An Adventure at the Hangman’s Noose

By Neil Dabb

A simple stop at the Hangman’s Noose for a drink leads Sherri on an adventure to help a new found race in the gray mists of subspace end a war between the other two groups that live there. She will work with the owner of the Hangman’s Noose and with the help of four other customers defeat an arms dealer and bring peace to the creatures of subspace.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Neil Dabb
• Release date: Aug 14, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310175237

Neil Dabb

Neil grew up in Smithfield, Utah, and currently holds a General Class license amateur radio license. He was a material handler for over 10 years while obtaining a BA from Utah State University. He has been a freelance writer for most of that time and has been published in a variety of magazines over the years.Neil worked for Utah State University for twelve years with the Junior Engineering program. He enjoys writing, Frisbee (disc) golf and bonfires. He is the father of five children and lives in Logan Utah.

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An Adventure at the Hangman’s Noose

Neil Dabb

Copyright 2014 Neil Dabb

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An Adventure at the Hangman's Noose

Chapter 1

Sherri stood up and wrung out her cropped dark hair as she approached the sea-side entrance to the Hangman's Noose. She glanced back over her shoulder. The moon was just rising over the endless sea of the water-world she had grown up on, making it almost as bright as day. Tonight she wanted to be anywhere but here. She reached for one of the complimentary towels that were stacked by the door, and after drying off, she tossed it in the empty bin. She suspected it was the first time the bin had been used in years. Then she took another towel and wrapped it around her waist, covering the lower half of her high cut bikini. She adjusted her strapless top and entered the bar.

Her eyes quickly adjusted to the light and she realized how crowded the bar was. She quietly ordered a drink from a passing bar hop and then scanned the large dimly lit room, looking to find one of the dark wooden tables by herself. Finally after finding none, she settled on a table with a large oriental looking man wearing an open shirt with a flowered print sitting on one side and a blue eyed blonde woman in a yellow sundress and stiletto heels on the other. Sherri gathered from their distance and body language, that they were not together. She took her drink and moved toward the table.

Mind if I join you? she said in her deep sultry voice.

Be my guest. The woman who Sherri would later learn was named Nicole said. Her voice was high and squeaky belying the sophisticated look the dress and heels gave her. There's plenty of room.

Sherri sat down between the two, facing the crowded, horse-shoe shaped bar so she didn't see the older woman wearing a coat and brushing snow from her collar approach them from behind. She looked up as the icy cold flakes melted on her skin.

Sorry about that dear, Corrine said in a mature motherly voice. I just stepped in from the slopes on Merjeco.

No problem. Sherri turned back to the bar. She'd come here to cool off. Perhaps a short ski run in her bikini.... Unfortunately that was not the kind of cooling off she'd come to the bar for.

I still think it's amazing how four people can come here from four different planets in different parts of the galaxy and share a drink. Malokoki's voice boomed, interrupting Sherri's chain of thought.

And for all the inquiries, the owner has never revealed how she does it. Nicole said. Sherri realized as Nicole spoke that she was far more intelligent than the high squeaky voice indicated. It's surprising more people don't know about it.

I hear that it's because the entrances keep moving, Corrine said as she took one of the seats across from Sherri.

The entrance I use hasn't moved since my father told me about it twenty years ago, Sherri said quietly. But it's so well hidden that even if I wanted to tell someone how to get here from my world, they'd never find it. She smiled as she thought of her father. The landmarks dad and I used were... unique.

Sounds like your father was a good man, Corrine said as one of the waiters brought her a mug of something dark and steaming.

Sherri just smiled. Her father was probably the only person from her home world that she wasn't frustrated with.

I've never seen it quite this crowded before, Nicole said, looking around.

This is my first time, so I'm not sure what I expected, Malokoki said, his deep voice vibrating the spoon that Corrine had just put down.

Well take good notes when you leave, because despite what you see tonight, it's not an easy place to find, Nicole said seriously.

I'd planned on it, Malokoki said.

It was silent around the table as each of the four watched others come and go while they nursed their drinks. Finally after the waiter brought the second round to the table, Malokoki spoke.

I've heard that the reason there is a two drink minimum is to keep people from just walking in one door and out the other.

I don't know why anyone would want to, Nicole said. This place has so much character and style. She ran her hand over the dark wood table top. The carvings were similar to the bar, but while the smooth top of the table showed the wood grain, the bar top was made with an otherworldly looking granite.

It does tend to take away some of the romance and adventure to think that someone would do that, Corrine said.

You make it sound like everyone comes here for some reason besides the drinks, Sherri said.

Oh, I realize that there are those that come just to drink, and others like me, that may just be passing through, but there are too many stories about people coming to find others to join them in a quest, or even just to meet that special someone to ignore, Corrine said.

I'd be willing to bet most of those are folklore. Malokoki said wistfully.

If you'd like, we could find out, Corrine said with a twinkle in her eye.

I'm game, Malokoki said smiling.

What did you have in mind? Sherri said as she noticed Nicole nodding in ascent.

The next person that walks by, I'll tell them a story like the ones we've been talking about, and we'll see what happens.

Could be fun. Sherri leaned back to make herself comfortable and adjusted the top of her bikini again.

They didn't have long to wait to try their experiment.

Everyone called him Pilgrim. He wore a standard twentieth century vested business suit, a fashion from a few years after there were real pilgrims on earth, but he had never shunned the name. His best friend was a man who dressed like an ancient native American, and called himself Monjo. Monjo was the kind that tended to go where others were often afraid to go. Pilgrim had even joined him on occasion. But that had been a very long time ago ... before he'd been asked to deal with the boss.

He had entered the bar from the entrance near his apartment, and then picked up his usual drink from the bar. He surveyed the room and noticed a seat next to four others, one of whom seemed eager to have him join them. He approached the group, not realizing what he would be getting himself into.

We wondered if you would care to join us on a little adventure we are planning, Corrine said brightly after introducing the others at the table.

Depends on where, and for how long, Pilgrim said, wondering which of his friends had put these nice looking people up to the joke. While he wasn't in a hurry, he did have a destination in mind after the two drink minimum.

Let me tell you my story, and then you can decide, Corrine said as Pilgrim sat down and took a big sip of his drink.

I was a much younger woman when this happened, and it was at least ten years before my husband died. We had been married for less than a year, and were expecting our first child. My husband got a strange communication from an old friend of his in the army.

It would be... Malokoki said under his breath.

Corrine stopped and looked at him with concern, then continued. Contrary to popular opinion, not all military endeavors are bad, but you are correct, this was one that did go bad, she said smiling. My husband had been assigned to a special team chosen to infiltrate the headquarters of one of two secret organizations on one of the outlying planets.

I assume that none of the names are important, Nicole said, interrupting again.

If we were going back there they might be, she said, giving Nicole a brief dirty look. "As it so happened, my husband's friend was more interested in a treasure