Tales From The Stream Special Event

Tales from the Stream

Comfort to the Masses

by Davina Lee

* * *

To Brian, a dear friend, and wonderful storyteller.

* * *

Author's Note

Since this is a story based on an ongoing series, here's one of those "previously on" things to get you caught up...

* * *

Lúcia stirred her soup in lazy circles.

"How long were you a slave?" Amaliya asked.

Conversation at that end of the table became hushed.

"I saw your bar code," said Amaliya. "On your wrist."

"Lúcia is a free woman," said Mother Bertilda, "We do not engage in such activity."

* * *

"That's Megacomf Brian," said Jade.

Amaliya stared.

"Megacomf Brian? You've never heard of Megacomf Brian? 'You haven't made it, until you've made it on a Megacomf.'" Jade gave a little thrust of her hips to punctuate the tag line.

* * *

Lúcia pulled the Megacomf Thank You card from her pocket and opened it. A tiny, lo-res holographic bust of Megacomf Brian appeared. "You haven't made it, until you've made it on a Megacomf," he said with a twinkle in his eye.

"You brought the card with you?" said Amaliya.

"For strength and guidance," said Lúcia.

"You really think he's a saint? Megacomf Brian?"

"It is not for me to decide. But anyone who can offer such consistent comfort at low, low, two for one prices must surely be in the running."

* * *

"I understand your struggle, Emily. I was born into it." Lúcia held out her hand and turned it so the bar code tattoo on her wrist was facing up. "This is not a childhood I would wish upon anyone. With God's help, I have learned to forgive, and perhaps I can help you in that respect... but I have not yet learned to forget."

Emily, her lip quivering, looked into Lúcia's eyes. She held her arms wide. Lúcia stepped forward and laid her head on Emily's shoulder. "Sisters," whispered Emily.

"Sisters." Lúcia sniffled once.

* * *

The triplets spoke again, one after another.

"I am one person."Fashioned as three by science."Choice of my parents."

"Aidoru explained it to me while you were busy in the conn, ensuring our safety, Captain," said Lúcia. "Three bodies, sharing one consciousness."

* * *

Three Aidoru rolled over simultaneously, eyes puffy and red-rimmed.

"It's always Haiku," said Aidoru."The only way I can speak.A freak of nature."

Lúcia leaned forward onto the bed, covering the Aidoru closest to her with her body and spreading her arm over the other two. "Is that what's been bothering you? You're not a freak," said Lúcia. "You're my girl. Je t'aime."

* * *

And now...

Tales from the Stream: Comfort to the Masses

* * *

Comfort to the Masses, Part I

Onboard The Black Prince

Stretched out over one of the two Megacomf sofas occupying the lounge, Amaliya lay staring at the ceiling. Her legs were spread wide and she gulped at the air in front of her face every now and again. Jade was parked with her face between Amaliya's thighs and her hands resting on Amaliya's knees. She was head down in deep concentration.

Amaliya's eyelids fluttered. She arched her back. Something akin to a squeak let loose from behind her lips and she shuddered violently.

Captain Jade, grinning, took a final swipe with her tongue. Amaliya jerked once, lifting her buttocks from the cushions and nearly rendering Jade toothless in the process. Amaliya settled back down into the Megacomf sofa. And while Amaliya let out a deep sigh, Jade peered up.

"Mmm," said Amaliya, touching her index finger to her right nipple to draw a lazy circle. "Touch me in the morning and just walk away!" she proclaimed. "Mm-hmm."

Jade chuckled as she disentangled herself from Amaliya's legs and scooted up beside her. "That good, huh?"

Amaliya turned her head to shift her unfocused gaze on Jade. "Really? You have to ask?"

Jade grinned once more, wiped the glistening moisture from her chin with the back of her hand, and rested her head on Amaliya's breast. "Baby," said Jade, throwing an arm over Amaliya.

"Mama's got you," sighed Amaliya, weaving her fingers into Jade's close cropped hair and pressing Jade into her bosom.

* * *

Onboard Mia's station

In the middle of a patch of wildflowers, Sister Lúcia rolled onto her back and contemplated three growing shadows in the red field that was her vision through still-closed eyelids. There was a rustling of the tallgrass as three individual shadows converged to become one large dark spot in the center.

"Lúcia, chérie,"I see you are awake now."I brought you breakfast."

Sister Lúcia opened her eyes to the smiling faces of three Aidoru hovering over her. Between herselves, Aidoru held four rice balls wrapped in nori, with the center Aidoru holding two, one in each hand.

Extending her right hand, the middle Aidoru offered Lúcia a rice ball.

