Space Hero Emma Tiffany

By Robert Collins

Emma Tiffany is not having a good time these days.

Her mother is a famed law enforcement officer in the new Interstellar Alliance of Independent Worlds. Emma would like not to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Then she comes to the rescue of a woman she met in a bar.

She’s “rewarded” with a posting to the Alliance Space Patrol. She’s given command of a ship, the duty to protect the Alliance, and all the aggravations that come with command and duty. She has to deal with criminals, a conspiracy, and all-out war.

Will there be a better reward at the end of Emma’s service to the Alliance? Emma is hoping there will be, and something a little more valuable than a gold watch...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robert Collins
• Release date: Apr 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463997963

Robert Collins

Two people with different cultural backgrounds and ethnicities met at a European and Balkan music and dance ensemble named Koroyar and their lives became intertwined, combining their gifts to continue exploring life as an avenue of creative expression. Robert Collins has a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, and has been an educator in the Los Angeles area for thirty years. He studied writing with Joan Oppenheimer in San Diego, with Cork Millner privately, and also in the Santa Barbara Writer's Conferences. Elizabeth Herrera Sabido, at the age of sixteen years, began working as a secretary at the Secretaria de Industria y Comercio in Mexico City where she was born, then she was an educator for twenty-six years, and a teacher of international dance for The Los Angeles Unified School District. She has also studied Traditional Chinese Medicine, and is a Reiki Master Teacher. Attracted by the Unknown, the Forces of the Universe, and the human psyche, during their lives they have studied several different philosophies. Elizabeth has been involved with various religions, Asian studies, and Gnosticism with SamaelAun Weor, and Robert has explored spiritual healing practices in Mexico, and studied with Carlos Castaneda's Cleargreen and Tensegrity. Elizabeth and Robert start their day at four-thirty in the morning. They enjoy playing volleyball and tennis, and in the afternoons play music, alternating between seven different instruments each. Their philosophy of Personal Evolution has led them to explore over 110 countries between the two of them such as Japan, Nepal, Egypt, Bosnia- Herzegovina, the Philippines, Turkey,Russia, etc.

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SPACE HERO EMMA TIFFANY

by

Robert Collins

Ebook Edition

Copyright © 2020 by Robert Collins

License Notes, eBook edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

About the Author

CHAPTER ONE

Emma looked at the front of the bar and nightclub calling itself The Destructive Turtle. There was nothing about the outside that kept her from going in. It seemed a respectable enough place. Nothing in front was taped up. No drunks or gropers littered the sidewalk. The music from inside sounded bearable. It looked to be just the sort of place to have a few drinks, maybe have a hook-up meet, and generally enjoy yourself.

What made her hesitate was the reason for going to The Destructive Turtle: she’d just had dinner with her mother, and she wanted to escape that conversation.

It’s almost like I’ve suddenly landed in one of those dumb rom-coms, she thought sourly. Damn, but my like sucks.

She frowned at herself. Don’t think that. That’s Mom talking. Go in. Have fun. Maybe embarrass yourself. That’ll teach her to say you’re not going to amount to anything.

Moderately reassured, she entered The Destructive Turtle.

The interior was like any other bar and nightclub she’d been to on Youngstown, and probably like any other in known space. There was a bar with stools, mirrors and glass cases behind the bar, and an attractive man and woman mixing drinks at the bar. The center of the room was taken up by a dance floor with lights underneath the platform and lights on the ceiling. Braced around the dance floor were tables and chairs. Left of the entrance was the booth, where a young man and a young woman worked the club’s sound system, playing what they wanted and taking the odd request. The doors to the two unisex bathrooms and the office were against the wall opposite the entrance.

Emma made her way to the bar. On the way she noticed that this place was oddly decorated. Posters covered the walls depicting a turtle with fangs coming out of its lower jaw. On some posters the turtle was flying with jet exhaust coming out of the two rear holes in its shell. On others the turtle breathed fire. On others, and on some with the flying or fire-breathing turtle, said creature was surrounded by children. The fashions of the clothes the children on the posters varied, from ancient to modern.

Okay, so that’s weird.

The young woman behind the bar was occupied with a customer, so Emma approached the young man. He gave her a smile. Welcome to The Destructive Turtle, he said with a slight accent. The accent was something Emma was getting used to.

Thanks. Can I get a beer?

He pointed to sign behind the bar. Images showed brands, with the names in Standard as well as Japanese. She gave him a name. She held her perscomm over the table and tapped it until it told her she’d paid for the drink.

Tap or bottle? he asked.

Bottle.

He grabbed a bottle from the case, opened it, and handed it to her.

