Chapter 2 - Space Goblins
01 Nov 2022GoblinCoffeeShop
**Dear Reader, you are in the 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.**Shortcut to Chapter 1
Chapter 2
"Space Goblins"
Bean Terminal, orbiting Anekaliti 2
June 29th, 3304
(9 days later)
Trevin walked alone through the great hallway stretching alongside the docking bay. He watched ships come and go, hoping the sight of them would relax his nerves like always. Today, however, he was tense and he couldn’t shake it. He looked around the hallway. Most people in the hall walked intentionally, absorbed in their own business. But as their first week on The Bean tumbled into the second, he thought he felt more suspicious looks cast in his direction. A glance from the sanitation worker emptying a bin. A frown from a server as she left a restaurant. He sighed and turned his gaze back to the docking bay windows, but his attention was turned inward.
Maybe people always looked at strangers this way at “The Bean.” Maybe he was too excited to notice at first. He frowned. That exhilaration had been roughed up last week, and he was struggling to get it back. Max had somehow got hold of some onionhead for the first time, made a fool of himself in public, and then he had a bad trip when he looked at his datawatch. It was only made worse when the boys forcibly relocated him to the apartment before someone could call Station Security. Before that, Jeffrey almost came to blows with some guy at a party. The same party later got shut down for noise disturbance. Trevin was certain the officer was going to question them and somehow force them to return home. And since his parents still thought he was on a senior trip in some other system of the galaxy….
His data watch buzzed, and Trevin's frown tightened. That could be Mom again, asking who knows what about the trip, or his upcoming Commitment, or the apprenticeship applications. Could be the guys asking him where he was. He already had close to 50 messages that he hadn’t even looked at. He just wanted to get some space for a while, and it had been a day or so since he'd hung out with the guys. He wasn’t sure how long they’d let him get away with it.
A man in a flight suit passed by, shaking his head at Trevin.
Maybe they really were getting more looks than before. With all the bullshit Jeffrey and Max were up to, they probably deserved it. But it didn’t feel fair to be lumped in with them. All the more reason to get some time to himself.
He decided he better just see if it was them before ignoring his messages the rest of the afternoon. He opened the datawatch.
J - Yo were having dinner you coming?
Trevin rolled his eyes. We’re, he thought. The watch buzzed again.
J - At Reegar Refinery
J - Happy hour half off abrasion blasters
He punched in a reply.
T - Nah I’m gonna eat later, checking out this hangar.
He set the watch to silent and looked up at the signs indicating the way to the self-service hangar. There wasn’t much left to do at the local Inter Astra store, since he wasn’t actually in the market for a ship. Main ship storage was generally run by the ground crews, so there was no reason a random kid would be allowed to get in close for a look. But if he guessed correctly, the self-service hangar might be open at any hour, like a parking garage but for space ships.
Hopefully.
He followed the signs to a metal door, which he opened. He was half expecting a guard waiting on the other side to turn him away, but there was only a metal staircase leading down the sidewall of a long open warehouse filled with slots for landing pads. In fact, he couldn’t see anyone through the maze of spacecraft.
Trevin felt a thrill through his body as he descended past the level of the nearest cockpit, the controls dimly visible within. Even small ships like this Cobra Mk III were surprisingly large up close. Easily as big as a settlement HAB building. He imagined the feel of the pilot’s seat, the controls, what would it feel like to fly, to turn? To jump into supercruise?
As his footsteps rang out on the metal steps, conversations with his father floated back to him. Pilots were just selfish people who couldn’t commit to anything that really mattered. They squandered their time trying to make money to spend on fruitless pleasures instead of serving their true purpose. And why, Dad, did the settlement still do business with them, huh? It’s not like the forge could do jack shit, meaningful or not, without someone carrying their product off-planet. But the feeling stuck with him. Maybe pilots really were self centered people. Or maybe they weren’t truly happy. How fulfilling would it really be to leave your friends and family to do odd jobs for the corporations, or worse, for the constantly sparring factions.
