Purity is no longer an abstract principle

  Tagline, RG Xtal Inc

  The toy shop remained quiet. No customers.

  Jorgie began to reach under the counter and stopped, looked towards Feebee.

  "Slow," she said. "I don't want them to shoot you." Rockson had the man covered.

  He pulled an old, battered lattice scanner onto the counter. Rockson joined Feebee, eager to see, console in hand. Active, scanning.

  "The crystal goes in here."

  Jorgie pulled open the assay drawer in the scanner, gently placed the crystal in and closed it up.

  "Low to medium quality, immature. I'm going to stress test it. Ok?"

  Feebee looked to Rockson and River. Both nodded.

  "Yes."

  The man changed some settings, "Hhmm. Not good. It's got an unstable lattice structure that'll fracture over time. Ok for a short period but then... boom."

  "Value?"

  Jorgie leant in close to Feebee. She caught the bitter stink of his breath and slack droop around the eyes. His hands were shaking. All were symptoms of bitter root, a local psychotropic. She pulled back.

  The man laughed, oblivious to her discomfort, "Might make a nice trinket."

  She looked at Rockson, he nodded.

  The crystals were swapped over, River's replacing Rockson's.

  Jorgie said nothing as the results came up on the small screen in the middle of the scanner. He just opened the drawer, turned the crystal over and re-ran the test.

  When it was done, he looked up shaking his head.

  "Where'd you get it?" The slur in his voice had gone. He held the crystal up, admiring it. As it moved nearer Feebee it pulsed slightly in the light.

  The man moved it close to Feebee, then away. It brightened slightly as it neared her. He gave her a funny look, questioning.

  Feebee gave up nothing, just offered a cryptic smile.

  Rockson had his console out, measuring the resonant energy emitted by the crystal.

  River took the crystal back, returning it to a meshed bag tied around his neck.

  "I haven't seen the likes of that for a while. Thought it was all but gone."

  "Explain."

  "You ask dangerous questions."

  She smiled, "I get that a lot, but value safe answers."

  He laughed again, it boomed in the low ceilinged shop and was becoming annoying.

  "Another test," he asked. Then continued talking directly to Feebee, "We both know the RG are struggling to meet quotas. So, what do they do? They force grow crystals like the first one you gave me. Immature. Likely to fracture and therefore deadly."

  He stopped, no one disagreed with him. Feebee just nodded sagely.

  "The second crystal. Yours." He pointed to River, "That's one of the purest I've seen. Ancient growth. Very stable." Then he added, "That won't fracture in transit. Very valuable."

  Feebee looked to River and Rockson. Rockson was eager to ask questions but Jorgie spoke first.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "So, again. I ask. Buyers or sellers."

  Feebee spoke, "We need more of the good stuff."

  He laughed again. "You and everyone. A large shipment was recently rejected by them. Didn't meet maturity thresholds. Sent shock waves through the supply chain."

  Feebee took a risk, connecting dots, counting on his drugged state to give her the edge, "We have the same problem. Only the immature stuff is out there, not fit for purpose. Can't be used, breaks down in transit. They are demanding mature crystal. Can you get it?"

  He tapped his nose.

  "For the right price. The RG are extending their protection of mature areas. We will have more mature crystal soon. The dissidents are pushing back but the RG have that covered. But there's a lot of competition for good stuff."

  Feebee put a hand on River's arm, calming him.

  "How long?" she asked.

  The QI interrupted Feebee directly, cut across her conscious chatter, 'Something's off. Local chatter has peeled right back.'

  'Open comms. Warn the Alphas.'

  'Ack'

  'Is there a back way out of here,' she asked the QI.

  'Yes. Hidden behind the fur bears and space command figurines on the right.'

  She drew her pistol, lightning fast and pointed it at the man. The movement finished before anyone saw it and could react. The guard froze, caught in the spotlight. In a fight, he’d have been roadkill.

  "Open the exit behind the fur bears... Please." There was a click and the shelving pivoted slightly.

  "River. Exit, there. Rockson, you too. Check it out. Go. Now."

  She gave a shrill warbling whistle that caused both Alphas to turn and look. She signalled to the shelving door.

  'We go. NOW.'

  The Alphas backed into the store.

  As Feebee moved to the exit, the guard started to slide a hand towards his gun. She turned on him, "Really. You wanna do that?"

  He shook his head, hands suddenly nowhere near the weapon.

  "Didn't think so," she smiled, then turning to Jorgie added, "Why?" Her pistol squarely in his face.

