Adventures in Parodyverse: Universal Joint, Part 5


    Shen Rae didn’t really choose the alias Sharon Ray.  She didn’t really need the alias to deal with the people in Paradopolis - they didn’t really have much trouble pronouncing her name, since it was only two short syllables.  But she knew the Trading Alliance occasionally monitored Earth’s signals, and there was no telling what might emit the sound of her name without her consent.

    One of the first things Earth people tended to do when she inquired about a permanent residence was to do something called a ‘credit check’, transmitting the name she provided over their internet with only primitive forms of encryption.  The bank did the same thing when she started the bank account earlier - and it was a misunderstanding at the bank which caused her to end up with that name.  

    That Hatman guy was right.  She couldn’t live in a hotel forever, which is why she was tangled up in a complicated journey to get her own place.  By the time she went through the first few rental agencies she started to wonder if she might need some help from someone more experienced and less intent on filling a place quickly.

    Help could come from strange places, however.  And few were stranger than the message she got when she arrived back at her hotel from the search.  She listened to it on the in-room phone - it was a message from someone named Hallie at the Lair Mansion, saying Hatman was inviting her to meet the Lair Legion.

    She thought about taking her small Fighter Wing, parked on the roof helipad, to the Lair Mansion.  But that, she decided, would draw too much attention to her, even if it was cloaked.  Nobody would notice or care if she stepped out of a taxi and walked.

    So that’s what Shen Rae did.  She took a Yellow Cab to the Lair Mansion, walked to the door, and knocked.

    A small hunch-backed man wearing stockings answered the door, and immediately leered.  Shen Rae ignored that, and asked for Hatman.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Do you have an appointment?”  the hunchback asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Go sort your lederhosen,”  a purple-haired woman said as she grabbed him by the collar and hurried him away from the door.  “Hi, I’m Yuki Shiro of the Lair Legion.  We’re kind of expecting you.”


---


    For the first time since arriving on Earth, Shen Rae was nervous.  They didn’t know who or what she was; but they did have an idea what she was capable of.  It was just as likely that rather than a friend, they would see her as an enemy, as a threat.  She knew she had to choose her words and actions carefully.

    She followed Yuki Shiro into a large meeting room.  It looked like pretty much every other meeting room Shen Rae had been in, except with lower-tech equipment.  There were projections on the walls, though, and that was a nice touch.  

    Around the table were various men and women she didn’t recognize, wearing costumes; and three she did recognize.  Lara Night was there in civilian clothing, Hatman sat at one end of the table in his baseball cap and cape, and Anna stood against the wall behind him.

    Yuki offered her the seat at the opposite end of the room from Hatman, and then she sat just to Shen Rae’s left.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“This is Shen Rae,”  Hatman introduced her.  “She’s an alien from a far away planet, and a refugee, trying to start her life over.”

    The alien looked around at the table.  They were all staring at her, expecting her to say something.  

    As Captain of the Heart of Light, she was often called to speak when she had no words.  It was a matter of practice to find them, because she was a leader.  She always was required to have something to say.

    So she drew on that strength when called upon to say something in front of the Lair Legion.  She took a deep breath, and spoke.  “I’m not certain whether we’ll be working together, but I guess it makes sense to assume that we might at least encounter one another.  At least now we’ll know of each others’ existence, and that we can be friendly to one another.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Do you like blue?”  Liu Xi Xian asked.

    Shen Rae looked at her own clothing and then laughed.  “I kind of do.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Will you be going on missions with us?”  Yuki Shiro asked.

    The alien glanced at Hatman for confirmation.  When he didn’t react, she shrugged.  “I don’t know.  Probably not, I’m still getting used to things here, trying to fit in.”

    CSFB! piped up, “Are you going to sign up for the LL?”

    She laughed, a little nervously once she started becoming overwhelmed by the questions.  “I’m...I can’t even find my way around the city yet.  I really do need time to settle in.”