"Some

onigiri

?"I thought you might be hungry"Since you slept so late."

"Non, merci," said Lúcia, shaking her head.

In front of Lúcia, three Aidoru let their mouths slacken and their shoulders slump. The Aidoru in the center kept her grip on the rice ball, but dropped her right hand to her side.

"It is not that I do not enjoy what you have created ma petite," said Lúcia. "It was a most delicious and satisfying taste sensation."

Three Aidoru looked to Lúcia with mouths turning up at the corners. The center Aidoru raised her right hand slightly, presenting the

onigiri

to Lúcia again.

"Mais, non," said Lúcia.

Three Aidoru shrugged as one and raised three

onigiri

to their mouths to take a bite. As Aidoru stood chewing, Lúcia rolled onto her side and raised herself to sitting.

"I think it may have been an allergic reaction," said Lúcia, rubbing her temples with her index and middle fingers. "Is there anything in the ingredients that could cause hallucinations? The fermentation process for the pickled

ume

, perhaps?"

All three Aidoru raised three identical

onigiri

and paused to stare at the three identical bites taken out of them. After a moment, Aidoru shook her heads.

"After consuming one last night, my sleep was filled with the strangest dreams," said Lúcia. "Since this is my first time eating food like this, though it was most delicious, it is the only thing I can think of that may have caused the visions."

Three Aidoru made a circle around Sister Lúcia and each Aidoru dropped to her knees. All three Aidoru reached in to wrap their arms around Lúcia, holding the

onigiri

up and out of the way so as not to smash the rice balls into Lúcia's hair.

"Merci, amore." Lúcia rested her head on the Aidoru in front of her.

"Sorry for that, dear"Name anything to help you"And I will do it."

"Ma chérie. Je t'aime," said Lúcia, opening her arms wide to wrap around all three Aidoru. "Je t'aime."

"Lúcia, my love."Know that if you are in need,"I am here for you."

"Merci, my love." Lúcia brushed her lips against the cheek of each Aidoru. "You complete me."

* * *

Back on The Black Prince, in the lounge

Captain Jade inhaled a noisy breath, causing her chest to rise, and with it, Amaliya's arm that was draped over her. Jade let it out in a languid sigh.

"Done with snuggle time?" asked Amaliya.

"Hmm?" said Jade. "No. Not yet." She dug around in the Megacomf cushions to find Amaliya's hand and wove their fingers together.

"Something's running around in that head of yours." Amaliya punctuated her remark by drawing a circle around the crown of Jade's head using the tip of her index finger.

"I love it here," mumbled Jade. "I really do."

"But...?" said Amaliya.

Jade let out a small chuckle, shaking Amaliya and the Megacomf as she did. "You know me too well."

Amaliya waited, trailing her fingertips slowly down the length of Jade's arm, saying nothing.

"Mia's station," said Jade. "You couldn't ask for a better place. With everybody here, it feels like home. More like home than I've ever known."

Amaliya reached Jade's wrist with her fingertip and reversed direction to start the trail back upward.

"But it's..." said Jade. "I don't know..."

"Too settled?" said Amaliya, reaching Jade's shoulder and pausing her finger trail.

"Yeah," said Jade. "But it's not like back on Kepler. Or Earth. Not at all. This is way better. It's just..."

"It's not the same as being out there, is it?" said Amaliya, circling the muscle of Jade's shoulder. "In space. Sailing the stream."

"I shouldn't be complaining," said Jade. "We have a home here."

Amaliya laid her hand flat on Jade's shoulder. She gave it a squeeze. "I get it," she said. "You're a pirate captain. You're not wired to stay in port for too long."

"You're not upset?"

"Why would I be?" said Amaliya. "If it weren't for your yearn to wander the stars, I'd still be stuck on Kepler working off the rest of my contract. You don't owe me anything."

"I'm not leaving," said Jade. "You make it sound like--"

"Sorry, I didn't mean..." said Amaliya. "Why don't you talk to Captain Joan. See when she's taking another batch of medicinals to Nauja Vilnius. I'm sure she'd enjoy the company and someone to help trim the sails."

"You don't want to come along?"

"Not if it's today, baby," said Amaliya. "Remember the wheat crop Reg and the boys harvested last week?"

Jade nodded.

"Moira and the girls have ground it into flour. Sister Jane left a book of her recipes with them. And..."

Jade turned her head to focus on Amaliya's lips as the next words came forth.

"Today, we're making baguette!" Amaliya's entire face lit up as she smiled. Jade smiled too.

* * *

Back in the patch of wildflowers

Aidoru snuggled in around Lúcia and Lúcia rested her head on the Aidoru closest.

