Boo!
Time: CY 10086 Sep 5163
Location: Winnipeg Drift
"Finally!" exclaimed Harper as the last light on the control panel switched from amber to green. "Green board one. He glanced at the bulkhead chronometer. It read 1000 local time. "It's liberty call and the day is still young.."
The Maru had been docked in Winnipeg Drift for the past three days and Harper had spent every one of those days working on the Maru's systems. To make matters worse from his perspective several other Guild ships were in port, but Beka had refused to give him permission to leave the ship until she saw nothing but green lights on her control board. Harper's requests to be given some time off to socialize had been met with a blunt refusal as Beka reminded him that he had promised her that she would have a green board when they left Zempf Drift. Even worse was the fact that Trance, their new crew member, had finished her assigned tasks on time and had spent the last three days enjoying the amenities of the drift.
He was still fuming about the unfairness of the situation when he noticed that the air lock elevator light had lit up indicating that someone was using the elevator. Hoping it would be Beka so he could tell her he hand finished the promised maintenance he left the command deck. He arrived at the airlock just in time to see Beka back from an early morning shopping expedition and laden with packages step out of the airlock and into the forward passageway. "Help Trance with her purchases," she told Harper not giving him time to tell her he was finished with his maintenance duties.
Trance pushing a large, very large pot into a corner of the airlock where it would be out of the way of anyone using the airlock entrance. The pot wasn't quite big enough to serve as a bathtub, but it was bigger than anything the crew of the Maru would need for cooking.
"What's with the pot?" asked Harper
"Oh, hi Harper," said Trance. "It's for tonight's get-together." She looked at the pot. Do you think that will be enough out of the way? I need to go back out. I'm meeting with Damiana and Daireanna from the Bonne Chance."
"Damiana and Daireanna?" asked Harper. "Aren't those the two they call the weird sisters?"
Trance gave Harper an aggrieved look. "I didn't think they were weird when I met them. They seem nice enough to me."
It was then that Harper noticed something else. Leaning in another corner of the airlock was an old fashioned broom. "What's the broom for?" he asked.
"We'll be using that tonight as well," replied Trance
"You're not going to be flying on it I hope," said Harper
This time the look Trance gave her shipmate was one of puzzlement. "Why would I want to fly on something as uncomfortable as a broom when we have air cars?" She gave to pot one more push moving it a little further out of the way. I can't stay. I still need to meet with Damiana and Daireanna. We still need to buy some herbs and other things. Are you going to be done with the work Beka asked you to finish up by tonight?"
She reached for the controls to the elevator as Harper stepped back into the passageway. It wasn't until the door closed that Harper realized that Trance's statement about brooms indicated that she had flown on them before. It was time to talk to Beka.
"You've got a green board, now, Boss" said Harper
Ok. In that case you're free to leave the Maru. Next time get the work done when you're supposed to and you'll have more time to carouse."
"Uh, Boss. What do you remember about the story of Macbeth," asked Harper
"Nothing," said Beka. "Why."
"It's an old Earth legend," explained Harper. "Part of the story concerns three witches stirring a big pot. Trance is meeting up with the weird sisters tomorrow. You know what some people say about them."
"The who?" asked Beka
"The weird sisters. Damiana and Daireanna Eppingham. Everyone says there's something spooky about them."
"Are you trying to tell me that the Eppingham girls and Trance are witches?" asked Beka incredulously.
"What do we know about Trance anyway? She even looks something like some of the old Earth pictures of demons. Then there's her knowledge of human medicine. Where did she learn that, and how did she know that the inertial damper had blown?"
"That's nonsense. She didn't know. Besides there won't be three tonight. There'll be... Lets see ... She held up her hands and started counting fingers. There's the Eppingham's Bonne Chance. That's Damiana, Daireanna, Howard and Christopher. The Wen's Venture, That's Joshua and Jacob. Then there's the Balewa family's Morning Star and the Hettencourt's Trieste. That makes twelve plus you and Trance." She changed the subject. " I think you've been working too hard. Why don't you get off the Maru. You've earned some time off. Have fun and try not to get arrested, before this evening"
Harper hurried off to the bunk room to change into some fresh clothing. As he left Beka picked up the flexie that was lying on the common room table and activated it. It we one of her own horror novels a historical, one entitled All Hallow's Evil . The display showed a number of young people wearing masks partying while looming in the background was some sort of malevolent looking creature. "I don't mind her reading my flexies," muttered Beka to herself as she placed the flexie on the common room's knick-knack shelf, "but I do mind that she just leaves them lying around when she's not reading them."
