Disclaimer: See Prologue

All in the Name of Love

Chapter IV: Part 1

The street festival in New Santa Fe was the biggest event any of the 17 cities on Cielo Rojo had seen in years. People danced in the streets, bands played a mixture of old traditional folk music as well as modern music, the city's main street had twenty huge grills set up for a good old-fashioned barbecue. Since water was a premium commodity on Cielo Rojo, cattle were not allowed on the planet but an indigenous animal, a slow-moving, toothless reptile was widely raised as cattle. Though not much to look at alive, their meat was tender and juicy, and something of a delicacy off this planet. In fact, demand for it was growing so fast that saffero, as they were called; ranching was expected to surpass the tequila distilleries as the primary industry on Cielo Rojo. But here, saffero was what everyone used to barbecue.

"This stuff is great. I can't believe we've been here six months and never once had this." Jim said enthusiastically, wiping a big smug of sauce from his chin with his napkin.

"That's because we saw that whole one hanging in the butcher shop window and got scared off by how ugly it was." Gene reminded him.

"Mmm, nothing like eating the flesh of your enemies." Aisha unwittingly said aloud.

"Ugh?" Melfina, Jim, and Gene said in unison, staring at Aisha as if expecting an explanation. It took her a minute to realize they were staring at her; she was so engrossed in eating her saffero ribs and prime roast.

"Umm? What? … …What did I say?" She asked, wide-eyed, sauce all over her mouth.

"You said there was nothing like eating the flesh of your enemies. Why is the saffero your enemy? Melfina asked.

"Oh, you must have heard me wrong. I said, there's nothing like eating the flesh of your prey." Aisha lied in an attempt to cover her earlier slip.

"No, I heard enemies as well." Jim said.

"So did I." Gene added.

"Hey! What's everyone gang'in up on me for? So I had a slip of the tongue, so what!" She stuck two rib bones in her mouth and pulled them out as clean as a whistle. "Thish shtuff ish goood! Wee goot thoo maake soore wee thake shome hoome wuff ush."

"I agree. This meat is better than anything we can afford to get even at Heifong." Jim concurred.

"Shouldn't we try and contact Suzuka to see if she would like to join us?" Melfina asked.

"She didn't want to celebrate with us, so it's her loss." Gene reasoned.

"Yeah, but she didn't know the whole planet was going all out for us." Jim added.

"Oh, alright." Gene pressed down on his communicator that doubled as an earring. "Gillium."

"Yes Gene, what can I do for you?"

"Is Suzuka around?"

"She is resting in her quarters and left specific instructions not to be disturbed."

Turning to Jim, "Well, there you go." He went back to eating his steak.

"Gillium, this is Jim," not satisfied with Gene's attempt to reach Suzuka.

"Yes Jim, what may I do for you?"

"Go to Suzuka's quarters and let her know she's missing a great party. Ask her if she'd like to come, I can pick her up in 10 minutes."

"Well Jim, Suzuka was very specific about not wanting to be disturbed… but I suppose I can go ask. One moment please."

A few minutes later, "Jim, Suzuka thanks you for your kind offer but she prefers to stay in her quarters and rest."

"Told you." Gene said to Jim with his mouth full.

"Pig!"

"Pardon me Jim, what did you call me?" Gillium asked.

"Sorry Gillium, I was talking to Gene. Okay, well thanks for trying. Later Gillium."

"Oh, Jim?"

"Yes Gillium."

"Approximately, when do you anticipate returning to the ship?"

"I don't know, probably around midnight or one. Why?"

"No reason, I simply wanted to know."

"Goodbye Gillium."

"Goodbye Jim."

"That stupid computer talks too much." Gene asserted.

"At least he knows how to carry a normal conversation."

"Hey, I know how to care a normal conversation." Gene spat back defensively.

"Yeah, right." Jim said sarcastically as he turned his attention back to his meal.

After eating and drinking their fill, and being presented numerous awards and gifts, and promises of gifts from both government officials and several private businesses; Gene, Jim, Aisha and Melfina found themselves wondering down the city's entertainment district, trying to decide what to do next. For a small town in a largely agricultural planet, there were a large number of nightclubs and bars. Many of the bars spring up because of the large criminal element that now no longer existed on the planet, but the various settlers that came to Cielo Rojo opened most of the nightclubs. Now, most of the original settlers were from what would back then, be called Latin American countries, so many clubs featured music from places once called Argentina, Brazil, Columbia and Mexico. But while Aisha enjoyed the beat of this type of music, both Gene and Jim couldn't take more then a few minutes of it.

The other types of clubs that were around in abundance were of the retro-European variety that were opened by the planets second wave of settlers, mostly western European, from places once called Ireland, England, France, Germany and Italy. While some clubs featured a certain type of music, like polka music at one of the German clubs; most featured music from a particular era and some from a particular musical group long since passed away. Clubs called The Beatles Club, The Rolling Stones Club, The A Pour Vedette En Bas Club, The Elektrisches Paradies Club and The Amore Proprio Club, dotted the main street.

"How about this one?" Jim asked.

"The Beatle Club." Aisha read, then the S flashed on for a minute then back off.

"It's the Beatles Club." Corrected Gene.

"I know that," Aisha snapped, "now" she said under her breath.

"Let's try this place." Jim insisted.

"You want to go to a place named after a group that named themselves after a bug?" Gene countered.

"I'm with Gene, this place sounds stupid." Aisha added.

Melfina walked up to the sign next to the entrance that gave a brief history about the band and the club. "Umm, it says here that the group called the Beatles came from Liverpool, England and were the most popular band in the latter half of the 20th Century. Their music has sold more than any other group in music history." She turned to face her friends. "Come on, let's see what it's like?"

"Yeah, if we don't like it we'll leave. Simple as that." Jim added.

"Oh, alright." Gene replied tersely.

Grudgingly Aisha followed.

~~~~~~~~~~~

AN: Sorry for the long delay between updates. I hope to make several updates to this story in the coming week. Hope you enjoy them. ^_^

By the way, hope you like Beatles music. ^_~

A. Amishi