Hoiman and the Solar Circuit

The story opens in a smoky, off‑world bar where the narrator, a hard‑boiled drifter named Larry Maloney, trades cheap cash for a steak and a few drinks while listening to the chatter of a flamboyant waitress named Sherry. Their banter is laced with odd jargon about “rassling,” futuristic wrestling moves, and a peculiar cocktail menu that includes a “Solar Sling” and a “Martian Mule.” Into this scene slides Hoiman Katz, a gaunt, threadbare figure whose reputation as a former wrestler and “bum” from high orbit precedes him, hinting at a past filled with broken deals and lost glory.

As Katz mutters about “Martian” drinks and the narrator recalls a once‑famous protégé, the dialog swells with a mix of dry humor and a subtle sense of danger. Listeners are drawn into a gritty, near‑future world where sport, crime, and a mysterious “solar circuit” intersect, promising a tale that balances noir swagger with a sci‑fi twist, all before the stakes rise beyond the bar’s dim lights.