Trevin shook his head as he stepped down to the hangar floor. The truth was that he wanted to be good, and he wanted to do what mattered. But he wasn’t really sure what mattered, and he definitely wasn’t sure about his parents’ religion anymore. The one thing that had always made him happy was the thought of being a pilot, so what the fuck was he supposed to do with that? Why was he made that way if he wasn’t supposed to be that way.
Red lights came to life a bit farther down the hangar, barking a raspy alarm. Where they swirled, a huge chunk of the ceiling complained and lowered into the hangar. Trevin was stirred from his brooding and walked towards the commotion. The stout pillars of a ship’s landing gear stood upon the platform, and soon the entire hulking mass of the ship passed into view between the parked vessels.
“Damnnn,” he said quietly, “Type 10?” He smiled and broke into quiet laughter, almost in disbelief at its size. The Lakon Type-10 Defender was basically brand new, and if Trevin was right, this one was still gleaming in its factory paint job. It was an absolutely colossal and beautiful ship.
That platform that had been the ceiling now fitted itself into a recession in the hangar floor with an echoing boom, and the alarms and lights went quiet as Trevin approached the metal chain that bordered the docking space.
A few dozen feet overhead, the pilot was inside the cockpit, working his way free of his seat. He paused, apparently aware he was being watched. Trevin waved to him shyly, still laughing uncontrollably at the absurd scale of the ship. The pilot gave a casual salute before working his way to the back of the cockpit to disembark.
I gotta fly one of these before I die, Trevin thought. Even with the “wings” folded up, the span of the thing was mind blowing. He laughed even harder when he saw the name of the vessel: Battle Barge.
“Something funny to you?” Trevin lowered his eyes to see the pilot was making his way over to him. He seemed about thirty, with wavy blonde hair. He had peeled off the top half of his flight suit and let it dangle from his waist, replacing it with a gray collared sweater.
“Oh, heh, no, I think it’s… amazing.”
“Hah, it’s okay, the name is supposed to be funny,” the man said with a smile. He tossed a bag on the floor just inside the chain. “You a commander?”
“Uhh….” Trevin briefly considered lying, but, “no I’m just.. I’m thinking about it.”
The man smiled as he walked over to a heavy coiled cable. “What, thinking about flight school?” He Trevin in with a glance. “Not too late, I suppose.”
Trevin was still gawking at the ship. “Type 10 Defender, right? The new Lakon? Hard to tell from here.”
“Hey, you got it in one. There’s a couple ways to tell though. For one…”
“More intakes on the front than the T-9.”
The commander cocked his head. “Yeah. Exactly.”
“How long have you flown her?”
“Since they hit production really. Came out here for a job, I’m not really from the system. She’s gonna have to stay here for a couple weeks and it’s just cheaper to do this myself…” He uncoiled the cable as he spoke, drawing it back toward the landing gear. “And no one will scratch the paint but me. You wanna check her out?”
“Yeah man, sure!”
The commander busied himself with connecting cables and unloading personal items, leaving Trevin to wander around below the beast. He yearned so badly to be in one of these when it took off. They were just so ridiculously massive and powerful looking. Above him, he thought he saw the doors for the fighter bay, a section of the ship that would house several smaller, nimbler drones to be controlled remotely by a co-pilot. He raised his voice a bit to be heard across the floor, “You have a crew?”
“Kinda? I mean there’s always people looking for work here, but I haven’t sorted anything out long term.”
“Wish I could fly with you.”
“Well, like I said, it’s not too late. What are you, at least 18, right?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s just expensive, man, that’s the thing. Gotta have some money saved up.”
Trevin looked away. “Yeah… That’s the thing.”
“Well, man, good luck to you, maybe I’ll see you out there some day. I’m gonna have to get rolling though. Gotta find a bathroom, like, yesterday.”
“Yeah, thanks for letting me check it out.” Trevin waved and headed back to the walkway between the rows of ships. He heard the sounds of people running down another aisle. “…Jeffrey?” He could see them between the landing gear of the ships, they were just on the next row over. “Jeffrey! Max!” He shouted.
