Jack Nonet

JACK NONET

Books by Lesley L. Smith

Temporal Dreams

Neutrino Warning

Kat Cubed

Reality Alternatives

Conservation of Luck

A Discovery of Space and Time

The Quantum Cop Series:

Book 1: The Quantum Cop

Book 2: Quantum Murder

Book 3: Quantum Mayhem

The Space Operetta Series

Book 1: A Jack By Any Other Name

Book 2: A Jack In The Dark

Book 3: A Jack By Any Other Name

Jack Nonet

By Lesley L. Smith

Quarky Media

Boulder Colorado

Jack Nonet

ISBN: 978-1-950198-82-5

Published by Quarky Media, PO Box 3332, Boulder, CO 80307

Jackpot © 2018 Lesley L. Smith

Jack Be Nimble © 2019 Lesley L. Smith

Jack In The Box © 2019 Lesley L. Smith

Jack Elopes © 2020 Lesley L. Smith

Jack Daddy © 2021 Lesley L. Smith

Jack and the Demonic Disco Ball of Doom © 2021 Lesley L. Smith

Beware the Ides of Hygge © 2023.

Beware the Baby New Year © 2024.

Beware the Fireworks © 2024.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Making or distributing electronic copies of this book constitutes copyright infringement and could subject the infringer to criminal and civil liability.

Table of Contents

Jackpot

Jack Be Nimble

Jack In The Box

Jack Elopes

Jack Daddy

Jack and the Demonic Disco Ball of Doom

Message from the Author

A Jack By Any Other Name Chapter One

Beware the Ides of Hygge

Beware the Baby New Year

Beware the Fireworks

This was the first short story I wrote in the Space Operetta world. It takes place soon after the events of A Jack By Any Other Name, so Jack has discovered his powers and is figuring them out. As a reader and a writer, I really enjoy quantum physics, superpowers, space opera, music, theater, and romance. Jack's stories combine all of them.

Jackpot

On the most fabulous starship in the galaxy, the Shakespeare, I was walking to the gym to meet up with my trainer, enchanting Eva.

Of course, I was still reveling in my promotion to Lieutenant Junior Grade. I totally deserved it. I had saved the day, after all. Heck, I'd foiled a nefarious plot--I'd probably averted a war.

I reached the gym and spied enticing Eva standing inside, doing something or other. She had about the nicest, shapeliest ass I'd ever seen. She didn't spy me, so I snuck up behind her and reached my hands out, meaning to cover her eyes and say sexily, 'guess who?'

Suddenly, I was on the ground. Ow. And speaking of ass… Pain radiated out from my gluteus maximus, where I'd landed.

Oh, Jack! Eva laughed. I didn't know it was you. She looked so beautiful, with warm brown eyes looking down at me on the ground, I couldn't be angry with her. Sorry. She held a hand out to help me up. You really shouldn't sneak up on me.

I took her hand and jumped up in a dignified and handsome manner-- of course.

You really need more self-defense training, she said, the corners of her delectable lips turning down a little.

Jackpot! I smiled. I assume that's code for one of our private training sessions? Where do you want me? I'd come to the gym hoping for some private 'tutoring.'

But she said, No, and didn't smile back. She did turn to a very large (and handsome) man across the gym and wave at him. Thor!

He started lumbering our way.

Come train Jack, Eva said to Thor. He still needs help with the basics.

Thor nodded. When he reached us, he was even larger than I'd initially surmised. He had to be at least seven feet tall and pushing three hundred pounds.

I smiled up at him. Very nice to meet'cha, big guy. I held out my hand for a shake. Hi. I'm Jack. How was it we hadn't met before? Where had this hunk been hiding? And how could such a large fellow hide so effectively?

He shook my hand very briefly as if it was made of glass. Thor. His voice was a deep bass.

That's some voice you've got there, I said. Do you ever do any singing?

He nodded but turned to Eva with a questioning look.

Training. Start at the beginning, she said. He needs all the help he can get.

Hey! I said. I have some skills.

In that delicious deep voice, he said, Show me.

I'd barely moved a muscle when suddenly I was on the ground again. Ouch!

Eva snickered at me lying on the floor. You do have some skills, she said. When you concentrate. Concentrate, Jack. She turned and walked off towards her office.

I scrambled up. I could meet this challenge; I was Jack Jones, intergalactic singer-spy!

Thor put me through my paces. Suffice it to say, it was a long afternoon.

Towards evening, my fon chirped.

I held up my hand. Just a sec, Thor.

I answered my fon. Jack, here.

I know it's you, Jack, Gina, aka Captain Gomez, said. I called you. She paused, and I imagined her trying to calm down. For some reason, talking to me often riled her up. I didn't think it was entirely sexual tension. We just entered orbit around Faspuayama. I need you to sneak down there and check out some rumors before we officially arrive.

Now, that was more like it. Jack Jones super-spy to the rescue! Rumors? What kind of rumors?

She exhaled loudly. I'd rather have you snoop around and see what you can find out. Do your Jack thing.

I can do that, I said. But, come on. Not even a hint?

Okay, she said. "Supposedly, there's a civil war brewing: isolationists versus galactists. Our performance of Cats might set them off. Check out the situation. I'll send your fon some basic info about the planet, etc."

That sounded like the perfect job for a Lieutenant Junior Grade. Yes, ma'am. I saluted her even though she couldn't see me.

It might be dangerous, she added. You should take Eva or someone with you to protect you.

My excitement deflated a little. Why did everyone think I needed protection? Fine.

This is a secret mission, she said. If you get into trouble, I can't help you. Keep a low profile. Do not contact the ship.

It definitely sounded exciting. I understand. Jones, out. We ended the call.

I glanced up at Thor, who I was sure had been listening (like a good spy). Feel like a little jaunt to Faspuayama?

Sure. He nodded once. They have a good casino down there. I wouldn't mind visiting again.

"Put money in thy purse. A casino sounded like the perfect place to collect some important and valuable intel. Let's go."

A little later, as we walked down the corridor to the shuttle bay (after changing out of our uniforms and putting on our bracelet translators), I started humming. Daylight. See the dew...

We had no trouble landing the shuttle at the spaceport under the radar--literally and figuratively.

As the two of us exited the port, I said, "Lead on, Macduff." The planet Faspuayama was the most like Earth that I'd been on (besides Earth). The sky was blue-ish with white-ish clouds. The foliage was leafy and green-ish. The natives looked like Terran artist Giacometti's sculptures, tall and spindly. Could he have been here at some point?

I breathed the fresh air in deeply. It smelled like fresh air. Nice.

You're misquoting that, Jones, Thor said.

I needed to quit being surprised that the crew of the Shakespeare knew their Shakespeare. Thanks.

No problem, he said as we walked down the sidewalk behind a group of Faspuayama children, who were almost as tall as Thor. So, what did Captain Gomez mean about you doing your Jack thing?

I debated what to say and landed on: nothing. I didn't know this guy from Adam, and I was trying to learn to be less trusting, more spy-y. I wasn't going to tell him when our FTL drive malfunctioned, I could do very improbable things. I wasn't going to tell him I tended to stumble into problems and solutions.

Uh, she just means to investigate stuff.

He gave me some side-eye like he didn't believe me.

Soon enough, we arrived at the Casino. It was quite close to the spaceport; go figure. They must have been courting tourists. In keeping with the local sentients, the casino looked as if it had been stretched vertically. What with walking next to Thor