Leonora K found herself sitting in her canvas director’s chair with her broken leg perched on a small wooden table
It had been two weeks since her accident
Her doctors had instructed her not to put weight on her injured limb
This restricted her movement which she found frustrating
She was reading a book
It was called
Henry Wanton and his Travels to Unknown Worlds of the Apes and Cynocephali
It has been written by a Zaccaria Seriman in 1749 and was considered to be an early example of Italian Science Fiction
Her brother was swimming in the pool near to where she was resting and threw a handful of water in her direction
Be careful you oaf this is an antiquarian book
You will not be able to join me for weeks sis shitty world isn’t it?
Fuck off when I am able I will drown you
Her brother soon became bored and swam to other side of the pool
Leonora looked at the plates in her book
One particularly intrigued her
It showed a number of creature’s human in appearance but with canine heads
They were in deep conversation
Two dogs were mating in front of them and a horse stared into the middle distance
It is a disease you know
Her leg paused before it replied
I can see no reason why these creatures should not have evolved like you and I save for their canine heads
Three weeks later when the plaster was removed Leonora was horrified to discover that she had grown an extra leg identical in all aspects to the injured one
Even the nail polish she was wearing at the time of her accident was there
She asked the nurse why she had grown an extra limb but the nurse could see her extra leg
She called her brother into the room but he too could not see her extra leg
She began to accept her extra healthy leg
Until one night when she was in bed she could hear her limbs arguing
You will fade like a broken toe nail and drop off
I will not when I am healthy I will snap you in half
Fuck you
Fuck you
Fuck you
Leonora spoke to her other leg which had remained impassive throughout
Let them argue like spoilt children ignore them and they will soon get bored
It is none of your business perfect leg
Leonora pulled the blanket down and soon her legs stopped arguing
The same happened the following night although her uninjured leg did not get involved in the argument choosing to remain silent
As part of her rehabilitation Leonora had to use the swimming pool
Each day she asked her brother about her extra leg but his answer was always the same
You have two legs sis not three the one you broke is slightly withered and very white but if you swim you will soon build it up
Meanwhile you are my piebald sister
Over six weeks passed and Leonora’s injured leg grew stronger and stronger until one night when she was woken from her sleep by the sound of a shot
She pulled the blanket back and saw that her previously injured leg was suffering from a bullet wound
The injured leg and the third leg started arguing again when you were asleep and a duel was proposed and you can see the results
Why did you not stop them?
Why should I have done so it was nothing to do with me?
But I am bleeding
Well then get help
Leonora managed to make it to her brother’s room where she collapsed
She woke in a hospital bed
Her brother was in the room
They caught the guy that shot you sis and let’s say he will not be bothering us anymore I believe that he had an accident when in police custody
But my legs fought a duel
It’s the morphine try to rest I am informed that if you progress as well as you have been then you might be released by the weekend
And before you ask yes you do have two legs although strangely the whiteness is no longer present on your injured leg
It is almost as if you have been next to the pool for the last two weeks
Leonora’s eyes felt heavy and she faded into sleep once more
When she awoke it was daylight once more and the sun was streaming in through the open window
She motioned to get out of bed and she did so she realised that she had only two legs
In panic she removed her hospital gown
Where is my injured leg?
It died while you were in the coma
You will have to put up with me now Leonora I am a better fit don’t you think?
Leonora was speechless and just sat staring at her legs
A nurse entered the room
What are you doing Leonora are you too hot?
What did you do with my injured leg the one that received the bullet wound?
It is there right in front of you
I had three legs when I entered the hospital and one had been injured in a duel
The nurse smiled and helped Leonora with her gown
Dr Spencer will see you this afternoon and I think he will recommend a few weeks rest on Asteroid 267 before you return to your brother
And do not worry about the man who shot you the police have dealt with him
He is now floating in blue space with all the other miscreants
For eternity and a day
On Opposite Earth Leonora K found herself sitting in her canvas director’s chair with her broken leg perched on a small china table
It had been two weeks since her accident
Her doctors had instructed her not to put weight on her injured limb
This restricted her movement which she found exciting
She was reading a book
It was called
Henry Wanton and his Travels to Unknown Worlds of the Apes and Cynocephali
It has been written by a Zaccaria Seriman in 1749 and was considered to be an early example of Italian Science Fiction
Her brother was swimming in the pool near to where she was resting and threw a handful of water in her direction
Be careful you oaf this is an antiquarian book
You will not be able to join me for weeks sis shitty world isn’t it?