The boys stopped to look for the sound of his voice. “Trev!” Jeffrey hurdled the chains to cut underneath the ships, Max giving a hesitant look down the aisle before following.
“What are you doing here, I thought you were at the bar?”
“Why aren’t you answering your messages?” Jeffrey asked between breaths
Trevin shook his head in bewilderment. “Why are you running?”
Max caught up to them, hunched over, hands on his hips. “Because Jeffrey is an asshole.”
Trevin looked at Max’s shirt. “Are you wet? Why are you wet??”
“I just told you, Jeffrey is an asshole.”
Jeffrey grinned, “Probably good you’re in here, good place to dodge security.”
“Security!? What the fuck did you guys do now!?” Trevin felt his neck prickling with sweat. He felt eyes on them, the few commanders in the hangar were taking notice.
“We should get to the apartment first, Trev. It’ll be fine, we’ll explain when we get there. Let’s just.. go.”
“Yeah,” said Max, “shirt first, for real this time.”
===
Trevin sat at the dining table as Jeffrey explained what happened at the bar.
“So I told him he was outta her league, but he had already had a few drinks, so he goes and talks to her right?”
Max shouted from the laundry room, “That fucker shot a spitball and hit me right on the neck, like, I would have had her contacts if he wasn’t being a dick.” The door to the laundry machine slammed and the pump kicked on with a screech.
Jeffrey grabbed water bottles from the fridge, tossing one to Trevin. “Dude, it was a perfect shot. And he just comes over, takes the rest of my napkin, and jams it right into my fuckin’ drink. So I poured it over his fuckin’ head.”
Trevin looked distressed. “God, Jeffrey you can’t do that shit in a restaurant“
“Bar-“
“He’s an asshole, are you even listening?” Max said as he emerged from the master bedroom, pulling a t-shirt over his head. The mechanical complaints from the laundry room worsened. “God, that washing machine is a piece of shit. What the fuck is…?” Max headed back down the hallway.
Jeffrey shrugged, returning his attention to Trevin. “Look I don’t have money to just throw away drinks like he does. I was just fuckin around, he was the one who got butthurt.”
“Yeah but a bar brawl is a problem, bro.”
“Well, that’s why we left. Didn’t need a run in with security. Hey, you been to the cafe already?”
“Did they call security, Jeffrey?” Trevin’s eyes were still serious.
“I mean.. they said they were, but we didn’t stay long enough to see if they were bluffing.”
“Aren’t you worried they’ll be looking for you?”
Jeffrey went to the closet and tossed Trevin a hoodie. “Cover up buttercup. It’ll be fine. Coffee?” He poked his head into the hallway. “Cafe? Comin Max?”
More banging could be heard from the laundry room. “Go fuck yourself,” came the reply. A few more beeps could be heard and the grinding and squeaking kicked in again.
Jeffrey gave Trevin a half-amused look. “Guess it’s just you and me man.” The two pulled on their hoods and headed to the door, catching a glimpse of Max scowling at the laundry machine on the way out.
Trevin was quiet, looking at the metal floor as they walked, thoughts churning privately in his mind. Jeffrey took a few gulps of water and screwed the cap back on the bottle before he spoke.
“Hey,” Jeffrey knuckled Trevin’s arm, “why aren’t you hanging out with us lately, Trev? It’s been like at least three days now, we barely seen you except at night.”
Trevin shrugged and sighed. “I dunno man.”
“Something wrong?”
“No, I just... Just thinking about the pilot thing again, I guess.”
Jeffrey gave a slow, understanding nod. “Riiiight. That. Yeah I suppose you would just being around all these ships.”
Trevin drew back into silence.
“Well… what kinda ship do you wanna fly?” Jeffrey probed.
“Dude. When I was in the hangar I got to see one of the new T-10s up close.” Trevins eyes went up. “The commander was there and let me get right under it… it’s fucking insane. They’re just massive. I’d love to feel what it’s like to take off in one of those things. Fill up the whole damn airlock.”