"It was a strange dream," said Lúcia. "Very strange. In my dream, I saw a vision of Megacomf Brian."

Three Aidoru raised her heads.

Lúcia too lifted her cheek from Aidoru's shoulder. She let her arms go slack at her sides. "Do you know him?" said Lúcia. "The man from the Megacomf Sofa advertisements?"

Three Aidoru nodded.

"Megacomf Brian stood before me. I do not know the location. Though he was glowing. Like an angel. He held out a business card, like this one." Lúcia fished around in the pocket of her jumpsuit to produce a small card with dogeared corners.

A tiny, lo-res holographic bust of Megacomf Brian appeared. He raised his arms and extended his index fingers like twin pistols. "You haven't made it, until you've made it on a Megacomf," he said with a twinkle in his eye.

"He told me I should bring comfort to the masses," said Lúcia.

"And that's his catchphrase."Bring comfort to the masses,"If I remember," said Aidoru.

"That is what I thought when I first woke up," said Lúcia. "But the Megacomf slogan is 'You haven't made it until you've made it on a Megacomf'. I am sure of it. Like he says on this card. I do not think there has ever been mention of bringing comfort to the masses."

"And yet you heard this?"In your dream, this is the phrase"That you remember?"

Lúcia nodded.

"Interesting dream,"This Megacomf Brian thing."Lúcia, my love."

"I thought so as well." Lúcia stashed the card back in her pocket and once again leaned forward to rest her head on Aidoru's shoulder.

* * *

Later, near the airlock

"Hey Lúcia. Aidoru," said Emily.

The Aidoru still holding the uneaten

onigiri

, raised her right hand and thrust the nori-wrapped rice ball out to Emily.

"No thanks," said Emily, placing her hand over her stomach and rubbing in a circle. "I totally pigged out on those things last night. Might be a while before I'm ready for another one."

"Did you have strange dreams?" asked Lúcia.

"Strange dreams...?" Emily held the corner of her lower lip in her teeth and turned her eyes skyward. After a moment, she moved her gaze back to Lúcia. "No. Can't say I did."

"Lúcia had dreams," said Aidoru."Dreams of Megacomf Brian"After eating one."

"No kidding," said Emily, casting another glance at the

onigiri

in Aidoru's hand. "Megacomf Brian. He try to sell you a sofa subliminally or something?"

"He told me I should bring comfort to the masses," said Lúcia. "And he was glowing."

"Trippy," said Emily. "But, I suppose. That's his catch phrase, isn't it? Comfort to the masses."

Lúcia shook her head. "You haven't made it until you've made it on a Megacomf. That is the slogan." Lúcia pulled the Megacomf business card from her jumpsuit pocket and held it out to Emily.

"Hmm," said Emily, looking at the holographic projection of the card. "I guess you're right."

"Emily," said Lúcia, "May I borrow your tablet?"

"Sure. No problem. You gonna look it up on the net? Comfort to the masses. Must have been some dream, huh?"

Lúcia nodded.

Two of the three Aidoru picked up Lúcia's hands and wove their fingers together. The third Aidoru held up the

onigiri

again and raised an eyebrow.

"Non, merci," said Lúcia.

* * *

Onboard the Black Prince

Sister Lúcia lay sprawled on one of the two Megacomf sofas occupying the lounge. Jade and Amaliya had left some time ago for the conn and the premium-quality foam of Megacomf cushions had sprung back to its original shape, leaving no evidence that the two had ever been there, occupying the sofa just to the right of Aidoru and Lúcia.

Lúcia lay on her left side, with her head propped on the right thigh of one Aidoru seated next to her. Aidoru lazily stroked Lúcia's hair. Lúcia's legs were scissored, with her feet propped on the left thigh of a second Aidoru. A third Aidoru massaged them. On the Megacomf cushion under Lúcia's hand was Emily's tablet computer.

Lúcia took a deep breath and let it out slowly, as she flicked her index finger upward over the tablet's screen. The contents of the Megacomf web site went scrolling by. Lúcia flicked the tablet's screen in the reverse direction and the web site disappeared, leaving her staring at the tablet's main user interface.

Lúcia tapped the Mail app icon.

"Lúcia, my dear," said Aidoru."Have you found what you're seeking."Megacomf Brian?"

"Not yet, ma chérie," said Lúcia. "But I have an idea about the dream." Lúcia flicked her finger over the screen, scrolling her inbox backward in chronological order. A message with a sender address of Novo São Paulo Provisional Government Office of Health and Welfare flew past.