So, what’s with the name? she asked.

Of the bar? Monster vids. We used to have his name on the place, but we had to stop.

Why?

Copyright.

What, now?

They’re still making the vids after all these generations.

Generations?

The conversation paused while he refreshed a man’s drink. Started back in the late Twentieth with old motion pictures. Made ‘em for a while, stopped, restarted, stopped, remade some, stopped, made new ones, on and on like that.

What’s the name of this turtle?

He grinned and shrugged. Can’t tell you. We can’t use the name. We can’t even say the name.

What, no one in here can say the name?

No, just the employees.

That aggressive, huh?

So the boss says. He made and handed out another drink. I take it you’re not from around here, yes?

How’d you guess?

He gave her a small laugh. Here for the conference?

Yep. Are many of the delegates here?

Not a one.

Good. I’d like to get away from all that.

Help yourself.

Thanks.

She edged from the bar. She held off going onto the dance floor until the song changed. Her nights going to places like this by herself back on Youngstown got her into a routine that she was comfortable with. She’d ease out when a new song came up and move alone. She’d wait for someone to notice, dance with them, then lead them off the floor to talk. Sometimes it would take a few songs for her to be noticed as a single. Usually the method worked. Dancing sorted out the flails from the decent partners. A brief chat afterward sorted out the good prospects from the bad. More dancing and talking sorted out the potential dates from the never in a million years candidates.

This time around it took half a minute on the floor for a guy to approach her. He moved well enough that when the song was over she led him to a table. A minute into the conversation she sorted him out. She went back onto the floor. Again she found another partner, and again after the song ended he washed out. The pattern repeated a third time as well.

It was disappointing, but not terribly surprising to her. She’d been on Hokkaido two days and three nights. The past two nights she’d been to bars closer to the hotel where she and her mother were staying. She’d tried her routine. While she found both hot and cute guys to dance with, conversations had killed any hope of a connection for her.

She was finding that the men on this world were more like her mother than men back home. They were hard workers devoted to their top-notch jobs. They were ideal marriage partners, but that was the last thing she wanted while on another world. She wanted to have fun. While some seemed to have a notion of what that concept meant, her brief chats with them revealed that there was not likely to be any long nights and morning love.

It’s almost like Mom picked this planet to locate the conference.

No, that’s nuts. She had noting to do about it. She wasn’t even on the selection committee. Still, it’s no wonder she hasn’t been bothered by me going out. Someone must have given her the heads-up.

As she headed back to the bar for another beer, she saw a woman shaking her head at a man. As she got closer she saw the man put his hand on the woman’s shoulder, and tried to brush him away. She glanced around to see if anyone else was watching the woman. Seeing no one looking or moving, she decided to take action.

Is this guy bothering you? she asked the woman once she was next to the man and the woman.

Yes, the woman replied quickly.

Jump off, chick, the man snapped. He stepped away from the bar and crossed his arms over his large chest.

Emma reached into her civilian jacket and pulled out her badge. Don’t try it, bud.

He sneered. You’re not local.

No, but I could have locals here in ten minutes. You really wanna try tangling with a cop, with so many around the city?

He snorted and drifted away.

Emma turned to the woman. You okay?

She gave her a slight smile. Yes.

Buy you a round?

The woman’s smile increased. You mean that?

Emma shrugged. I don’t fly that way, but anything to help a gal in need.

Spiff.

Emma caught the eye of the woman bartender. She asked for another beer, and a second glass for the young woman. In moments both had their drinks.

Can we talk for a bit? the woman asked Emma. Not a come-on, honest.

You wanna keep the creep away?

Oh, yes.

Follow me.

Emma led the woman around the edge of the dance floor to a vacant table. She let the young woman sit down first, then slid into the seat across from her.

My name is Miyoko, the woman said.

Emma. Emma sighed. Full name is Emma Tiffany.

You sound unhappy.

It’s a goofy name.

If you say so. It’s all Standard to me.

Huh?

It’s an expression. Here on Hokkaido we grow up speaking Japanese, but in school we have to learn Standard. Our culture insists on proper Japanese names. The joke is that if someone from off-world has an expression, or a name, that doesn’t translate, we say, ‘It’s all Standard to me.’

I get it. I noticed nobody around here speaks with much of an accent.

No. Almost everything is done in Standard. Japanese is the private language. People from Japan, back on Earth, say we speak our own language with a terrible accent.

I suppose you would.