Jeffrey laughed. “I don’t know anyone who loves ships as much as you, Trev. That’s cool tho. You think you’d wanna do shipments with it or something? I don’t even know what those T-10s are for, to be honest.”
“Yeah well…. I dunno, I just wanna fly it. But yeah, shipments, maybe combat. They’re called Defenders for a reason. Lots of hardpoints. Could hold fighters too. But I dunno if I want to fight anyone really… just… they’re just badass.” Trevin shrugged and looked at Jeffrey, taking a drink of water.
“I don’t understand why your parents don’t just get you trained. It’s an obvious career choice and you would totally be good at it.”
Trevin’s smile died. “The settlement, though.” He stopped at a lift and stabbed the button with his bottle.
“Don’t they need pilots?” The boys entered the harsh light of the lift and poked another button.
“They outsource the hauling jobs. They don’t believe in giving the settlers their own license.”
“What, like a company policy or…?”
Trevin shook his head. “No it’s just… they just don’t believe in doing that.”
Jeffrey chuckled, “Cause if someone had their own ship they’d fuckin leave and not come back?”
“Pretty much. I don’t know.” The elevator doors opened, and Trevin pulled his hood low around his face as they made their way into the great hall by the docking bay. “They’re weird about anyone leaving the settlement.”
“They let you go to school on Serebrov though…”
“But we all do. The boys anyway. It’s a private school, remember. Everyone workin’ there’s a Faithful anyway.”
Jeffrey’s usual smile had lost its way. “Dude. You ever think that maybe your family is part of a cult?”
“It’s not a cult!” Trevin sighed with quiet agitation. “Look, they don’t worship fuckin aliens or think that… like… I know they’re weird, trust me, but..” Trevin ran a hand over his face and shook his head.
“Hey man, it’s okay. It’s just… it’s kinda creepy how they keep people in this little bubble. Some of their rules y’know… it’s not really normal, Trev. I know you know.”
Trevin was back to scowling at the floor.
“Look, I didn’t grow up much better,” Jeffrey continued. “But where I’m from, most parents don’t give a shit. Kids do what they want, some of them get into some bad shit, y’know, trying to make a credit. It’s not better, it’s just different. But I’d still rather live in the slums than grow up in Jarvis.” He shook his head. “I’d rather be poor than deal with that shit.”
Trevin nodded at the floor, his palms up. “Well that’s just it, even if we were allowed to fly, my parents wouldn’t pay for it.” He let his hands fall again.
Jeffrey lit up a bit. “Hey, when Jordan got his hauling job, the company helped him out with the flight school tuition.”
A gravelly drone announced a ship departing from the docking bay. It had a more narrow body, like an angular jet with stubby “wings.” Trevin stopped to look out the window. “Duuude. Diamondback.” He pointed and glanced at Jeffrey to see if he saw. The trio of thrusters glowed as the pilot took their turn through the airlock. “Could go anywhere in that thing.”
“Yeah man.” Jeffrey nodded. “So what I was saying is maybe you get a job somewhere that will pay for flight school.
Trev kept walking. “Well it’s not about the money. They have me all lined up to be some kind of apprentice for the forge.”
“Shit. So you just live there forever, no choice?”
Trevin was imagining the places he could go in that DBX, easily repping a 20 light year jump range straight out the shipyard. The planets, the freedom. The silence. The darkness, where he could just be… And he thought about The Commitment. “I don’t fuckin know man. I don’t wanna think about it right now. It’s been so nice to just… leave all that behind for a week.”
The boys walked into the pleasant darkness of the cafe. “I get it man, that’s why you should hang with us. Loosen up a bit. Have some fun.”
Steve’s familiar mocha voice greeted them from behind the bake case. “Less is more, space goblins.”
Jeffrey chuckled, “Heh, the fuck?”
“I said less is more.” Steve straightened up and walked to the register. Trevin looked at the diamond print green tie tucked under his gray sweater. He hadn’t worn the same tie twice since Trevin got to the station, and he always looked sharp. “I think some of us are having a little too much fun lately. Where’s Teabags?”
