Out of the Bag

Two daring gamblers, one cat, and ten million credits on the line. They will stop at nothing to finally make it in a Galaxy obsessed with money, glamour, and deception. Please read and review!

 

--APPROACHING PLANETSIDE DOCKING BAY--

Grant Hickok grimaced at the obnoxious computerized announcement as he punched in the command that would remove the shade from his cabin window. As the UV shading effect disintegrated from the panoramic view of Knaven 6 below, Phoebe leapt up onto the ledge to take in the sights. Grant smiled when he saw her.

"She always loves it when we approach a planet," Grant muttered into his drink.

"Why do you keep that stupid cat around, anyway?" Burke asked with an irritated tone. He turned to mix another cocktail just as Grant opened his mouth to try and explain, but was suddenly interrupted.

--PLEASE PREPARE FOR DISEMBARKATION...DOCKING SEQUENCE WILL COMMENCE IN TEN MINUTES--

Grant waited for the announcement to finish. "As a matter of fact," he began, "I keep her around because I keep winning when she's around." He walked over and stroked her soft black fur. She leaned into his hand, and let out a friendly purr in response. "She's like a--what do call it--a good luck charm."

"Good luck," Burke scoffed. "You know damn well that luck doesn't exist. A gambler wins by way of two things: chance, and skill. But mostly chance."

At that, Grant chuckled, but then quickly turned quiet and looked out pensively with Phoebe onto the planet below. "I just hope tonight goes well. We have a lot riding on this game. We can't just let the business slip through our fingers. If we lose this, how will we keep afloat--"

"--But if we win," Burke interrupted, "It could mean everything for us. We will finally be able to get things off the ground. And you will finally be able to propose to Jana."

"Yeah," Grant piped up, "but Jana's not like that. You know how telepaths are. She doesn't care about money or the business or the games or anything. She just wants to move back to Mars and live a quiet life with me. You know, settle down and all that."

"Okay..." Burke raised an eyebrow, "and you want to give all of that to her, right?"

"Of course."

"Well, you can't expect to do that on an engineer/freelance inventor's salary, now can you?"

"No," Grant sighed, "I guess not." He left Phoebe and walked over to the closet to begin collecting up his things. It was time to pack up their luggage and head for the Disembarkation Lounge before taking the Tele-lift down Knaven 6's surface. "Hey, Burke, could you get Phoebe in her carrier, please. I have to get the last of my stuff packed up."

"But--" Burke tried to object.

"Please," Grant repeated, "I know you aren't fond of her, but she's important, and plus you need to overcome that weird fear of animals you have."

"It isn't weird." Burke said, feigning a hurt expression. "There was this...incident when i was a kid."

"Save it for later and get the cat in the carrier. Please!"

***

As the two shuffled into the Tele-lift with the other passengers, they could overhear other eager gamblers talking about their past exploits and future winning ambitions. Knaven 6 was notorious for it's massive, beautiful casino complexes. Flashing lights, dancing girls, the whole deal. A gambler's paradise. But Grant Hickok and Burke Weaver weren't interested in the glitz and glamour of that kind of gambling. Where they were going, it was not the kind of place you tell people about. There's no jingling slot machines or all-you-can-eat buffets. No, where they were going had the kind of stakes that would make these other so-called gambling enthusiasts weep.

Ten million was on the line. If they lost it, that would mean ruin for their fledgling FTL courier business endeavour. But if they won...if they actually doubled their money, it would be the beginning of a better life for both of them. And for Jana.

Once the guys arrived on the surface, they walked silently from the Tele-lift surface terminal. Grant looked down to the transparent cat carrier in his right hand. Phoebe was curled up and napping. Good, Grant thought, she'll need to conserve her energy for later.

The two continued down the conveyer platform in a quiet corridor that was marked at the end with a glowing sign: "EXIT onto RUE. VENTA SSW". None of the other passengers bothered to come this way, they were all headed for Main St.. To be assaulted by the blinding lights and the blaring cacophony of Knavaau, the Gambling Capital City of the Galaxy.

But Grant and Burke had graduated from that life a long time ago. Nowadays, the festivities took place in a slightly more volatile, more seedy kind of environment. Back alley sports, so to speak. The guys had been at this on and off for four years now, and had really built up a reputation in the dark underbelly of Knaven 6. They were known as "those guys with the cat". Which was a title that made Burke a little uneasy. It wasn't exactly the kind of thing he wanted to be known for--but they were winners, so he couldn't complain.

They took their usual route: out onto Rue. Venta, then onto Circuit Ave, and then down the dark concrete and steel staircase that descended into one of Knaven's many abandoned subway terminals. The city had given up on underground transportation after the invention of anti-grav vehicles. All of the subways were in the skies now, and the public transit of old was left to rot and become infested with the lower forms of Knavaauian life. This lead to the (literally) huge underground gambling scene that has become intergalactic legend, and therefore has become rather inviting to the more daring gamblers of the Milky Way.

