Chapter 3 Call Me Fluffy

We stopped off at that base you visited which was the remains of an epileptic leviathan and his encounter with an asteroid. Chiana and Noranti marched us right out of the docking bay, and to the marketplace when we ran into a slight snag.

The said marketplace was festooned with makeshift decorations. The place was packed; our march to the health spa was slowed down to a crawl. Hundreds of refugees, many of them Scarrens filled the market place. Scarrens singing, dancing, eating and drinking, it looked like they were having a huge party.

Chiana found a small blonde woman with feathers for eyelashes and pulled her aside. Chiana had to shout over the carolling Scarrens, "What the frell is going on?"

The woman said mincingly, "Why it's the Scarren New Year of course. Just because the Scarren Empire has fallen doesn't mean the New Year's is cancelled. They've all come here for shelter. What do you want my dear, the same thing as last time?"

As I looked around I could see the Scarrens partying with grim intensity. These people as far as they were concerned were having one last fling. Many quite rightly believed it would be their last New Year's festival. It was so pathetic that I almost regretted destroying the Empire at that time. The bird woman's laughter snapped me back to reality.

"You want me to turn you all into Peacekeepers? Provide with the correct documentation I can. Make you pass a genetic scan I can, even make you pass body scans but I am limited by bone structure. Most of you I can do but with some of you I'll have to be creative!" laughed the bird woman.

"We are trying to gain entry into a top secret base, only Sebacians are allowed. The only way non Peacekeeper would even set foot in such a place would be wearing chains," I hissed impatiently.

"Really?" she cooed. "Maybe I can help you. Follow me right this way and remember no refunds."

The spa was a clean white set of rooms guarded by a pleasant looking young lady of the same species as our guide. Several other blonde women guided customers of various to the small back rooms. Our masseuse talked to the receptionist for awhile and then we each were lead to our own rooms.

Another blonde woman waited for me. Most people when they first get a look at me are startled by my appearance. I admit it, I'm no beauty but this girl kept her professional demeanour at least until I took off my clothes as she suggested. Then her face blanched as she saw the vivisection scars I carried.

"Okay Mr. Scarpious I mean Scorpious lie right down on the table, and I'll go right to work," she said.

" I have a rather unique physiology. I need my suit to survive. Can you keep my body temperature stable while you work?" I asked.

"Mr. Scorpious by the time I'm done you won't need a even need your suit."

I then lay down on the table while she scanned my body with a strange looking instrument. I started to feel strange. At first I thought I was experiencing the first symptoms of heat delirium but then I realized that wasn't the case at all. It felt like every cell in my body was being scrambled with a miniature canteen food mixture.

I looked down. I could see my skin and the muscles underneath rippling. I could feel the organs in my body writhing and twisting inside of me. After all D'Argo had asked that we pass a full body scan. I was starting to feel very - uncomfortable when the masseuse injected me with a tranquilizer and I felt no more.

I woke up a couple of arns later, feeling very disoriented. The girl was smiling above me. She gently pulled me to my feet.

"Well that was one of my hardest assignments but you should be pleased with the results. See for yourself," she pushed a mirror into my hand.

A handsome, pale skinned Scarren stared up at me. The little trelk had turned me into the thing I hated the most. I flung the mirror away like it was a live grenade. I ran out of the room screaming terrified that I would be a loathsome Scarren for the rest of my life.

You would think that a doped up Scarren running screaming in his underwear would attract attention but due to the nature of the New Year's Celebrations not one eyebrow was raised. Instead two very large Scarrens simply stood up from one of the many bars, put down their drinks and pinned me down.

"Looks like this guy is having a bad trip, Sarly," said one of the creatures.

"I agree, lets take him into the tent so he can sleep it off," said Sarly.

I was putting up quite a fight so Sarly punched me in the jaw knocking me out. When I came to I was tied to a bed. I looked around as best I could.

I was indeed in a tent. The place smelled of urine and vomit. I was in one of two rows of beds. In each bed lolled a doped up, drunk or genuinely ill Scarren. Many of them were tied to the bed like me. A female Scarren walked in between the beds keeping watch over her patients. When she saw I was awake she walked right over to me.

"Feeling better are we?" she said as she sat down on the bed and examined me. A faint smile played on her lips. She was obviously attracted to me.

"Yes, I'm all cured. Look I have to go now can you untie me?" I asked eager to get out of that tent.

"Not just yet, I have to ask you a few questions first to see if you're all right. And maybe not even after that!" she ran a finger playfully down my bare chest. For the first time in my life I started to sweat.

As John will undoubtedly tell you, I am very good at lying. The secret is a good mixture of the truth, an excellent memory and the ability to think fast. Quickly I formed a convincing story in my head. If I didn't I would undoubted still be tied down on that bed.

The nurse asked me my name.

"Wendigo - Wendigo Wentrax," I answered.

"Well Wendigo, lovely name by the way. Tell me how your lovely self got into trouble?"

"I came with my - friends to buy supplies to for a private celebration of the New Year. I was sampling some recreational drugs to make sure they were safe when I had a reaction."

"Sampling that's a good word. When dealing with places like this you can't exactly call the board of health can you? Why didn't you just 'sample' some ethanol like a sensible person?"

"Because of my mate. She's pregnant and consuming ethanol would harm the unborn foetus. She's waiting on our leviathan. She'll be worried if I'm late. May I leave now?"

"Yes certainly," she said not sounding too pleased. She roughly tore off my bonds and shoved me out of tent while I was still rubbing my wrists.

I didn't know where I was. Obvious it was somewhere in the common market chamber but nowhere I remembered. I wandered aimlessly throughout the lines of stalls. Finally I found a Scarren and asked him where the spa was.

When I reached the spa. A different receptionist sat behind the desk this time.

"Yes I'm a client here. I left in a hurry I'd like to get my clothes back," I said in the casual voice possible.

She just smiled sweetly and said, " I'm sorry we don't give out freebies here. Go bother your fellow Scarkies instead."

"I am not a Scarren. My name is Scorpious and I paid for your services already!'

"There is indeed a record of a Mr. Scorpious in our files but you do not match his description."

"That's the frelling idea isn't it!"

This would have continued on like this until a small black furry canine walked right up to me and bit me on the leg. It leapt back before I could show it how I felt.

"Where the frell have you been? We've been searching the entire base for you," said the dog in Rygel's voice.

During my life I have seen and done many bizarre things but a talking dog is by far the strangest thing I have ever seen. I stared at the former dominar almost speechless.

"Rygel?" I managed to squeak out.

"Call me Fluffy, I have my vaccination and registration papers all in order."

"Oh, oh, they have been creative with you haven't they?"

"Not as creative we're going to be unless you wipe that smile off your face and march right back to the shuttle."