doing these days, anyway, Max? I miss her.”
“And her food!” Jeffrey agreed.
“She’s fine. Dad’s always working. Keeps him out of her hair. They’re cool though.”
“Hey he’s gotta pay for those space yachts somehow right?” Jeffrey ribbed. He looked down at his datawatch, “Oh, Griffin’s off work. Says he’s gonna meet us here.”
“So this guy’s a friend of your brother’s?” Max asked.
“New roommate. Jordan says he’s chill, though. Easy to live with.”
“Hope so cause we’re stuck with him for the next six weeks.”
“Can’t be worse than living with my parents…” said Trevin.
“Oh I know.” Jeffrey shook his head. “He must be chill if he can put up with my brother.”
-
The cafe seemed to drain the tension from all of them. Their mugs were empty when a boyish man stepped up to the threshold of the cafe, casting an uncertain gaze about the seating area. “That’s probly him,” Jefferey said, giving the boy-man a wave.
Trevin watched him as he walked to their table. He looked a bit like he had just rolled out of bed. His stubble actually made him look younger, and his blonde hair was as wrinkled as his white tee. Trevin wondered how he had a job if he looked like he never left the apartment.
“Hey, Jeffrey?”
“Hey Griffin, good to meet you.” Jeffrey glanced at his friends. “Uh.. you guys ready to go or…?”
“I’m Max,” Max said as though introductions were taking place.
“Oh, yeah. Sorry. Griffin,” he offered an embarrassed handshake. “And uh, you’re…?”
“Trevin. It’s all good, man. Thanks for meeting us here.”
“Trevin, right.” There was a brief awkward silence. “Yep, so uh… Welcome to The Bean, I guess! Life Support tho… good first choice.”
“So good, dude,” Trevin replied, grabbing the mugs off the table.
Steve was toweling off some plates when Trevin returned the mugs. “Have a good one, Dark Roast,” he quipped. Trevin smirked and gave a quick wave.
Max was outside waiting with the empty trunks. “Dude’s weird. Tellin’ ya.” Trevin just shrugged and grabbed his trunk.
Griffin led them through the giant hallway, chatting with Jeffrey. “So you guys are from…Jordan’s home star.”
“Yeah, Zhang Fei. It’s kind of a shithole.”
“Aw really? Why’s that?”
Max chimed in “Just.. war. Faction disputes and lots of pointless political bullshit. And all over a couple’a frozen planets.”
“Not much difference here, really.” Griffin stopped at a row of lifts and poked a button. “Lots of fighting going on in this system. But it isn’t so bad if you can just stay out of it.” The doors opened and they filed in.
“You all take a Dolphin liner here?” Griffin asked, still just talking to Jeffrey.
“Apex Shuttle.”
Trevin sensed confusion in Griffin’s silence. “Like, you came separate?”
“Nope… we uh. They rode in the cargo bay. We didn’t really have the money for three tickets.”
“They let you do that??”
“Well… we didn’t exactly ask.”
Griffin was trying to comprehend how they managed to sneak into the cargo bay in what was essentially a space taxi. Max lifted his empty trunk with one hand and patted its side. “Silverstone Crates. Perfect for coffins and human trafficking.”
“Oh shit!” Griffin burst into laughter. “You guys are crazy.”
The doors opened to another metal hallway. This one had no cafes or windows, and the lively starport ambience was now an incessant drone of automotive traffic. Trevin looked up at the dry lighting and wondered where the noise was coming from. Simple metal doors punctuated the walls here, and it was one of these that opened to a wave of Griffin’s datawatch. “So we are 306, let me send you the unlock key before I forget.”
Griffin led them through a dark hallway and flicked on the lights. They stood between a living room with a stained sofa, a small dining corner, and the kitchen entrance. Trevin thought he smelled something like sweat and dusty noodles.
“So you can sleep on the couch and Jordan’s bed since he's gone for the month…That’s his door. I’ll let you guys figure out who gets what. Nice thing about this place is we have our own laundry machine.” He pointed back to a door in the narrow hallway. “Uh… yeah help yourself to the kitchen, just you know, try not to eat other people’s food. Stuff like mayo and ketchup is community.”
“Damn, that’s right,” Jeffrey said. “Groceries… we need to get some food.”
“Tomorrow,” said Max, “I want to figure out where I’m sleeping and find some shirts to wear.”
“Cool,” Griffin gave a half wave, “Yeah just check the info maps for where the food places are. I’ll be in my room if you need anything.”
Jeffrey opened his brother’s bedroom. Trevin blinked as the next wave of stink hit him. A heap of a bed took up most of the room, leaving little space for the jumble of surrounding litter. Dented beer cans poked out between laundry and paper plates.
“Fuckin' Jordan,” Jeffrey muttered. “Jesus Christ.” The boys just stood there, coming to terms with the realities of their little vacation.
“I call the sofa,” Trevin said, and disappeared from the threshold.
Jeffery half smiled at Max’s pained expression. “Hey, at least they have a laundry machine, right?”
“We’re definitely gonna need it.”
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