As they approached the heavy iron door that lead into the gaming area, Burke's flashlight flickered. He whacked it a few times against the palm of his hand to get it working. "Piece of crap always does this to me," he frowned as the light came back to life.

"Hey, can I get some of that light over here," Grant asked as he waved at Burke. He bent down and placed Phoebe and her carrier on the dirty, debris-covered floor. "I have to check her collar." Phoebe purred in the dim light as Grant reached in and pressed a small transmitter switch on her collar. "There, all set. Let's do it."

They both nodded, and then Grant banged on the door three times. A rusty peep hole shrieked as it slid open. Some unfriendly eyes peered through, meeting their gaze. "The Grasshopper." A muffled voice said.

A second of silence passed, and Grant finally replied, "Lies Heavy" in as calm and cool a voice as he could manage. The door's lock let out a massive THUD THUD that echoed through the dank subway tunnel, then slowly creaked open. The guys entered the room. It was deceptively well-kept and furnished. It had sort of a classy, saloon type of vibe to it. All it was missing was a player piano to set the mood, and then it could have easily been mistaken for any old-fashioned Earth gambling house. The majority of Knaven 6's permanent inhabitants were human, so this type of game room wasn't terribly surprising. In fact, Grant let out a sigh of relief as he placed Phoebe down on an antique sideboard about ten feet from the table proper. "This might not be so bad, after all."

***

The other players had all settled down into their seats, and the cards were dealt. Once all of the formalities were completed, and the rules, stakes, and starting bets were declared, the game began. Burke sat this one out, and was escorted into a separate lounge where non-players were made to wait until the game was over. They were strict about people being in the room if they weren't playing. They didn't, however, seem to mind cats. Many of the gamblers actually looked forward to playing against Grant Hickok, because they would get to see his famous pet in person. "Hey Hickok," they would ask, "Why do you keep the furball in the room with you?" To which Grant would always shrug and reply, "Just plain old good luck."

Grant then looked down at his cards. A good hand, but not really enough to win. He decided to fold. The round was completed, and bets were raised. The second hand was perfect. This was his time. He reached up and scratched his right eye. The mental transmitter chip in skull then activated. He could hear Phoebe now. Not words, but just...instructions. It's a difficult experience to describe when one can not only hear a telepathic transmission, but also be able to communicate back. That's what his chip was for. Something he had invented (and installed) himself in order to be able to communicated like a telepath. Like Phoebe...Like Jana.

She dictated each of the other players hands to him. Okay, they were all bust. No need to worry. He raised, and played. The looks around the room weren't very pleasant as Grant reached inward and pulled all of the multi-colored gambling chips (that could be redeemed for actual credits at any casino) over to his little corner of the table. Grant grinned. "I'll wipe that stupid look of your face with the next round, Hickok." said one of the more seasoned players at the table. Grant then realized that he had better not get cocky. These guys didn't mess around. He was going to win this game for certain, but he didn't want to lose his life in the process.

Again, they played. And again, and again. Grant and Phoebe won every single hand that night, and neither of them batted an eye. As much as Grant wanted to play it cool, he was feeling desperate. He had to get the ten million and get out of there as soon as possible--and in once piece. However, his eagerness got the best of him, when one gambler, who had been watching Grant closely all night got to his feet and raised a photon blaster in his direction. "I call a cheater," he said, aggravated at his own misfortune. "And I'm gonna kill him."

"Now, now," Grant said as he raised his hands pleadingly, "there's no need for weapons, fellas. Let's be civil here."

Just then, Burke Weaver kicked in the door from the side lounge and opened fire. And the gamblers at the table returned the favour. Burke took out the guy with the photon blaster, then dove into a roll behind a nearby pool table. "Grant, here!" He shouted as he tossed a big vinyl duffle bag over to Grant, as it flew through the air, it narrowly missed being blasted by gunfire. Grant caught it and began shovelling the ten million in chips into it. He quickly asked by transmitting to Phoebe if she was okay. She let out an audible mew, as Grant crammed in the last chips and zipped the bag. He ducked as he grabbed the cat carrier and circled around to the opposite side of the antique sideboard. "Burke!" He shouted. "You ready to go?"

"Uhh, yeah. Just a second," He shouted back as he took out the last guy in the room. "Okay, now we leave. And quick, I'm sure someone heard the commotion by now. You got your Transmorpher flipped on?"

Grant nodded and started for the door. Burke took the cat carrier while Grant hefted their winnings over his shoulder. As they bolted down the subway tunnel, they were met by two more guys with guns. Burke took them out with ease as they ascended the stairs, and then headed down an alley. Panting and heaving from exhaustion, the two collapsed onto the dirty asphalt. "Okay, we gotta go it now," Burke puffed. And in a flash the two men suddenly looked completely different. Grant and Burke were no longer 30-something humans. They had become orange-and-green-skinned Qaltorians. Their identities had changed, and they were almost out of danger.