Fuck off when I am able I will drown you
Her brother soon became bored and swam to other side of the pool
Leonora looked at the plates in her book
One particularly intrigued her
It showed a number of creature’s human in appearance but with canine heads
They were in deep conversation
Two dogs were mating in front of them and a horse stared into the middle distance
It is a disease you know
Her leg paused before it replied
I can see no reason why these creatures should not have evolved like you and I save for their canine heads
Six weeks later the plaster was removed Leonora was horrified to discover that she had grown an extra leg identical in all aspects to the injured one
Even the blue nail polish she was wearing at the time of her accident was there
She asked the nurse why she had grown an extra leg but the nurse just smiled
She called her brother into the room but he too could not see her extra leg
She began to accept her extra healthy leg
Until one night when she was in bed she felt that she could hear her limbs arguing
You will fade like a broken toe nail and drop off
I will not when I am healthy I will snap you in half
Fuck you
Leonora spoke to her other leg which had remained impassive throughout
Let them argue like spoilt children ignore them and they will soon get bored
It is none of your business perfect leg
Leonora pulled the blanket down and soon her legs stopped arguing
The same happened the following night although her uninjured leg did not get involved in the argument choosing to remain silent
As part of her rehabilitation Leonora had to use the swimming pool
Each day she asked her brother about her extra leg but his answer was always the same
You have two legs sis not three the one you broke is slightly withered and very white but if you swim you will soon build it up
Meanwhile you are my piebald sister
Over three weeks passed and Leonora’s injured leg grew stronger and stronger until one night when she was woken from her sleep by the sound of a shot
She pulled the blanket back and saw that her previously injured leg was suffering from a bullet wound
The injured leg and the third leg started arguing again when you were asleep and a duel was proposed and you can see the results
Why did you not stop them?
Why should I have done it was nothing to do with me?
But I am bleeding
Well then get help
Leonora managed to make it to her brother’s room where she collapsed
She woke in a hospital bedh
Her brother was in the room
They caught the guy that shot you sis and let’s say he will not be bothering us anymore I believe that he had an accident when in police custody
But my legs fought a duel
It’s the morphine try to rest I am informed that if you progress as well as you have been then you might be released by the weekend
And before you ask yes you do have two legs although strangely the whiteness in no longer present on your injured leg
It is almost as if you have been next to the pool for the last three weeks
Leonora’s eyes felt heavy and she faded into sleep once more
When she awoke it was daylight once more and the sun was streaming in through the open window
She motioned to get out of bed and she did so she realised that she had only two legs
In panic she removed her hospital gown
Where is my injured leg?
It died while you were in the coma
You will have to put up with me now Leonora
I am a better fit don’t you think?
Leonora was speechless and just sat staring at her legs
A nurse entered the room
What are you doing Leonora are you too hot?
What did you do with my injured leg the one that received the bullet wound?
It is there right in front of you
I had three legs when I entered the hospital and one had been injured in a duel
The nurse smiled and helped Leonora with her gown
Dr Spencer will see you this afternoon and I think he will recommend a few days rest on Asteroid 267 before you return to your brother
And do not worry about the man who shot you the police have dealt with him
He is now floating in blue space with all the other miscreants
For eternity and a day
Leonora and her brother were sitting on the edge of the pool
They had been swimming for most of the morning
She had enjoyed her swim and as normal her brother was good company
The Second Sun was high in the sky and she felt herself tanning slowly
It is lovely to feel heavenly one more
Yes you have been rather sick
First the accident and then the infection you have been through the mill Sis
I suppose I have
I will miss our swims together while you convalesce on the asteroid
I am a little worried about the journey as we will have to pass through Blue Space
You will also have to pass through Yellow Space which I am told is an unforgettable experience
Do you know how fast these ships travel?
Probably Max 486 and above you will not spend very long in any sector
I hope so as I do not want us to bump into any abandons
Maybe you will bump into the guy who shot you
Do not frighten me anyway you know that my legs fought a duel
Her brother ran his hand along Leonora’s bronzed thigh
He smiled
I must say that the surgeons have done a wonderful job it looks as good as new
As he finished his sentence Leonora felt a slight shudder run down her new leg
Her brother did not notice it but her whole body tingled
Two days later Leonora stepped aboard the Space-Shift that was to take her to Asteroid 267
She waved to her brother who was sitting at a library window
For an instant as she turned she thought she saw her missing leg on the chair opposite him
They were reading the same book
Henry Wanton and his Travels to Unknown Worlds of the Apes and Cynocephali
The image troubled Leonora but soon she became sleepy and was dreaming by the time that the ship had reached Red Space
In her dream Leonora saw her brother making love to her pseudo self on the diving board
She had three legs but he did not seem to notice her disfigurement
Her injured leg was bleeding again and the blood was slowly dripping into the swimming pool below
He had captured her DNA once more
It was a skill he celebrated and although Leonora was very careful in ensuring that her DNA was not carelessly cast away but she knew that even the most minute toe clipping or lost hair would be enough
In a perverse way she enjoyed her brother’s attention to detail
Leonora watched as her pseudo-self wrapped her legs around her brother
Suddenly her injured leg gave way and a huge amount of blood spilled into the swimming pool discolouring it immediately
Then both her brother and her pseudo-self fell the darkening waters
They did not surface
Leonora felt herself scream
You were dreaming it was only a dream
A nurse was standing above Leonora
Where are we?
We are still in Red Space but the pilot has announced that we should be in Yellow Space within an hour
I was dreaming that my brother was making love to me on the diving board above our pool
Do not worry it is only the result of the medication you are on
These dreams will fade
Will they close the shutters when we pass through Blue Space?
