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Living and Dying in Earthtown [MultiFormat]
eBook by Bill O'Dea
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eBook Category: Science Fiction
eBook Description: Richard Balfour, UN ambassador to the Tann homeworld, does more than attend fancy dinners with inedible local cuisine. He spends most of his time keeping the peace between tanns and humans. When a recent immigrant from Earth takes several tanns hostage and demands money for their lives, Richard needs to handle the situation quickly. Tanns don't consider individual lives important, and the local police use capital punishment like parking tickets. The human hostage taker, meanwhile, is looking for a free ticket offworld, but Balfour finds a more creative solution.
eBook Publisher: Clocktower Books and Far Sector SFFH (magazine), Published: Far Sector SFFH, 2003
Fictionwise Release Date: July 2003
Available eBook Formats [MultiFormat - What's this?]: Adobe Acrobat (PDF) [80 KB], eReader (PDB) [26 KB], Palm Doc (PDB) [14 KB], Rocket/REB1100 (RB) [13 KB], Microsoft Reader (LIT) [79 KB] - PocketPC 1.0+ Compatible, Franklin eBookMan (FUB) [84 KB], hiebook (KML) [82 KB], Sony Reader (LRF) [65 KB], iSilo (PDB) [11 KB], Mobipocket (PRC) [15 KB], Kindle Compatible (MOBI) [54 KB], OEBFF Format (IMP) [23 KB]
Words: 4200
Reading time: 12-16 min.
Microsoft Reader (LIT) Format: Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud ENABLED
Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Format: Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud DISABLED
All Other formats: Printing DISABLED, Read-aloud DISABLED
 
People usually didn't walk through the Alleyback in Earthtown at night. Those few that did sometimes found themselves at the part of evolution where the dying took place and found little comfort that the human race was now stronger without them.
Calvin Gibson walked down an alley in the Alleyback on a dark, moonless night. Weak fluorescent bulbs did little more than create long, deep shadows from the garbage dumpsters and net nodes along the backs of buildings. He wore only a blue tank top and khaki shorts, leaving very little room to hide a weapon. His shoes were cheap sandals that had a hard time finding purchase on the slippery concrete. He carried no bag and wore no hat. Sure, he was broad shouldered and muscular, but that didn't matter to the small gang waiting for him. They were too cool for jumping out and surprising their mark. Instead, they waited to spring their trap. And they weren't worried about the police, because only the tann could join the police on this planet and they hated Earthtown even during the day. The gang's leader, Jenny the Nail, stepped out behind Calvin and whistled. "Hey biggie," she said. "Care for a throw? Only forty human bucks, or sixty-five tann. I can even show you my tests. All clean." Calvin stopped and sighed. "Took you long enough. Are the other six going to join us?" Jenny the Nail looked around, and Calvin followed her gaze. Buildings in the utilitarian, tann architecture rose from either side. Garbage dumpsters, net nodes, and the occasional leafrat were the only things he could see. He couldn't see her gang, but he knew where they were hiding. "I'm not into group things," Jenny said. She took a few steps closer. "So how 'bout it? Right here in the alley if you're that kinky." Calvin didn't turn around. Instead, he slowly knelt to the ground, put his arms behind his back, and lowered his head. He started to stand back up, but then returned to the ground. "If you're going to jump me, do it now." Jenny the Nail whistled again and backed away as her gang closed in on Calvin. Evolution was called upon, but for only fifty seconds or so. "Damnit!" screamed Calvin. He wiped blood off his hands. "You could have tried harder!" Jenny the Nail could only say, "I'm sorry." "I mean, if you have a gun you don't charge someone!" "I'll remember that, thanks." "And putting nails on brass knuckles with duct tape? That's just stupid!" "Good point, yes." "This red-haired punk had a broomstick. A broomstick? What's wrong with a bat?" "Mistakes were made, that's for sure." Calvin shook his head. "I don't suppose you have a gun on you." "Looks like another mistake." "No," Calvin said. "If you did, I'd kill you before either of us realized what was happening. Go home." Jenny the Nail turned and ran. Unfortunately, she forgot she was running down the Alleyback on a dark, moonless night. Evolution wasn't called upon this time; only several skilled doctors and reconstructive surgeons. Calvin sighed and continued his walk. No one else bothered him that night, so he went home, showered, and slept. In the morning, he had an idea that might work. * * * *Richard Balfour was checking his email on his datapad when the gray government trolley stopped for him. He straightened the cuffs on his cream-colored shirt, made sure his dark tie was up all the way, and climbed aboard the trolley. The air conditioning gave him a welcome chill, until he saw a human among the crowd. "What a pleasant surprise," he said. "I did not expect to see you here, Edward." Ed Morris looked up from the datapad he was reading. "Jumpin' Jesus. It's Sir Richard Freaking Balfour. Makes sense, right? Human snaps, takes the locals hostage, and they send in an ambassador. Typical UN." The trolley was small and crowded. Though reserved for government officials, in practice anyone could board the trolley if they tried. The tann were very egalitarian. Though he wanted to take a seat far away, preferably back in his air-conditioned office, Richard sat down across from Ed. "Edward," Richard said, "just to clear up any confusion, I was not sent here by anyone. I was in my office when I saw the news. I immediately called for a government trolley." "What, the fancy limo's in the shop or something?" Richard pinched the bridge of his nose. "Perhaps we should take this opportunity to discuss our response to this crisis." Ed laughed. He wore his best suit, which shined like a newly waxed car and didn't quite hide his huge beer belly. His dark hair was slicked back with what smelled like gasoline, and his thin moustache was waxed and shiny like his suit. "You don't mean our response. You mean my response, right?" "I just think your usual . flamboyant tactics will not serve any purpose today. We are trying to save lives, not get our faces in the media." "Back off," said Edward. "You always forget that I was elected by the people, human immigrants, to be mayor of Earthtown! I've got responsibilities!" "And you always forget that you were selected in an unauthorized election by a group of unregistered voters in the human ghetto for an office that doesn't exist. You may wield the power of the masses, Edward. But I have the actual authority." "You might try some of that authority to solve the vigilante killings in Earthtown." "You might try some of your imagined authority to stop the gangs in the Alleyback." The two stared at each other for a moment. "Truce?" asked Richard.
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