Emma took a moment to look over Miyoko. The other woman appeared to be like any other reasonably-attractive young woman on the planet. She was on the short side of average, with straight dark hair. Her figure seemed average underneath her yellow blouse and tan skirt. The only unusual thing about Miyoko that Emma could observe was that she didn’t have on any earrings or rings on her fingers.

So, I take it you’re a cop, yeah?

Back on Youngstown.

Miyoko leaned back. An eyebrow popped up. You’re not related to Dana Tiffany, are you?

That’s my mom. You’ve heard of her?

My father is in the government. He’s talked about all the major delegates. It must be, well, interesting to have Dana Tiffany as your mother.

That’s one way to put it.

You don’t sound happy.

Honestly, I’m not.

Didn’t you want to follow your mother?

No. After I got out of college, I didn’t know what I wanted. Mom used her powers of persuasion to get me a post in the police force. I’m in for four years.

Four years? You don’t seem that young. If you don’t mind me saying so.

Emma laughed. Sorry. I meant, she got me signed to a four-year term. I’ve served three.

Ah. Have you accomplished much in that time?

As little as I have to.

Why?

Being a cop wasn’t my choice. I was hoping to find work that didn’t have me working too hard. Mom thought I was taking too long to find my way. She made a deal with me. I could do my four years, then go where I wanted and do what I wanted. Trust me, I tried looking for other jobs before taking the deal.

Doesn’t sound so bad.

Do you know much about police work?

A little. My father’s in government.

Oh, right.

No danger? No crime?

Every so often. Emma shook her head and smiled. One good thing about Mom being who she is. Cleaned up Youngstown pretty damn good.

Miyoko nodded. I can see that. Tell me, why are you here?

Mom is trying to get me to take a post in this new Alliance Space Patrol.

Oh, right, the conference. How are the talks going? I’d like to keep up, but I seem to be running all over the city at my job.

What do you do?

I’m a courier for the city government.

Your dad help you with that?

No. I actually did want to be in law enforcement. He said it was too dangerous.

Emma raised an eyebrow. Did you really need my help back at the bar?

I did. I’m better with digital weapons systems than using my fists.

Emma grinned. If I flew that way, I’d say I’d keep that in mind.

Miyoko grinned back. Maybe I can talk you into switching sides.

Well, I never did have that lesbian experience in college that every young woman’s supposed to have. Emma cleared her throat. I think you were asking about the conference?

Miyoko sighed. I suppose.

Okay, well, I thought for sure this new Interstellar Alliance of Independent Worlds wouldn’t be able to agree on anything. But things seem to be moving along. The Patrol and law enforcement were the subjects of today’s discussions.

And?

Everyone’s agreed not to mess with the laws they already have. The Patrol is only supposed to help out between the Alliance worlds.

It’s going to be a real organization, then?

Ships and everything. No ranks, though. Everyone will either be a crew officer or a captain. The only ranks will be for the bosses.

Not a military force, then?

Nope. From what I heard, everyone thinks that might be going too far.

I don’t know. After that business with Laurent Two, you would think they’d want something stronger.

Nah. That whole ‘War Scandal’ was a scam, so I heard. None of their ships did much of anything except get confiscated by Svedal. Besides, who would we fight? Earth? We’re all on good terms with them. Laurent Two? I hear they’re too busy digging out of the hole they got themselves into with that ‘War Scandal’ mess to threaten a passing comet.

Can anyone sign up?

I suppose so. Why?

Miyoko shrugged. Sounds like it would beat being a courier.

Yeah, I could see that.

Miyoko looked around the club for a moment. Emma was surprised when Miyoko’s gaze turned back to her, and she gave Emma a smile that was demure and alluring at the same time. So, about not having that lesbian experience in college?

Emma cleared her throat again. I dunno.

Miyoko eased off the allure. Would you at least consider walking me home?

Sure. You’re about the only person in here I’ve made any connection with.

Really?

Yeah. Lots of guys here seem to be looking for more than a night’s fun.

Oh, yes. That’s a little bit of a cultural thing, but mostly it’s because it’s the middle of the week.

Huh. I hadn’t thought of that. Emma rose from her chair. So, why are you here in the middle of the week?

Miyoko stood up. I always come here during the week. Music’s good. Drinks are good, and cheap. Not too many places on my way home that are open on a week-night.

Okay. Lead on, then.

Miyoko returned to the bar to give up her glass. The two walked out of the club and into the night.

Emma had noticed since arriving on Hokkaido that the main city, also called Hokkaido, seemed to glow with light from sunset to sunrise. She asked Miyoko about it. Miyoko told her it was the zen of the city. Locals wanted the urban environment to be bright and colorful because it reminded them of home. They wanted the smaller towns outside the city to be far less bright and busy at night, for exactly the same reason.