Meanwhile as Harper was changing something occurred to him. Beka had said twelve plus Trance. Twelve plus one was thirteen. The number of people in a coven. He was definitely going to keep an eye on Trance as soon as he got off the Maru
It was easy for Harper to find the girls. While the drift itself was built on and in a decent sized asteroid, the members of the Salvagers Guild tended to all shop at the same stores located in small area of Lowport. Additionally the girls themselves were distinctive. The twins dressed almost exclusively in black and had a style sense that Harper had once stated would embarrass a Nietzschean mining slave. Trance of course would stand out in any crowd
It didn't take long for Harper to find the trio. They were coming out of a grocery store laden with packages and talking animatedly among themselves. Harper quickly stepped into another store entrance way to avoid being seen then as the girls passed began to follow them. The girls themselves were so engrossed in their conversation they were practically oblivious to their surroundings.
"Discussing spells I bet," said Harper to himself. "Those bags are probably full of spell components." It was then that he noticed the small animal flying in the air near Daireanna's right shoulder. "That looks like a bat. It must be her familiar. I always knew she was a witch."
Harper followed the girls to a clothing store he purchased a flexie from a kiosk near the store and then sat down on a bench where he could keep an eye on the exit to the clothing store and sat down to wait ... and wait. He watched a fair number of people come I go in and out. An attractive pair of stylishly dressed young women both blonde, one wearing green, the other sky blue stepped out of the store. The one wearing sky blue glanced in his direction and smiled, but he ignored them. This wasn't the time to chase pretty girls. He continued to wait, but still no Trance or the weird sisters. Eventually his impatience got the better of him and he decided to investigate the store.
Harper entered the establishment being careful to ensure that Trance wasn't in a position to notice him as he entered. The store was completely devoted to women's clothing. Other than one sales clerk he was the only male in the store. He moved among the displays trying had rd to look like a bemuse male looking for something for his significant other. Eventually he caught site of Trance, but she was alone. "Impossible," thought Harper. "I was watching the exit there's no way the weird sisters could have gotten past me. I'd know them anywhere. They had to have used some sort of invisibility spell."
Trance turned her head in his direction and Harper hurriedly pulled a dress off the nearest rack and held it up before him, masking his face, and gathering a strange look for the woman sharing the aisle with him. Trance began walking towards the exit. Harper gave her a head-start then began to follow her. Only to be stopped when one of the store clerks intercepted him at the doorway. He still had the dress in his hands.
By the time Harper had finished making his apologies and explanations Trance was out of sight. Not wanting to risk Beka leaving without being warned about what he had discovered Harper hurried to the Maru intending to tell Beka about what he had seen.
To his dismay the Maru was deserted. There was a note on the common room table form Beka. It read — Trance and I are on the Bonne Chance. Helping get things ready for tonight at Founders Park.
Harper let loose a string of obscenities that would have caused Beka to blush if she had heard them. Beka was going to be getting more than she expected tomorrow night unless he did something. He couldn't call Rev for help. The Magog was at some sort of Wayist retreat that kept the participants incommunicado until the session was over. Calling the authorities would be a waste of time. Who would believe him. He was going to have to rescue Beka by himself. He gathered up some items from the Maru's galley then headed down to the engine room. He had some weapons he needed to make and he didn't have much time.
It was nearly 2200 local time and full dark when Harper approached the perimeter of Founders Park. He heard music playing before he could see any of the coven. Some what surprisingly the music was a broadcast from one of the Drift's entertainment stations. As he got close he saw four lights flickering in the air. Reaching into his shoulder bag he took out a pair of night vision goggles that once belonged to a Nietzschean soldier before Harper had removed it them from his body. Placing the goggles over his eyes he surveyed the scene. The lights revealed themselves to be spherical objects sitting on top of what looked like piles of packing crates. That was odd enough, but the light seemed to be coming from opening in the objects. The objects looked for all the world like the jack-o'- lanterns he and his cousins had carved when he was living on Earth.
