Captain Solo

Come on Liza, I need those coordinates NOW! "Hang on", she said. "You would not want to go warping through an asteroid belt would you?" I resumed strumming my fingers impatiently on the ships control panel. I was overdue with a shipment of vanedium ore for the colonists on N-Scape. You see, I ran into a little trouble with pirates and had to make an emergency stop at M-Spaceport for repairs. Those pirates didn't know what a powerful little ship the CobraX is, and a pretty price it has been to equip her. Those blackards retreated like rats with their rear ends burning. I have a policy never to fire first even when it is obvious who just popped up on my threat display panel. This time I was in for a nasty surprise.

Who am I, you ask? My name is John R. Soloman, but my friends call me Solo. They gave me that moniker because I am one of the last foolhardy commanders to pilot a ship alone. A loner I have always been and I prefer it that way. I know what your thinking. If I fly alone then who is Liza? She is my computer. Legotech Integrated Z-proccessing Android (LIZA) to be more precise. I would never have been able to afford her but fortune came my way one night on P-Colony.

I was low on credits and Cobra needed a new energy unit. I had just blown my account installing a new Magnetronic drive. Unfortunately, I discovered that my energy unit was not quite up to the new drives power requirements. When will I ever open those READ ME FIRST files? It's a funny thing, but the only time I occasion a bar on these colony's is when I need to think out a problem. I lazily ambled up to the barkeep and ordered a "Comet Tail". Don't ask me what goes in it because I don't know, and after one sip I don't even care to know. I sat down with my drink and proceeded to observe my fellow patrons. Near the door were four Delltans eyeing me suspiciously, but after many encounters with pirates everyone looks suspicious. Delltans always travel in fours and, without fail, always position themselves near the door in case they need to make a hasty retreat. I left them to their selves without worry (Comet Tails work fast) and continued to browse around.

I was still pondering my situation with the energy unit when I noticed some activity near the view port. One obviously intoxicated pilgrim was arguing vehemently with a Webtron. No sober person would ever do that: Webtrons are fierce warriors whose average height is well over eight feet. Fortunately for the drunk, the Wardens of this saloon interrupted the argument before it turned nasty. Both participants were thrown out. I was just about to take another sip of my potent potable when another individual at the table in question stood up. "We need two more players here", he said. Ah, perhaps a game of chance, I thought. This could be why fate brought me here. I decided to find out. Leaving my drink behind (I would perhaps need my wits about me), I walked over to apply for one of the positions.

You are probably wondering what I was going to use for money? To be perfectly honest I wasn't sure. I would need the few credits I had left to get off this rock. "I would like to play but I am broke at the moment", I announced. The remaining two players stared at me without saying a word. "For a stake I will give any of you passage or haul your cargo on my ship", I added. One of the fellows grinned widely and invited me to sit down next to him. He explained that he was stuck here and needed to be somewhere the following day. He didn't tell me where, but I agreed to take him. What else could I do. When the other seat was taken the dealer spoke up, "The game is Five Card Draw gentlemen, jacks or better to open."

I am a good star pilot but a lousy poker player. I was merely at the end of my rope and was betting that this was the day Lady Luck would smile on me. The man opposite me opened. I tried to get a better look at his face beneath the hood he wore over his head, but he never raised his eyes above the table. My hand revealed a pair of three's. "I'm in", I said, with the slightest crackle in my voice. I drew three cards and stuck them behind my pair, not sure if I wanted to see them just yet. Two players including my patron folded during the next round of betting. It was just me and the "Dark Man" as I referred to him.

To say that I was feeling nervous is an understatement. Dark Man, after studying his cards for an excruciating amount of time, reached for his chips finally and threw in 100 credits. All eyes suddenly shifted to me which made me more uneasy then ever. I had already decided that it was useless to look at my draw. I either had a winning hand or I was going to bluff my way. Just then, to my dismay, an onlooker said, "You better fold now young fellow. I have never seen Gorgon lose." I now knew my adversary's name, but it did not comfort me.

I was thinking how long I would have to work as a cargo loader when I caught a funny smirk on my patrons face. I looked at him directly and he discreetly moved his hand toward his stash of chips and nodded his head. You may think it foolish, but I took this as a sign that I should follow my crazy plan. "I see your 100 and raise you 200", I said with a little more authority. Imagine my surprise when the dark hooded figure of who knew what, who belonged to the name of "Gorgon", lifted his head and looked directly at me. "You have nothing. You will lose." I figured he would just call my hand and it would be mercifully over, but his greedy hands quickly threw in 400 credits. It was then that I knew I had him.

I am sure some of you want to know how this story ends. Not to fear, I will tell you. I bluffed Dark Man out of all his money and not once did I peek at my draw cards. In disgust and a rising frothy bubbling noise that emanated from him, Mr. Gorgon violently threw his cards on the table and retired. He screamed at me and left, and I wish I could say that it was the last time I had any dealings with him. I took my winnings and decided that Lady Luck would not forgive me if I perchance pushed it too far. I paid back my patron plus a special bonus and many thank you's for his help.

You are probably still wondering how I happened to obtain LIZA? It was while I was preparing to leave P-Colony: A cargo worker, whom I now had an appreciation for, pushed a tall box up to my ship. "Got a special package fer ya Capn." Turns out Dark Man stole aboard a pirate ship leaving behind his package. My benefactor whose name I cannot reveal was quietly chuckling beside me. He was the one who arranged that I should get this last prize. The End (maybe).