    Then Anna, silent for most of the meeting even though she was standing behind Hatman rather than seated, politely raised her hand.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Did you want to say something, Anna?”  Hallie piped up, trying to encourage the usually quiet android.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Are you...in some kind of trouble?”  she asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Why would you ask that?”  Hatman asked, turning around in his seat.

    Anna looked as if she had been scolded for a moment.  She replied quietly, “Someone very strong trying to hide and live quietly is a theme very familiar to me.”

    Hatman nodded.  Anna had good instincts.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yes.”  Shen Rae answered plainly, but without a smile this time.  “This planet is off limits to the people looking for me, though.  And if I think I might bring danger I will leave without protest.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“No, don’t.”  Anna stepped forward, and leaned her palms on the table.  “If you run, they will only punish us worse for not knowing where you went.”

    As much as Shen Rae hated to admit it, the android was right.  She was amazed at how these humans on this somewhat backward planet could apply their creativity to create an android who could reason as well as they could.  She also wondered if Caph might be punished as Anna predicted.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You’re probably right, Anna.”  Shen Rae said with a sigh.  “I suppose if they do come looking for me, the decision of what I do should be in your hands.”

    Hatman then looked at the blonde sitting further down the table.  She was leaned back, arms folded across her chest, swiveling her chair back and forth, staring into space.  “Lara, you haven’t said much.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Hmm?”  the blonde replied.  “Oh.  I kind of knew some of the story already.  I didn’t want to spoil things for you.  Plus I didn’t know how much I should say.”

    Hatman motioned for Lara to move closer.  She stood and walked over to him, squatting slightly so he could whisper to her.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Tell me honestly...are you holding back anything that might get us in trouble later?”

    Lara shook her head.  “Anything could get us in trouble later,”  she whispered.  “But nothing I can think of right now.”

    He nodded.  “I can count on you if it does though, right?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Absolutely.”  She nodded, “You shouldn’t have to ask that, Jay.”  She stared at him a little accusingly as she returned to her seat.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I...haven’t caused some sort of problem, have I?”  Shen Rae asked as she watched the spectacle.  “I don’t want my presence to strain friendships.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“It’s nothing, really.”  Lara said.

    Hatman cleared his throat and looked around the table.  “If there arne’t any more questions, let’s adjourn this meeting and let Shen Rae return to getting settled in in Paradopolis.”

    There was silence around the table - there were no more questions.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Very well, then.”  Hatman stood, and the rest of the Lair Legion followed.  Then Shen Rae stood too.  “Good luck, Shen Rae.  I promise our future encounters will be better than the first one.”

    Shen Rae laughed.  She liked the way he stated that.  “Thank you, Hatman.  I hope I’ll see you around.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Do you need a ride home?”  Yuki Shiro asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I...guess I could take a taxi?”  the alien suggested.

    The purple-haired legionnaire smirked almost evilly.  “Do you have motorcycles where you come from?”

    As Shen Rae left the Lair Mansion with Yuki, and the meeting room cleared out, Lara Night was leaning against the doorway waiting for Hatman.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“That wasn’t cool,”  Lara scolded him.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’m really sorry,”  Jay Boaz replied.  “I just had to make sure.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I know,”  she sighed.  “But it hurt my feelings.  Do you really think I’d put your lives in jeopardy to keep a secret?  Do you think I would have kept it at all if I thought it was dangerous?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“No.”  He looked a little ashamed as he said that.

    She finally moved away from the door, and quickly hugged him reassuringly.  “I feel better now that you admitted that.  I also want you to feel better knowing I will protect you, and the Lair Legion.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“It does make me feel better,”  he said, smiling slightly.

    Lara paused in the doorway again as she turned to leave.  “I wonder if poor Shen Rae will reconsider staying on Earth after Yuki gives her a ride home.”


TO BE CONTINUED


-- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2011 by Jason Froikin, and may not be 
--    reprinted without permission.  
-- Yuki Shiro designed by Jason Froikin, based on designs by Masamune Shirow
--  Liu Xi Xian and the Psychic Samurai are original design by Jason Froikin
--  Lara Night is an original creation by Jason Froikin