As he got closer he was able to make out several other things. Either the coven had summoned up a bunch of child sized demons, or the ship's youngsters were wearing various sorts of costumes. The young adults of his age were wearing costumes as well, or in the case of the girls almost wearing costumes. He recognized Trance. The witch hat she was wearing probably contained more material than the rest of her costume put together. Damiana and Daireanna were wearing something other than black. Both girls were dressed in translucent pants that were tight at the waist and ankle and loose in between, veils, and halter tops that left most of their midriffs exposed. The older adults were present as well. Harper didn't know all of them, but he did know the master and the engineer of the Trieste. Both of them were chatting with Beka who was wearing a mask of her own. One that covered her eyes and nose.
It was at this time that Trance noticed him. She waved in his direction and then said something to Beka. Both women started walking towards him. Deciding that stealth was no longer an option Harper started walking towards the two women.
"You're late Harper," said Beka. "Didn't Trance tell you that the party started at 1800 local?"
"Uh," said Harper "Party? We're having a party?"
"I didn't tell him about the party, Beka,"" said Trance "I thought you had told him about it" She gave Harper a mildly disapproving look. "You're supposed to be wearing a costume."
"Uh," said Harper again wondering how he was going to explain that he had come to rescue Beka from Trance
Trance took another look at Harper focusing on the bandolier full of wooden stakes, the crucifix, the large knife on his left hip and the wreath of garlic. The frown changed to a smile as clapped her hands. "Oh I get it. It is a costume. You're a Van Helsing. Just like in Bela's flexie, Seduced by Blood. But you shouldn't be carrying a gun. You need a crossbow."
Uh, said Harper one more time, still unable to think of anything meaningful to say. The pot that had so concerned him was in use. Some of the younger children were sticking their heads into it and apparently attempting to retrieve something using only their teeth. Eventually one boy, who Harper thought was one of the Wen children managed, with a great deal of excitement from the other children, to retrieve a red object of some sort.
"You need to apologize to Damiana and Daireanna , said Trance. Damiana says she smiled at you yesterday, but you totally ignored both of them. She says you put a flexie up in front of you face like you didn't want to even acknowledge she was there. She... Oh oh. Daireanna 's flat cat has gotten loose again. Wait here till I coax it back. It loves wintun nuts."
"Do I want to know why you're dressed the way you are if you didn't know we were having a costume party tonight?" asked Beka.
"Probably not," admitted Harper
"It wouldn't have anything to do with your earlier comment about Trance being a witch now would it?"
"Uh? What? Of course not," said Harper. His eyes were on the Eppingham girls rather than Beka
"They clean up nicely, don't they," said Beka nodding her head in the direction of Damiana and Daireanna who were being attended to by the Wen boys. "They'll be of marriageable age in a few months and the Eppinghams were concerned about finding husbands for them. I don't think they're going to have a problem after this. I heard one of the Wen boys say that they weren't the weird sisters –they were the wow sisters.. I suspect that at the end of the next Salvagers Ball they'll be announcing both girls are engaged.
She gestured towards Trance who was laughing at something Christopher Eppingham was telling her. "It looks like Trance is making some friends too. I wanted her to meet some people her own age."
"What about me? I could have shown her around," protested Harper stung by the implications of what Beka didn't say.
"The only people she would meet if she accompanied you would be bartenders and prostitutes," retorted Beka. "I wanted her to meet some nice people."
Whatever Harper was planning to say in his defense was canceled when he noticed Trance had Daireanna 's flat cat by its leash and waving frantically for him to come over to where she was. Not sure what she wanted, but not wanting to listen to any more of Beka's veiled insults about the company he kept, he began to walk towards Trance. He hadn't taken more than three steps when the pumpkin that had beep placed on top of the stack of crates fell off the stack, and landed exactly where he had been standing a moment before splattering Beka with pumpkin goo.
After the initial 'are you all rights,' the 'it's lucky you moved,' and some laughter about Beka being splattered the party resumed. Though this time everyone stayed a respectful distance from the other pumpkins. By the time the party wound down Harper was convinced that the weird, err wow sisters did have a magical power, but it was only one that worked on men. He was also mentally berating himself for not recognizing them when they tried to get his attention when they had left the clothing store the other day. It wasn't until Harper had staggered back to the Maru and preparing to climb into his bunk when something occurred to him.
How did Trance know in advance that the pumpkin was going to fall from the stack of crates.