Voyage of the Dawn Rider

Chapter 4

Voyage of the Dawn Rider 2.

The military ran a half-price taxi service from Bal Sara to Star City, so I called from my hotel room and arranged for a ride. When the cab pulled up in front of my hotel I got the shock of my life, sitting in the drivers seat was a Goddamned Ogre! Seeing my hesitation, he calmly said, "Are you the fare that called?" I continued to study him causing him to say in a much more irritated tone of voice, "I don't have all day captain, if you're coming, let's go." Cautiously I climbed into the cab, we were moving even before I had a chance to get situated. Looking at his hack license on the windshield visor I saw the name "Smash Ogre." Smash then turned his head and said, "You did specify Star City did you not?" "Y-y-ess, My Elvin Mistress if you don't mind." "Hey what a coincidence, I work there as a part time bouncer." Finally getting my bearings I asked, 'How long have you been a cabbie Smash?" This question seemed to amuse him. "Oh I don't know five cycle now I guess, been working the "Mistress" goin on tree, now, Yeah, that's it, they gave me all the crappy after midnight calls no fuggin tips, just a lot of work washing out the back seat of spilt booze c*m, that sort of thing I was always pickin up the whores and their "clients" the drunks at the taverns. Ha! Come to tink of it, that's how I got that bouncer job, broke up a Goddamned riot at the "Mistress" when I went to pick up a fare, they liked my "style" offered me a job on the spot. Damn, I hadn't thought 'bout that in cycles."

"Um, do you get a lot of grief being as you're an Ogre?" Smash kept looking forward, "Naw, I did at first, people wouldn't ride in my cab, but after I gots me that bouncer job, guys would talk to me my name started getting known, once everyone knew I was on the square things picked up, now I got this here cush job runnin you navy guys out to Star City, either da billets' or da "Mistress" guys know I gonna take 'em right dere, no funny bidness ya know." I chuckled to myself, and shook my head, guess Ogre's needed to make a living nowadays as well. "Tell me Smash, since yo also work as a bouncer at the "Mistress" what's your opinion of the Star Riders?" The driver thought a moment then started to laugh, a deep rumble that passed for Ogre laughter. "Me and dem guys, we got us an understandin,' wasn't always like that though. They kept tryin' to take me, I'd whup their asses every time, finally day got smart, now every time day see me comin day puts on dere best behavior. When dere too fuggin drunk to get home I see to it day gets where day needs to go, iffin day don't have no fare I still takes care of 'em, an ya know, day always find me and pay up, good tippers too, yeah, we have us an understandin."

We drove on a few more klicks then I asked, "Ever have anything really unusual happen in your cab?" Smash thought for several moments, then said. "Bout a cycle ago there musta been a pixie convention or sumpin in town, well sir, I get's da call, ends up thirty Goddamned drunk on their ass Pixies climb in, I was a little bit worried 'cause I didin see no kinda cash or credit chit in dere sweet little hands. I started to say sump tin but one o dem gives me this big fuggin diamond see, and says, "Take dis driver, it's all we have," Great googily moogiley I ain't never seen a rock dat size before, says day needs at get back to Krynn. Well sir, I fells like a thief, I coulda driven dem around tree countries for half of what dat ting was worth. Well ole Smash was smart see, I ot da name of dere "leader" an later I gave dem dere rock back, tole 'em I couldn't take it I insisted. Well ya know, later My boss calls me in gives me a package an inside were the proper fare for all dem pixies, an ya know sump tin else, captain, to this day whenever pixies are in town, day always insists on me." I smiled, "Well Smash, it looks like you've worked hard to make your own reputation, people appreciate that, all the good you do comes back to you." Smash nodded his head, "Damn straight!" Before long we arrived in front of the "My Elvin Mistress" I paid my fare, and made sure to give Smash a nice tip. "Thanks Smash, maybe I'll see you around." "Well I'm always here on da weekends, so long." Ah, my home away from home, which in most cases was the helm of any number of navy spacecraft. The "My Elvin Mistress" had at one time pretensions of becoming a class watering hole. Renee Treehorne is the owner, her target clientele consists primarily of navy personnel currently "On the beach," as well as transport and freighter crews. I knew Renee having actually gone to primary school with her. Renee was ex navy, having served as a galley chef, as well as chief mess steward. She enjoyed the work, but an unplanned pregnancy got her tossed. Renee is one of those blessed souls who always seem to land on their feet, and it wasn't long before she took over this place, turning it into th popular drinking house it is. Renee is also very meticulous about who she employs, if she needs to, she'll use her old navy connections to "check up" on a potential employee. On the other hand, she doesn't have to do it very often, Renee really looks out for her people, and they return the favor by sticking around.

