Floyd stomped a foot. As if to swat space flies.
“Hold on.”
He surged forward into a canter, and only stopped short enough to come in front of the automatic front doors. The wait for an available service stall seemed interminable. Valerie hadn’t had such a challenging ride in years. She’d already decided not to go bareback ever again. When she bought Floyd, she only wanted a quiet, slow, dependable babysitter horse. Just a quiet trail buddy. She thought she was being kind, saving him from the meat plant. She got more than she bargained for. She supposed it could be worse. He could be a giant crazy, inconsiderate…
They hurried to their stall, and Floyd unzipped his neck pouch and plugged himself into the computer.
“Looks like all it needs is charging.”
Valerie’s leg muscles started acting independently of the rest of her.
“You never said how you were going to charge your time travel tech.”
“Just stay on my back, and we’ll surprise them when the time is right.”
Valerie had a bad feeling about this. He wasn’t explaining, which meant she probably wouldn’t like it. What had he said? Taser and cattle prod hybrid. If they used it on them… Oh, no.
They were in for a horrible shock.
Valerie didn’t know if she could take it. For all she knew she was about to be zapped off of his back. She took as much mane as she could in both hands, and wrapped them as close as the length would allow. And she made sure to leave room enough for Floyd to spread his wings. This was it.
The thunder of clean boots made their way closer and closer. Valerie had been on the wrong side of the law once before. Technically, she still was. It wasn’t a fun way to be. The thunder, the banging, the heat from the flames. The cocky shouting. The smell of ash for a week after until it had rained. Valerie shook her head free of the memories. It was time to stay in the “now”.
The team fanned out along the open wall, stun guns drawn. Did the non-lethal nature make them more or less likely to shoot? She had a hunch she was about to find out.
“Eternity Hope, you are a registered fugitive of the Cyberquines.” The one on the left brought out a hobble.
Really?
They fastened the cuffs on Floyd’s front legs, and they led the way to the security offices. They must have decided dragging an unconscious Floyd would be more trouble than was advisable. They probably weren’t allowed to risk the workplace injury lawsuit. Some things never changed. Even the strap between the hobbles was leather. Floyd could probably break it. Unless it was some sort of super-space leather alloy… thing.
They passed the bathrooms, and one door slid open when a guard pointed his remote. And the noise stopped. Valerie hadn’t realized how noisy the shop was until they were separated and installed in the spacious interrogation rooms.
“I thought they liked putting you in a small room to make you claustrophobic and anxious to answer questions.” Valerie whispered when they were alone.
“Speak for yourself.” Floyd muttered. The rumble in his throat sounded like a growl. “There’s not even enough room for me to pace in here. They’ve truly got the minimum required clearance.”
Valerie looked up at his withers, and realized it was about as small as her trailer had been that morning. Her trailer. That seemed like such a long time ago. She supposed it was. About 5,000 years long ago. She wanted to reassure him, like she had just before shutting him in her trailer. But she had questions. So did the security services. It was reasonable to assume they were being recorded. Thankfully, they didn’t have to wait long.
A guard walked in, looking more like an executive with his clipboard and file folder. Behind him came a guard strapped with just about everything a man could carry. He stood in the corner, and watched.
“This is Officer Clay, and I am Judge Janus. Only a name, I assure you. Speaking of names, would you please state yours, for the record?”
Judge? Why was a judge interviewing them? She glanced over at Floyd, hoping to follow his lead. He stayed silent.
“Since your computer’s signature was registered in our fugitive database, we already know your name.” Judge Janus straightened his file and clicked his pen. “Eternity Hope. Fugitive of the Cyberquines. Odd that a fugitive should walk in to a connected place like this.”
“Almost as if he didn’t know he was a fugitive.” Floyd said, deadpan.
“Oh, but you must have done.” Janus leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. The intimidation didn’t really work when he had to look straight up to meet Floyd’s eyes. “You dropped off that Smart Water sample and ran. You must have known about the registry restrictions, and the fact that your sample was registered to a dummy corporation.”
“We were in a hurry.” Floyd yawned, and bared his teeth before continuing. He shook his body, and thumped the ceiling with his ears before pulling them back.
“We. Who’s your accomplice?”
“I only just met him, really.” Valerie looked back at Floyd and shrugged. It was the truth. Floyd’s face was as still as a sculpture. He was trying to hint at something, but she didn’t know what she was supposed to know to do. She turned back to Janus, and offered her hand. “Sheila Markham, pleased to meet you.”
Judge Janus glared at the offered hand, and she withered her way back to her side of the table.
“There are no handshakes during trials.” Janus’ lip twitched.
“Trial?” Valerie didn’t like the swift justice they seemed to have here. “What happened to charges?”
“You’re familiar with another planet’s justice system? You’ve been on trial before?”
“No.” Valerie shot back. Floyd gave a slight nod of approval. “I just read a lot of books.”
“Not enough, apparently. We don’t have any need for capital punishment on a commercial moon. We just deport you. Your planet will administer their justice as they see fit.”
“Practical.” Valerie scoffed. She leaned back in her chair. “And diplomatic.”
“From my own understanding of history,” Janus straightened his paper forms and looked at both of them. “I know humans are filtered through the earth and then sent on their way. But the signal is corrupted somehow.”
“What?” Valerie taunted him with her shallow smile. “The Galactic justice system doesn’t have a backup plan?”
“What have you done?” Officer Clay shouted. He stopped fussing when Judge Janus held up a hand.
“You must excuse your bailiff.” Judge Janus narrowed his eyes, and turned back to his defendants. “We all have roots on planet earth. Families. Memories. At the hint of a conspiracy, some of us get a little… passionate.”
“But there is a conspiracy.” Floyd leaned forward and lowered his head to look at the Judge and Bailiff both. “We’re trying to stop mankind being exterminated in the 21st Century.”
Judge Janus gave him a hard stare. Then he seemed to accept what Floyd said. And visibly swallowed.
“Can you-“
“Prove it? No. There is literally, no time left, and you’ll see from my diagnostic exactly where I have been and when I came from. And you’ll know that I’ve got to get my equipment fixed.”
“Actually,” Janus started to shuffle through his paperwork. “The diagnostic shows all you need is a charge. But right now, we’ll suspend your travel rights until we get this sorted out.”