  Jorgie’s eyes crossed slightly as he focused on the barrel, then shrugged, "You asked too many of the right questions... and there's a reward being offered."

  "Spend it wisely," she counselled. "Take it as payment for answering our questions."

  The man smiled and gave her the smallest of nods.

  Just as they neared the exit there was thud on the front window. Something had hit it and was stuck there.

  Feebee processed this in real-time.

  "Down. Explosives!" She screamed.

  Jorgie dived to the floor behind the counter. Rockson and River were already out and through the shelving door. The Alphas had dropped low, just as the shop front exploded. Glass, dolls heads and figurine body parts sprayed them as they left.

  The QI led them down a corridor. Shots rang out, bouncing off the walls around them.

  Alpha-3 stopped and fired a salvo back down the corridor. There was a scream, a hit.

  They slowed allowing him to catch up. Each of them had small cuts where their skin was exposed. Nothing bad, just annoying, itchy.

  Feebee's had already stopped bleeding, the cuts began to repair. She brushed at the glass shards caught in her webbing; noticed a small orange clad torso with a short peppermint skirt. Both hands held cheer leader's pompoms; orange and white. She tucked the dismembered figurine it in her pocket.

  'Are we being tracked?' Feebee asked.

  'Highly likely. Don't know how.'

  'Ask your friend.'

  Scratchy laughter, 'It's not my friend but that's a good idea.'

  'My friend cannot see us. Doesn't think anyone can.'

  'Oh. Ok. Good.'

  There was crowd noise up ahead, around the corner. They slowed and walked slowly into an open square where people stood or sat at tables, drinking, eating; overflow from the pub that stretched down one side. A quant white fence, waist height, marked the pub's perimeter. Its pristine pickets holding back the jostling mass within. An arch, entry to the garden, had energetic plastic vines growing up it and was manned by security.

  Feebee laughed, they had 'SECURITY' written across the front of their uniforms. Were it not for that she'd have never guessed. The only thing secure was the paunch one contained within the uniform that was at least two sizes too small.

  Alpha-3 started towards the pub. Feebee called him back, "No!"

  He turned back to her, "Lots of people. Good cover and good for morale."

  Alpha-2 chipped in, "He's got a point."

  Feebee shook her head, "I don't like it."

  The two Alphas walked across and joined the line, "I'll take that as a yes."

  No-one came after them, so they shuffled slowly forward, getting nearer to the front of the queue. Feebee couldn't keep still. Her senses were keeping her constantly on alert, looking around. The others relaxed.

  "Chill. Be calm. Breath in...Count to three. Breath…"

  She punched Alpha-3. Hard. "Shut it."

  The couple in front saw this and whispered to Alpha-2. "Her first time? Under-age? She looks nervous. Your daughter."

  He nearly died of laughter, "Yeh. Something like that." He related the comment to Alpha-3. They both started laughing.

  "What?" She looked at them. That started them off again, "What?" She asked again.

  When they eventually got to the front of the queue, some local currency bought them entry and once inside they took a table at the back of the pub; in a corner away from the toilets and bar. No windows or doors nearby. Clear sight of the entrance.

  The Alphas left to get some drinks. Rockson was studying his console. River sat next to her. Close but not touching. Still, she felt tense, was tense, couldn't relax. Her mind still buzzing, processing too many things in parallel.

  He took her hand. Feebee jumped slightly. He smiled, "Freeze."

  She laughed, a gentle, vulnerable laugh. Very un-Feebee. "It's chill. Chill, not freeze. And thank you. I'm good."

  "You sure. You don't look it. What's up?" River asked.

  "Lots of memories. Few that are good."

  "In bars?"

  Feebee just shrugged, wanting to move on. He pulled her close and put an arm around her shoulders. She was surprised at how 'comfortable' it felt. Comfortable wasn't right, she searched for another word. Her body seemed to light up, resonate and sync to his tune.

  She felt stress and tension leave; replaced by a different sort of tension. One that was confusingly close to peace and calm, but not. She leant into him and snaked an arm around his waist.

  The Long Quiet reported.

  PRIMARY SUBJECT: Feebee Jones

  DESIGNATION: Duu’ra candidate

  OBSERVATION: Future Options Opening

  RISK: Emotional Stability

  QUIETUS PROTOCOL: ENGAGED.

  PREDICTED OUTCOME: The Duu’ra will emerge

  STATUS: WATCHFUL

  Feebee's breathing slowed until she was all but lifeless in his arms. River gently hugged her, it felt good.

  He pulled away as he saw the Alphas coming back with the drinks; confused and not sure why.