“Teabags?”
“Yeah, the little guy.”
“Oh. Being butthurt.” Jeffrey gave a half smile. “What did you just call us?”
“Space. Goblins.” He said slowly, looking Jeffery in the eyes. “You buying something?” Steve ran his finger along the top of his register as if he noticed some dust that no one else could see, and examined his fingertip.
“Uh…..yeah…” Jeffrey said with a confused frown.
Trevin spoke up for him. “Two coffees please.”
“The usual?” he asked, grabbing the mugs and returning Trevin’s nod. “So here’s the deal,” he said as he poured the coffee. “I hear you’ve been pushing it this week.”
Trevin looked sideways at Jeffrey, who was glaring at Steve’s back.
Steve turned around with the two mugs, holding them as he lowered his voice. “Don’t get it fucked up. I like you guys, but there’s a difference between having a good time and becoming The Bean’s next problem to be solved.” He put the mugs on the counter. “If you have too much time to kill, stay in my cafe, drink my coffee, and you won’t be considered loitering. Understand?” He slid the mugs forward. Trevin took his, but Jeffrey just stared back at Steve. “Hang here as much as you want. But I can’t vouch for you outside this cafe.”
“Right, Steve, and why’s security gonna listen to some old guy at a coffee shop?”
Steve crossed his arms. “I feed ‘em donuts, Space Goblin. What’s the next intelligent question?”
Jeffrey grabbed his coffee and marched off to a table.
“Thanks, Steve,” Trevin said with a smirk.
“You’re welcome, of course.” Steve winked. “Be sure to tell Teabags, too.”
“Will do.”
“And be careful with those two. I mean it.”
Trevin’s smile wilted. “I will.”
Trevin joined Jeffrey seated near the dimly glowing space window. Jeffrey didn’t say anything, messaging someone on his datawatch. Trevin stared out at the scattered stars, wondering how much Steve knew about his friends’ hellraising. And was there more that Trevin didn’t even know about since taking a few days to himself?
That first, incredible sip of hot coffee cleared his mind for a moment. Something about it always soaked some tension from his shoulders and his core. He breathed deep and looked into the darkness again, wondering if one of those points of light was Zhang Fei. He thought about the DBX he saw in the docking bay, wondering what their destination was, what they were doing out there. They had a perfect craft for exploring the black, the space outside “The Bubble” of human inhabited space. Maybe they were setting off to map systems thousands of light years away, or even to discover planets that no human had set eyes on before. The thought of it brought a smile creeping back to his face.
“Fuckin’ Space Goblins, really?” Jeffrey said, half to himself.
Trevin was getting tired of his smiles being ruined by these guys. “I mean, honestly?”
“Oh don’t you start,” Jeffrey was staring at him now.
“I’m just sayin’, there’s other reasons I haven’t been hanging out with you guys as much lately.”
“Because you’re boring as fuck?”
“Man, what’s your problem? Dude’s lookin’ out for you.”
Jeffrey took another sip of his coffee. “Yeah. Yeah I guess you’re right. Max is just pissing me off today. But I guess I’ll get over that too.”
“Look, why don’t we bring Max some tea and.. Maybe we can order food and just hang out inside tonight. Lay low in case security is…”
“You think they talked to Steve?”
Trevin shrugged. “Probably.”
Jeffrey gazed worriedly at the cafe doorway. “Max won’t like that.”
“I don’t think Steve is gonna get you busted. Sounds like maybe he covered for you.”
Jeffrey looked thoughtful. “Hm. Probably right. Otherwise security would be here waiting for us.”
“Steve’s good people.”
Jeffrey’s face was dark in the dim cafe. The boys spent a few more minutes in silence, sipping their coffees.
“C’mon man, I’m sick of the drama.” Trevin stood up. “Let’s get some food.”
“Sounds good, Trev. Let’s see if Griffin will let us game with him again. Gonna kick your ass at Space Combat 3320 this time.”
“Not a chance in hell, and you know it.”
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