Dragons and Stars, Chapter 16: I Walked Through the City and What Did I See?

Aunt Dottie’s eyes went wide.

“I’m sorry to put you out,” said Hanna.

“Oh no, no, it’s no bother at all, none at all,” said Aunt Dottie. “What can I get for you instead? Noodles? I really don’t know what you Jewish people eat.”

Uncle John put in, “Dottie, you know those egg sandwiches you’re famous for? You could whip one of those up.”

“Certainly, certainly,” said Aunt Dottie, going into the kitchen.

* * *

After dinner the atmosphere was a little stifling in the room.

“Aunt Dottie,” said Neal, “I think we’ll go for a walk around the neighborhood.”

“All right,” she said sweetly. “But do be careful of all the homeless people and others around. This is the night time. Do stay together.”

Neal, Hanna, and Grummel exited the apartment building with a great sigh of relief. Neal took a deep breath and stared up at the stars above them. Grummel leaned against the building, and Hanna leaned down to stretch out her legs.

“Bet you can’t catch me, you kloppers,” said Hanna, suddenly darting for the catchwire rope in between the two buildings. She ran away down the street and grabbed hold of the handle, turning off her boots with the other hand. Swiftly she was being pulled out of sight. Neal and Grummel stared, then took off after her.

Neal took a running start at the catchwire tow-rope and grabbed on. Grummel behind him did the same, but was having a hard time. He was trying to reach down and turn off his boots, but wasn’t. His boots were pulling to the ground while he was dragged swiftly along. Grummel was hopping to break his boots away. He let go at last like a water skier dragged through a lake and fell tumbling along the ground. Neal looked ahead, then let go to make sure Grummel was all right.

“Hanna!” he shouted into his mic, but buildings already blocked their short-distance radio connection.

“Humph!” said Grummel, coming to a stop against the wall of a building, upside down. Neal pushed over hurriedly and pulled him to his feet. They clomped back to the catchwire together and before Grummel could make the same mistake again, Neal reached down and turned of his boots.

“Thenks,” said Grummel.

They grabbed the catchwire and were pulled hurriedly on. I hope Hanna stops and waits when she sees we’re not behind her, Neal thought. But his knowledge of Hanna made him doubt. She was not always one for caution.

They were pulled past several buildings and shopping centers. Then the line took a turn down a darker alley and came out into a neon-lit street. Some glowing street signs made it clear there were women about showing their God-given bodies to earn some cash. Several bars let out on the street, and as they whisked by one, a fight broke out between two men with what looked like knives.

“Oh, man,” said Neal. He hadn’t been to this part of town before by day much less by night. Could Hanna have come this far? he wondered.

“‘Ey,” said Grummel. “Isn’t thet Mirk?”

Neal looked to his left at a bar they were passing. A younger astronaut was going in the bar. It did look like Mirk.

Neal felt torn, wanting to stop and take a second look, but wanting to find Hanna.

“Should we’ stop?” asked Grummel.

“No,” said Neal shortly.

They were whizzing around a bend in the street when Neal spotted Hanna. She was leaning by a bar door, waiting for them.

“Hanna!” Neal said. He and Grummel let go and drifted by her, slowly coming down and trying to find traction to stop.

“Hanna!” said Neal.

“Well, don’t wear my name out,” she answered back.

“You shouldn’t have come this far alone,” he said.

“Whatever!” she said. “I’m fine.”

But Neal could see she was peeved at herself and knew she’d made a mistake.

They stood for a minute, taking in the sights. Several largish miners wandered into the bar next to them.

“Let’s go,” said Hanna.

“I thought I saw Mirk,” said Neal.
“Where?”

“At one of the bars just back around that bend,” he said.

“Let’s go see what he’s up to,” said Hanna.

“He’ll just be mad at us,” said Neal.

“He won’t see us,” said Hanna. “We’ll darken our helmets. A lot of people here have. We won’t stand out.”

Neal looked around and realized that a lot of astronauts had tinted their helmets to not be able to see their faces. It wouldn’t do a lot of good with a policeman, who had radar sensors that showed them the shape of the face underneath. But it gave an edge in everyday interactions.

The three spies adjusted their compad sensors. Their helmets began to tint and then dimmed almost to black. The three of them lunged lightly forward along the street, moonwalking back the way they came.

“Here it is,” said Neal. “The Lady Hawk.” The bar had a large neon hawk above it.

“Grummel,” said Hanna, “You stand out the most with us. You go in first, look for Mirk, and try to sit at a table closest to him. He’ll never guess you’d come alone. We’ll be in to join you in a minute. And don’t mess it up.”

“Okay, okay,” said Grummel. He lumbered toward the bar entrance where a bouncer let him past with a look at Grummel’s huge figure.

“I hope Mirk doesn’t recognize him,” said Hanna.

“I hope Uncle John doesn’t kill us with his bare hands,” Neal said moodily, wondering what punishments would come upon them for going to a bar.