We always close the shutters when we pass through Blue Space
Between Earth and Asteroid 267 there were four space sectors
Red Space
Yellow Space
Blue Space
White Space
White Space was much smaller than the others and Asteroid 267 was located on the very fringes of this sector
Red Space was the nearest to Earth and was really a massive void with very little to excite the traveller
The debris of a number of communication satellites and the occasional dust field was all there was to see
Yellow Space was the total opposite and was not like deep space at all
To anyone passing through this sector it was like passing through deep countryside with rolling hills and deep valleys and flowers and trees of all descriptions
The perfumes of this idyll could be experienced by all as the Space-Shifts were so sophisticated that even whilst travelling at speeds exceeding Max 486 the essences were captured
Leonora closed her eyes for a second and felt the musk like perfumes excite her senses
After four hours a small red warning light came on and an announcement was made
In forty minute the shutters will begin to close as we will be entering Blue Space in AT45
Leonora could see that in the distance there was what appeared to be a dark void
It was almost as if Yellow Space for all is beauty suddenly stopped
As the Space-Shift slowly turned towards the void she began to notice that the colours of the sector were beginning to look tired as if a rich season had run its course
The shutters decended slowly
Blue Space was the place of nightmares and many books and films had been created exploiting the many myths and stories that originated in the sector
In short Blue Space was a dumping ground for all kinds of malevolence
After execution all planets in the federation would dispose of the remains of offenders in this sector
Muderers terrorists rapists and perverts were all to be found there
They were transported in disposable coffins which would in time break down in the vacuum leaving their contents to slowly decay
But this was not always the case as disembodied limbs and heads could often be seen floating in the void to the distress of anybody who saw them
It had been illegal to pass through Blue Space without the shutters low for over fifty years
Leonora heard a dull bump above her seat
A fellow passenger blind in one eye smiled at her
It is most probably the head of the traitor Gerpetpet they say he was released in this area
Leonora did not answer and was watching the digital clock at the far end of the cabin which was counting down
23.58
23.57
23.56
23.55
23.54
I would try to get some sleep as we will be in this sector for quite some time
The nurse who had woken her up had returned
I had the most dreadful of dreams last time
Then I will give you a ceded pill it will help you to relax
She handed Leonora a small pink pill which she swallowed with some seg water
Leonora was back beside the swimming pool with her brother but he was ignoring her
She looked at her legs
There were only two
She looked at the water in the pool
It was clear only reflecting the high sunlight
Why are you ignoring me?
I am not ignoring you
What are you reading?
Your antiquarian book
I never said you could now give it to me
Italian Science Fiction I did not know you read Italian
Give me the fucking book you know how careless you are
Her brother stood up holding the book over the pool
You dare
An announcement woke Leonora up
We are now entering White Space would all passengers please prepare for landing
Leonora looked at the digital clock
00.56
She had been asleep for twenty three hours but her dream seemed only to have lasted for moments
The shutters were raised and she could see Asteroid 267 clearly as White Space was so reflective
The Asteroid was noted for its many seas and temperate climate and was along with Asteroid 112 a popular holiday destination
She had been booked into Set 86 a resort on the far side of the asteroid and about an hour from Shift-Central
The resort was partly recreational and partly designed for convalescing patients
Nudity was encouraged but was not stipulated although the benefits of third sun were heavily emphasised in the promotional literature
Leonora did not care either way as she often swam naked in the pool with her brother
The disquiet she felt about her new leg was beginning to recede and the limb was rarely conversational
When it did speak it was only to engage in small talk
Her other leg remained silent
Welcome to Sodium Five
A gentle female voice purred over the speakers as Leonora made her way was towards the Processing Bay
The procedure was over in seconds and a nurse ushered her towards a travel pod which was going to take her to her resort
A Nurse Grainger will await you when you dock
You will leave in two asteroid minutes
The pod moved forward smoothly and soon entered a well-lit tunnel and began to travel at high speed
Quite soon it slowed and finally stopped at a short platform lit by orange lights
Leonora please follow me
Are you Nurse Grainger?
No just a common Hubot
Nurse Grainger was not a Hubot but an Android
In appearance and in movement she looked completely human but her voice betrayed her as it was rather metallic and stiff
Welcome Leonora I trust your stay with us will be a pleasant one
You will see me twice a day
Once with the doctor and once without
The rest of the time will be your own
In your apartment you will find all you will need to find about Set 86 just press the red button on the main monitor and Lucy will be your guide
Leonora followed Nurse Grainger along a shaded path that fringed the beach
The resort was indeed clothing optional with most of the guests naked on the beach although some were missing limbs
Nurse Grainger stopped in front of an apartment
This is Ayre 46 you will stay here during your time with us please settle in at your own pace and I will see you with the doctor at Z8 tomorrow
As you can see the beach is in front of you and do try to swim as much as you can
Enjoy your stay Leonora
To Be Continued