Primary Inversion (Saga of the Skolian Empire) Paperback Read Free Page A

a rusty building. One pole topped its roof with
a few desultory circles that clanked in the wind. The holosign above the door was
in English, which was the only language I had seen among the bars so far that I
could read without a translator.
    “JACK’S PLACE,” I said.
    Rex peered at the bar. “It sounds vintage Earth.”
    Helda snorted. “It look vintage wreck.”
    “Come on, Helda.” Rex laughed. “Be brave.”
    “Why you want to go to this place?” she demanded.
    “Because,” Rex said, “it looks like it has authentic old
Earth atmosphere.”
    “This is good thing to have?” Helda asked.
    I smiled. “Let’s give it a try and see.”
    So we went in, pushing open the door under the sign. Inside,
a counter stretched along one wall, its black top pitted with age. Stools lined
the counter, each upholstered in a red material that shone from use. Tables
covered by red and white cloths filled the room. A man stood behind the counter
polishing a glass, stains showing on his cloth and on
the white apron tied across his big stomach.
    A band was playing on a raised stage in one corner. The instruments
were unfamiliar: gourd-shaped boxes with strings pulled tight across the box,
gold horns with handles that moved in and out, fat drums. The music had a compelling
rhythm, mixing in a sensual blend of sound that made me want to dance with the
young man who was singing. Garish cartoon holos flickered in front of the
panels that lined the stage.
    A woman in a short skirt was waiting on the tables. Taas
watched her with a smile. “I like this place,” he said.
    Rex grinned his agreement. “Let’s sit at a table.”
    Helda smiled at Taas and tilted her head at the waitress. “Nice,
hmm? But we better not fight. Save that for Traders. I’m too much bigger than
you anyway.”
    Taas blinked at her. “What?”
    “She doesn’t want to fight you for the waitress,” I said.
    “Why would Helda and I fight over the waitress?”
    I shrugged. “Beats me.” I was no judge of beauty in women.
Now in men, that was different. But to me the waitress just looked like a
too-young girl in a too-tight skirt. The thing had to be cutting off her
circulation.
    Rex laughed. “Maybe the three of us should offer ourselves
and let her pick.”
    I smiled. “What makes you think she’d pick any of you?”
    “The three of us?” Taas asked.
    Helda leaned toward him. “Me, you, Rex. Got it?”
    Taas turned bright red. “You like women? Not men?”
    “Of course,” Helda said.
    “Oh.” Taas scratched his chin. “Well, you may be bigger than
me, but I have more style.”
    The waitress came over and spoke shyly to Rex in English. “Would
you like a table?”
    Rex answered in Skolian, giving her his wicked grin. “I have
no idea what you’re saying, but it sounds beautiful.”
    “She wants to know if we like tables,” I said. Whatever that
meant. I pulled down my translation menu. It hung superimposed over the
waitress, who was looking from me to Taas to Helda. I knew I probably had the
same glazed expression I saw on their faces.
    Waiting, my spinal node prompted.
    Rex smiled at the waitress. “They’re meditating,” he said in
Skolian.
    She blinked at him, then looked around for someone who could
help her.
    Translate ‘We would like to have drinks and food,’ I
thought.
    The waitress spoke to Rex. “What can I do for you?” The Skolian
translation of her words came into my thoughts, interfering with my attempt to
translate what I wanted to say into English. Meanwhile the waitress was turning
redder and redder.
     “Pah,” I muttered. My spinal node was optimized for combat,
not translation. Maybe I should have that diplomacy mod added after all. It
would augment my social skills and upgrade my language capability. But my
spinal node was loaded to capacity with combat mods and libraries, and I had no
intention of removing even one. My life might someday depend on it. I didn’t
want to enlarge the node again, either. My