When I entered, Renee was standing near the bar going over a list with one of her waitresses, "Afternoon Renee!" She turned and greeted me with a big smile, "Druss, what are you doin on the beach?" I shrugged, "Got reassigned, say Renee, my crew is meeting me here before too long, got a table in the back where it's reasonably quiet?" "Oh I think we can fix you up captain, follow me." As I followed her I noticed she was wearing silver rings on all her fingers as well as Elvin ear jewelry, silver and gold trim that rode on the outer edge of her ears, exaggerating the point of her Elvin ears with tiny chains connecting the top and lower leading edges of the trim. She also wore a rather unusual ring/bracelet combination connected by ornate chains. Arriving at the table, she said, "Here we are captain, if you let me know who they are, I'll be sure to have Wynn send them right back." "That would be most appreciated," I replied. "I guess for starters you could set me up with a pitcher of Weidner's dark and mugs." "Coming right up captain!" I watched her move off with that special strut of hers. While I waited for my new crew to show, I contemplated how much money I'd spent here, me and all the other "Starmen" who felt it necessary to plant our feet on solid ground from time to time. All I knew was that Renee was able to put her daughter through medical school, Renee recently told me that Khyber was interning at the medical center in Krynn and was already "spoken for" by a fellow intern at the same med center.

Shortly a waitress brought a generous pitcher of my favorite brew, Weidner's Brewery located in good old Bal Sera, it's Dwarven brew master being unsurpassed in his attention to his craft. As I finished my first sip I heard a lot of commotion from up front, whistles and cheers. Looking in that direction, I saw Magiere giving them a show as she slowly walked my way. "Somebody better grab a fire extinguisher," I thought, as this woman was smoking hot! Dressed in the blue/black leather that was the mark of a fighter pilot, along with the high heeled matching boots and jacket along with sun gazer sunglasses the place was about ready to "catch fire" Removing her gloves as she neared my table all I could do was gape like a schoolboy. Her dramatic entry certainly had the desired effect, all eyes were still on her as she slowly removed her jacket, revealing a black tank-top giving ample proof as to what was underneath. I stood and offered her a chair, "Lieutenant." She slid into the offered seat, and immediately started pouring herself a beer. Taking a long drink, she looked at her mug, and said, "Nothing can beat old man Weidner's special except perhaps a little something the faeries brew up." "I wasn't aware the Faerie folk were into beer making," I replied. Magiere grinned and said, "Oh they're not, but there is a group however that creates something they call "dol mwl" it's a golden red concoction that will put you on your ass quicker than s**t. If you can still see straight after the first mug they give you a prize." "And what might that prize be?" I asked. The princess shrugged, "Don't know, nobody does, nobody's ever been able to get that far."

By now the first show had started, for reasons everybody chalked up to "connections" Renee had dancers, it was one of the main reasons the "Mistress" was so popular. The first show all the dancers wore thongs and little "stars" over their n*****s, as the evening progressed all that came off, and by the last show, the girls were completely nude, picking up incredible tips by doing things most Elvin females could only dream of. "I feel like dancing captain," announced Magiere, "Do you dance?" I shook my head, "Um, I'm not very good at it." Standing up, she reached over and took my hand, "Come on, I'll show you how it's done." Reluctantly I followed her up to where the dancers were gyrating off to the side of the long bar. I made a valiant attempt to follow her lead, but Magiere went into something that very quickly upstaged the poor girls who did this for a living. It wasn't long before all eyes were again on her. The queens daughter was all but making love to herself right out on the floor, I stepped back and just watched like all the others. All I could think of was "Where did she learn to dance like that?" Then I wondered about her poor mothers efforts at keeping her name under wraps. When the music stopped, Magiere was rewarded with glares and scowls from the house dancers, but hoots and cheers from the patrons, she gave them all a big smile and swayed her hips all the way back to our table.

After sitting down, she took a swig of beer then proceeded to remove a "Looma" from a thin metal case and light it, leaning back in her chair, she blew the smoke upwards and studied me. "Looma's were long thin cigarettes favored by the upper strata of female Elvin social circles, prostitutes also liked them. They contained a low level intoxicant, and were rumored to be highly addictive. 'Does your mother know you smoke those ?" I indicated pointing at her smoke. The princess guffawed and said, "After my father died, she smoked these all the time, until Bivale got her to quit." Taking another drag on her Looma Magiere observed, "Well Captain it seems I'm not the only one getting sent to the "woodshed." "Oh, and what have you done?" Another guffaw and Magiere said, "In my case it's not a matter if "what have I done," but more a case of "What haven't I done. I'm sure you wondered where I learned to dance like that, ever hear of the festival of "Heaven Light?" "Wasn't there some uproar a few cycles ago when your mother attended?" The princess laughed, "Oh you poor man, that wasn't my mother, that was me, it certainly is remarkable the things you can do by "planting" the right story. Well captain, as they say, what goes on at Heaven Light stays at Heaven Light, suffice to say it's an experience I most defiantly wish to repeat, but don't tell my mother that." I nodded and held my finger to my lips. The princess then snuffed out her cigarette in the ash tray prompting me to say, "I hope you enjoyed that, because it's your last, there won't be any smoking of those on my ship." She shrugged, "Whatever you say captain."

"So I take it your on your mother's "s**t" list," I said matter-of-factly. Again she shrugged, "It would seem that way captain." Taking a deep sigh, Magiere said, "You might as well know, this assignment is the end of the line for me, mother hasn't said in so many words but it's true, there's just been one too many disgraced prince, too many favors, a wasted education, maybe even a wasted life?" "Care to tell me about it?" I asked. "What the Hell, why not!" Magiere took another swig, then began her sad tale.