Peter Prellwitz - Shards Book One

It was at least ten meters wide and was closed off with a flat ghost wall that was somewhat recessed from the normal stone face of the mess. The sunlight, for some reason, did not reflect whatsoever off the surface of the ghost wall. I looked up at the sky to see if there was a protruding ledge casting a shadow on it, and gasped with awe.

There was no sky. Instead of open air and a brilliant sun, I saw a high ceiling of solid stone. And instead of lighting was a shimmer, constantly emanating from the entire surface. As I watched, I could feel the sunny warmth pouring down on my upturned face. The shimmer seemed almost sky blue, and I even caught a whiff of fresh, mountain air. I was stunned.

"Why, that's incredible!"

Susie looked up and laughed.? This is the part of my job I love the most! Showing off our little advancements to Cues. Yes, that's an environmental stunt we pull to keep up morale. Sometimes we're cooped up in here for weeks at a time, and this becomes our playground. Here and the rec area. I'll tell you how we do it when you're more caught up with the times."

"I'd love to know. Offhand, I'd have to guess that it involves a prismatic shifting of ambient sunlight, recombined through a spectral and holographic filter. You're probably using of static grid of thermal energy for the display, though I can't begin to imagine the power source you'd use to achieve that magnitude of output."

It was her turn to stare at me while I tried to suppress a smile. She didn't say, but I'd lay odds I'd hit pretty close. Score one for NATech training and applied use of the gray matter, fourteen years old or not. I pulled at her hand and started walking to the long line in front of the cafeteria counter.? Come on.

I thought you were hungry.? Still staring at me, she let me drag her to where the trays were. I almost felt like letting out a giggle, but was maybe still a little embarrassed at the thought.

It looked like it would be ten or fifteen minutes until we'd get up to the counter. I got in line behind a guy about twenty or so. He seemed as big as a house, but when I looked at him carefully, he was only average build. I picked up a tray and the noise made him turn. He smiled at me and I smiled back, a little self-conscious. He stepped aside and waved us both in front of him.

"Hey, dogs! Make way for a couple of ladies!? Everyone turned and moved over, women included, letting us up to the very front of the line. Now I was very embarrassed. I tried not to show it, but my face was burning, a condition I was becoming very familiar with. I held the empty tray flat against my chest.

My hips felt like they were swinging out a half-meter with each step, with each step becoming more and more tentative until I just plain stopped. I stared down at the floor. That hole Susie had talked about earlier sounded very appealing right now.

Susie put her mouth next to my ear.? Calm down. Just breathe a bit. There. Now don't hold on to that tray so tight, it'll shatter. Look, no one's watching us.? I looked up. For a line of people who had just given us the front, I'd never seen so much disinterest. They all seemed to be talking to each other while paying us absolutely no mind. Even the guy who had shouted was yakking to someone else, going into great detail about-from what I overheard-absolutely nothing. Susie nudged me in the back, and we walked to the front counter. I set the tray on the long counter to serve myself.

I looked up, way up, into the eyes of the cook, or attendant. He was a breathing mountain. His girth, both chest and belly, was astounding. He probably affected the local tides. He smiled at me. These people really got into smiling.

"Well, good morning, ladies! We've got some bacon, eggs, waffles, pancakes. You name it, we got it!

Juice, milk and what not at the end. Oh!? He reached under the serving table and pulled out a small bottle.? For you, Corporal. The latest shipment came in about an hour ago, and with it five bottles of your poison. Go ahead and ruin your mouth and my reputation."

"Thanks, Hill. But don't rattle me until you try it. Makes even your swill edible."

I stared. It was a bottle of pepper sauce, a popular brand from my time.? That's Tabasco sauce!? I blurted.

Hill grinned at me.? That it is, ma'am. You're welcome to try it, though it will pain me to see such a soft flower of…? he broke off, and in the corner of my eye I saw Susie's head shake ever so slightly.? That it is,? he continued.? Oh! Rumor is there'll be afternoon drills, so that means a skipped lunch and late dinner. So now's the time to eat. Well, dig in!"

I couldn't believe how hungry I was. And the smell of the food doubled it. I helped myself to generous portions of eggs, bacon, fruit, rolls, juice and milk. Susie took much less than I did, settling for eggs, a single roll and a glass of juice. We walked over to a table that was impossibly clean and abandoned.

Impossible because there must have been at least a hundred people in there, with seating for not quite that. I was a little surprised they didn't eat in shifts to make best use of the facility. I sat down on one bench, with Susie on the other side so we could talk. She sprinkled some pepper sauce on her eggs, my mouth watering at the sight. I loved pepper sauce. But from what the cook had said, it was difficult to get, so I refrained from asking. She bowed her head and gave thanks, as I did. While we ate, I looked around curiously.

My first impression was how big everyone was, even the women. And the men were gigantic. Each and every one of them looked ready to play on the offensive front line of the Green Bay Packers. But when I took the time to really look at them, they seemed much less so. I knew what it was: They weren't all that big; I was all that small. Susie was apparently the most petite of the women, and she was bigger than me.

So unless there was another 'Cue around here, I was the runt of the litter. By a wide margin. It was an interesting feeling.

It was also an interesting feeling being the center of attention. For although absolutely no one was looking at us, I somehow knew that they wanted to. But even the ones who were just coming in from the far hallway and the corridor seemed to not see us. Instead, they gave us our privacy as best they could, and carried on their own conversations and eating their own breakfasts.

Which was more than I could. I looked down at all my uneaten food. I'd barely touched it, but I was stuffed. I put down my fork suddenly. Susie, who had been looking at me looking around, grinned.

"What? You're full already?? she said with mock surprise.

"I think I'm going to be sick."

"I'm not surprised. You ate enough for two people your size."

"Are you kidding? I barely touched this stuff."

She leaned forward.? No, no. Listen closely: 'You ate enough for two people your size.' Understand?"

I understood. I had the eyes of a hungry thirty-one-year-old pig and the stomach of a hungry fourteen-year-old waif. If I didn't watch myself, I'd look like several fourteen-year-olds, all rolled into one gooey glob. I moaned and pushed the plate away. I heard a lull in some of the conversation at the table next to us, and stole a quick glance. They were all carefully inspecting the storage area's ghost wall for any flaws. I suppose they had seen this kind of thing before. Even Susie was smiling. Of course, she was always smiling. But I think it was at me rather than with me this time. I tried to smile back.

"All right. All right. I understand. Looks like I'm not the first Cue to make this mistake."

"Nor the last,? she agreed, giggling.

"I suppose the cook set me up, too."

"Uh-huh. Truly a gift much greater than his labors at cooking.? She had abandoned giggles for open laughter.

"Hey, Lendler! I heard that!? A voice shouted from the kitchen behind me.