Lúcia pressed her finger against the screen and the scrolling immediately halted. She dragged her finger downward until 'Novo São Paulo Provisional Government Office of Health and Welfare' appeared once again. Lúcia held her finger directly over the subject line that read, 'Reparations for illegally indentured citizens'. As she tapped once on the screen, a small tear welled in the corner of her eye.

The Aidoru supporting Lúcia's head on her thigh stopped stroking Lúcia's hair and dashed in with her thumb to wipe away the tear. Aidoru then reached for the nori-wrapped rice ball she had set on the end table. "

Onigiri

?"

Once again, Lúcia shook her head.

"Lúcia, my love,"Know that I am here for you."Whatever you need."

Aidoru wrapped her arms around Lúcia.

"Merci." Lúcia tapped close on the email app, pushed the tablet aside, and let her eyelids droop.

* * *

Onboard The Black Prince, in the conn

A single Aidoru sat in the copilot's chair, swiveled so she was positioned face to face with Captain Jade.

"Tasty!," exclaimed Captain Jade, taking another big bite from the

onigiri

. Then with her mouth full, she mumbled, "These things are so tasty."

"I'm glad you like it," said the single Aidoru."I'd like to ask a favor."It's for Lúcia."

Captain Jade nodded, took another bite of the nori-wrapped rice ball and turned her gaze to the tablet Aidoru held up. "Novo São Paulo?" said Captain Jade.

Aidoru nodded.

"It's where she was born."And it's where she must return."My dear Sister Lúcia."

"You know me. Always up for a road trip," said Captain Jade, taking another bite of

onigiri

and finishing her thought while chewing. "But we might want to talk to Captain Joan about taking The Hispaniola for this one."

The single Aidoru cocked her head and blinked once while looking at Captain Jade.

"Novo São Paulo's kind of a mess as spaceports go," said Jade. "Sometimes stuff works, sometimes it's broke for months. If the space elevator's out, The Black Prince is stuck in orbit. But The Hispaniola is reentry capable."

Aidoru continued staring at Captain Jade and blinked a second time.

"Captain Joan's ship can land and take off under its own power."

Aidoru nodded, smiled, and planted a kiss on Captain Jade's cheek. As if by magic, Aidoru produced a second, previously unseen

onigiri

to hand to Captain Jade before scampering off to join Lúcia and the rest of herselves.

Jade's cheeks flushed pink briefly before she turned her attention to the fresh rice ball in her hand to take a bite.

* * *

Inside the airlock of The Hispaniola

Captain Joan and a single Aidoru stood huddled together, contemplating the tablet computer Aidoru held in her hand.

"Novo São Paulo," said Joan. "Works for me. When do you want to head out?"

"How about now?" said Jade, rounding the corner with a duffle bag slung over her shoulder.

"Thank you for agreeing to this, Captain Joan," said Lúcia, following behind Captain Jade with the remaining two Aidoru at her side. "I am in your debt."

"Pssh," said Joan. "Anything for you, Sister Lúcia."

"I brought baguette," announced Amaliya, hustling to catch up, with five long loaves of bread cradled in her arm.

"By all means," said Captain Joan. She turned her head toward the inside of the ship and hollered, "Hey Cuz, we're shipping out. You cool with that?"

Jamie wandered forth from the bowels of the ship with a sleepy-eyed Emily clinging to her arm. Jamie ran her hand through the short hairs of her blonde buzz cut. "Aye, Cap'n. First mate of The Hispaniola reporting for duty." She shot a mock salute and grinned.

"Thank you for the loan of your tablet," said Lúcia, taking the device from Aidoru's hand and passing it over to Emily.

"No problem," said Emily, making an attempt to straighten her hair. "Where we going?"

"Back to the place of my birth," said Lúcia with a sigh.

* * *

Novo São Paulo Spaceport

Captain Joan swiped at the touchscreen to the right of the door labeled inner airlock. The Schlage-Miwa corporate logo disappeared from view, replaced by a gleaming green padlock. Joan touched her finger to the green padlock icon on the screen. While dragging her finger upward, the padlock flashed three times and then disappeared from the screen. Two seconds later, the inner airlock door slid open.

Jamie stepped forward to stand shoulder to shoulder with Captain Joan. "Why don't you let me get the outer door," said Jamie. "Just in case."

"Uh, sure, I guess," said Joan.

Jamie tilted her head to get closer to Joan. "Not the best neighborhood," she whispered.

"Got it," said Joan.

Jamie used both hands to turn the sturdy mechanical latch on the outer airlock door and with one hand, fingered the taser clipped to her belt before putting her shoulder into the door to shove it open.