Grant looked down at the bag full of chips and hugged it with scaly orange arms. "Thank God for that good luck charm, eh?" Burke said. "How do you do it, Grant?"

"Oh, that's easy," Grant answered, "It's telepathy…with Phoebe."

"But you aren't a telepath." Burke said as he raised an eyebrow

"It's one of my inventions. Just like the Transmorpher. But you can only communicate with other telepaths with it."

"You're telling me that your cat is a telepath, who is also really good at playing cards?"

"Well, not exactly," Grant said as he turned and opened the cat carrier for Phoebe to step out. Suddenly, in a familiar flash that could only be a Transmorpher, Phoebe was gone, and in her place stood a tall, brunette, human woman. It was Grant's sweetheart, Jana. "Hi, Burke," She said with a grin. "I guess now you know why he keeps me around, huh?"

Burke was astonished. He picked his jaw up off the ground, and said, "S-s-so all this time. You are telling me that all this time, the cat has been Jana?" He swallowed hard.

"Yup."

"So, uhh. Why are you just telling me this now?" Burke asked.

"It needed to stay a secret until the last job. The less everyone knew, the better." Grant answered. "But now, the cat's out of the bag...so to speak. So, let's retire and finally start living the lives we've wanted for the last four years."

The two Qaltorian look-alikes got to their feet and dusted themselves off. Jana nodded to them and flashed back into her cat form. She walked into the carrier with a mew as Burke picked it up and they headed for the nearest casino.

"Let's cash in and get the hell out of here," Burke sighed. "I've had enough of this gambling crap to last a lifetime."

“Or nine,” Grant chuckled.

 

END

Author's Note

This is one was my most recent entry in one of i09's concept art writing prompts. I included the original concept art piece with it so you'll have some context.

Reviews

[Dee Okolotowicz]

Excellent story, and it was very well written. I think I only saw one faux pax in the entire piece. I like sci-fi and action stories and movies, so this appealed to me.

I recall an original Star Trek scene where the black cat turned into the sexy, beautiful woman with powers. I love this idea in any story. You also captured the science fiction "style," so it's obviously one of your favorites as well.

This seems good enough to publish or at least to enter into a reputable contest. Keep posting and surprising your readers. I can't wait to see what stories you come up with at Halloween! ;)

[Butterfly_Kid]

Thank you so much. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[Butterfly_Kid]

What was the faux pas. I'm curious because I am always striving to tweak and correct little issues in the stuff I post.

[Dee Okolotowicz]

You're story is really quite excellent, and I wouldn't have even mentioned it since it really *isn't* a grammatical error...but,

It's using the words "but" and "and" at the beginning of a sentence. It's actually perfectly fine and correct to do so as stated by most grammar manuals, HOWEVER, the problem is that often, college professors and editors alike often mark this as a faux-pas and ask for a rewrite of the sentence. I know, I was one of them who was asked once.

So in order to not guess which school of thought my reader, editor or teacher abides by, I tend to try and not use those at the beginning of a sentence whenever possible.

That was it! So basically I'm saying: you don't really have a faux pas, technically. :)

...Oh, by the way, I think you definitely should use these two characters in other stories. You have really created two "living" characters in my mind.

[Butterfly_Kid]

Yeah, it's interesting that you should mention that. I have always had a weird relationship with sentence form, and what is deemed 'correct'. On one hand, it actually does bug me on some level when I choose to go against my academic knowledge of the form, by starting a sentence with 'But'. The thing is, though, sometimes I'd sooner just begin a new sentence, then to over-rely on semicolons for the punctuation effect. Writers like James Joyce have found a way to use the semicolon in a way that is powerful and eloquent. But, I mean, I can't compare my sci-fi fluff with his work. That's why I sooner just go for the period for my punctuation effect. It ends up looking more in line with how it sounds in my head, as the narrator. It can help to give the story a quicker pace, too. Never dwelling on any one idea for too long. Have a look at my other story "The Recollection Script" and see what I tried to do there. The period in lieu of a semicolon works better in narratives that follow a single person's thinking. However, I think I did use one of those, too. I guess It's kind of just become habit for me.

I have a feeling it won't be the last time someone mentions the 'but'/'and' sentence to me.

[escapingherself]

This is so incredible well written! Reading it was an enjoyable experience, which was a nice surprise considering that I don't normally enjoy this type of story. The flow is good, the characterization is wonderful, and the twist at the end is purrfect!

[Kate Whitaker]

Cute story

[Areeba]

Great stuff, I love it!!!

[bean60]

Fantastic story! I'm a sci/fi fan, but usually only visual stuff. Have only recently started reading much science fiction. This is great. Nothing much to criticize about it. Lovely story and love story all rolled into one.

[Butterfly_Kid]

Thanks. I'm thinking of expanding on these two characters, Grant and Burke. There's other goofy adventures that I could send them on, I'm sure. Glad you enjoyed it.