That discussion was followed by a conversation about the Alliance. Emma found herself relating the minutiae of the sessions she’d attended. It had bored her to tears when she was there, and it didn’t exactly put her in the mood when she summarized them. But Miyoko seemed genuinely curious about the effort to form the general treaties that made the Alliance into a working organization with duties and responsibilities.

For her part, Emma didn’t mind indulging the other woman’s curiosity. Being the daughter of a somewhat-famous police officer hadn’t exactly been helping in making friends, either in high school or in college. Her parentage, and her lack of interest in pursuing the career of the great Dana Tiffany, hadn’t made it any easier once she was on the force. If she did make a friend, her tendency was to want to keep them as close as possible.

She wasn’t certain that she’d have any sort of lasting friendship with Miyoko. But she was going to be on Hokkaido for the rest of that week, and probably a few days into the next week. If I find someone to hang with, that might make this stay a little more bearable.

And, hey, at least I don’t have to worry about her stealing my hook-ups!

Half a block from where Miyoko said her apartment was, Emma was annoyed to discover her cop instinct come to life. It felt to her like a man was following them. She stopped at random and listened. Sure enough, despite all the other sounds of the city, she could hear the footsteps behind her also stop.

Don’t look but we’re being followed, Emma whispered.

Miyoko nodded once. Emma was cheered that the other woman didn’t turn around. They took a few more steps towards the building when Miyoko mumbled, There’s a man at the front door of my building.

How are you at hand-to-hand?

Nowhere near as good as I’d like.

Then stay low and kick at pant-legs that don’t belong to me.

They approached the front entrance of Miyoko’s apartment building. The man moved towards them. Nice night, he said.

Maybe, Emma replied.

The sound of footsteps racing up behind them put Emma into action. She shouted, Down! Miyoko ducked as she’d been warned.

As the man in front reached for either her or Emma, Emma stuck out her right hand, palm up. She shot a blow in the man’s face. That sent him reeling backward.

Without waiting to see if she needed a second blow to subdue him, she bent down and turned to her left. She balled her right hand into a fist. The man behind them had almost reached Miyoko and was trying to grab one of her ankles. Emma fired her fist into the man’s side, causing him to pause just long enough to wince.

Emma turned right. The first man edged forward to grab her body. She punched into his stomach, then into his face. Once again he stumbled backward.

Emma rose from her crouch. She grabbed the right arm of the second man just as he was trying to snag Miyoko again. She pushed his arm behind his back hard enough for him to let out a cry of pain. She kept hold of him, and shoved him into the first man. She used the body of the second man to force the first man into the wall of the building.

With both men in obvious pain, she stuck a couple of punches into the second man’s lower back. When he fell out of her way, she struck the first man in the face again with her palm. The impact caused his head to jerk back into the building, which made him cry out in anguish.

With both men down and temporarily out, Emma turned to Miyoko. You okay? She saw that Miyoko already had her perscomp out. Miyoko nodded and raised her right forefinger. She spoke something in Japanese.

Emma turned back to the two attackers. Stay on the ground or you’ll get my shoe! The men didn’t move, except to hold their various injured bits.

Cops are on their way, Miyoko said as she stood up.

Good, Emma huffed out.

That was pretty impressive.

Mom would say it was a bit too messy.

I think your mother’s going to be quite proud of you.

I doubt it. Emma was pleased to hear a siren from up the street, and to see the approach of a police vehicle.

No, really. This will be a big deal.

Emma smiled and shook her head. Yeah, right.

No, I mean it.

The police hovercar pulled up and two officers, both young men, got out. The one on the passenger side was the first to approach. Emma already had her badge out before he got to her.

What happened? The officer suddenly acted startled when he saw Miyoko. Mori-san, are you hurt?

I’m fine, Miyoko replied. She waved at the men on the ground. These two attacked us.

Emma glanced at Miyoko, then turned back to the officer. Once was following us. The other was waiting in front of the building.

The officer looked over Emma’s badge and I.D. He smiled as his partner joined him. Mori-san and Tiffany-san. Both gave quick, curt bows to her and to Miyoko.

Need help? Emma asked.

No, Tiffany-san. We will need statements at the station.

Sure.

A second car will be along shortly to escort you.

Um, thanks. Emma heard a second police vehicle approaching from behind. Certain that the officers were able to cuff the attackers without help, she pulled Miyoko away and and close to her. Uh, Miyoko, who are you?

Miyoko gave her what seemed to be an apologetic smile. Miyoko Mori.

You’re not related to the Prime Minister, are you?

"I’m his