Vacation: Night Chills

                            By:

                         Fox Cutter

3/5/96:

I passed down the hall of the ship, at one AM, with my
jacket tucked under my arm, looking for a bed to sleep in.

I had already decided against trying to bunk in Steven's
room, as he normally hits the sack around midnight. In fact,
I only knew one person on ship who would still be up at this
time of night, that was Samanth.

Stopping in front of her door (room 201) I gently knocked on
it.

Inside there was a bit of shuffling, and the door opened a
few inches. "Fox?"

"Yep."

She opened the door, standing just inside, dressed only in a
nightgown and robe. "What are you doing here?" She asked, a
slight smile on her face.

I shrugged, "Oh, the heat in my room is broken, and is down
really low. Oriana has no problem as she has fur, but I was
freezing. So I was wondering, mind if I steal your couch for
the night?"

She rolled her eyes, grinning a bit, "All right, come on
in."

I stepped past her, she being kind enough to hold the door
open, and threw my jacket onto the couch. Looking around her
room I was impressed, "This is more of an apartment then a
cabin."

"Yep," she said, standing beside me, "most all of the full
time crew has one. I think only three actually have a place
off ship."

I nodded, walking around the main room. There was an open
kitchen to the side, and two doors, one open showing her
bedroom.

"Have a seat," she said, moving into the kitchen. "Want
anything to drink, glass of wine perhaps?"

I shook my head, "Do you have any Rithen tea?"

She paused, "No... in fact, I've never even heard of that
blend."

"Ah, some of the best tea I have ever found. Makes
everything else taste like water."

"Where can I get it?"

"Um... Verse 132-738. It's a limited verse, so you'll have
to go through your local trade council if you want some."

"Ah," she said, coming out of the kitchen. She handed me a
wine glass, "How did you come across it?"

I looked down at my glass, "Don't worry, it's water." She
said.

I grinned, and took a sip, "Thanks for remembering. How I
found it? Well I sorta landed in field of it, on my fourth
or fifth time using the Folds."

She tilted her head, "Your a Fold Walker?"

I nodded, "Yep." Though I didn't mention that I was a
Natural, I don't usually fling that around. I find people
give me to much rank if they know about it.

"Listen, I go get you a blanket or two, I'll be right back."
She set her glass on a table as she said this.

As she went off, I noticed a single picture on the table.
Looking at it, it was a family picture, of two adult
raccoons, and a young kit, about eight or so I would guess.

"That's Rachel, my daughter. We're divorced."

I nodded, "Cute kid. I take it she's with her father?"

"Nope, with her mother" she said, setting the blankets onto
the couch.

"Your her step-mother then?"

She grinned, "wrong again."

I raised an eyebrow, "Care to explain?"

She chuckled a bit, and motioned to her body, "This is the
reason why her mother and I got divorced."

I blinked, then blinked again, then got it. "Ah. You make a
good female."

She laughed, "Most people tell me that. Though usually the
guys AFTER they see everything."

I shook my head, "Don't push it."

She shrugged, "Your loss," she said, picking up my jacket,
and throwing it on a chair. Also knocking something out of
it.

I looked down at the what fell out, "Looks like Oria's hand
bag."

Sam picked it up, replaced what had fallen out, "Small bag."

"Well she always..." I trailed off as I my caught something
that Sam was putting back in. "Give me that."

She handed it over, "What's so big about that?"

It was a small glass vile, about an inch tall and thin, with
a red plastic stopper in it. Holding it up to the light I
saw it was filled with a light blue liquid.

Gently prying the stopper off, I smelled it, and smelled
nothing. Then I gently caught a drop on my finger, and
tasted it. I knew exactly what the taste was, and I spat it
out into one of the glasses (quickly picking it up).

Sam looked at me as I held the vile, my hands shaking, "What
is it."

I closed my eyes, "It is Bliss."

"What?"

I shivered, not believing this, "It is _THE_ addictive drug
of choice."

"WHAT?"

I looked her right in the eyes, "This is a new vile, as it
can only last a few days without some kind of special
storage, otherwise it breaks down. Which means someone is
selling it on your ship."

She sat down in the couch, "Oh shit."

I nodded sitting down next to her, still hold the vile
tightly in my hand.

"And," I paused licking my lips, "of the two doses, one has
been taken..."