Matt & Michelle 1: The Fugitive Heir (11 page)

“Don’t be silly, Matt. I assumed you were reading me loud and clear. Like you said, that was
really
intimate touching.” Michelle bit her lip, her ‘I’m trying to figure something out’ look. “But I didn’t expect to be able to read
you
when we were, ah, at our
most
intimate.”

Now it was my turn to fall silent and for Michelle to ask, “Are
you
upset about that? Because I’m not. It’s one thing for you to tell me you love me. It’s amazing to feel your love with my body and soul!”

“Of course I’m not upset. It’s just I’ve never heard of anything like this happening before.”

Michelle’s voice took on a wry tone. “And you’re basing that assessment on your vast experience and training in psychic powers?”

“Good point, babe. I’ve read as much research as I could find on the subject, but there isn’t a lot available to the public.”

Michelle pulled my head down for a long, languid kiss. “Then I guess we owe it to science to research this phenomena thoroughly.”

Much later, I held Michelle as our breathing returned to normal. “I didn’t know science could be so much fun.”

“Classroom stuff always is boring.” Michelle rolled off of me. “Everyone always says fieldwork is where the real excitement is.”

“Well, this has certainly been exciting.”

“It has, but now it’s time to think about what we’re going to do when we get to Eridani Station, Matt.”

“You mean besides try to find a way to keep Mandy’s father from beating me to a pulp?”

Michelle chuckled. “Yes, besides that.”

“Say, where will that message the ferocious flight commander sent to Mandy’s father end up? If it bounces back to her, it will give everything away.”

“Daddy covered that when he setup the IDs. The message goes to a real inbox and then gets forwarded to one of Daddy’s addresses. It won’t bounce. Knowing Daddy, he’ll even write a personal message of thanks to Nancy.”

“Won’t Nancy’s message confuse Jonas just a bit?” I asked.

“You’ve known him for years, Matt. When have you
ever
known Daddy to be confused? No, he’ll be pleased to get the message. We haven’t been able to check in for a while, so it will tell him we’re still alive and where we’re going.” Michelle sat up and started pulling on her clothes. “Have you got any idea what you want to do next?”

I started dressing, also. “Yeah, I’ve been giving it some careful thought and think I’ve got something.”

“I hope you weren’t doing that careful thinking while we were…busy.”

“No, I did the thinking while you and Nancy were having your girl chat on the way to the wormhole. What we need is a reason to go to Pegasus Station and stay there long enough to find Mom and Dad.”

As Michelle and I headed back to the ship’s controls, she asked, “I gather it’s not what you’d call a vacation paradise?”

“No one goes to Pegasus Station if they don’t have to. The system has no habitable planets and the station is for shipping and receiving, not catering to the whims and desires of pleasure-seeking tourists.” I plopped into the pilot chair, noting the countdown to wormhole exit was at fifty-three minutes. “But that is our ace in the hole.”

“The fact that Pegasus Station is a hellhole no one wants to go to is an advantage?” Michelle sounded dubious.

“Absolutely. When I say no one wants to go there, I mean
no one
, not even GenCo employees. GenCo
always
has thousands of job openings at Pegasus Station.” I spun my chair to face Michelle. “Haven’t you always wanted to work for GenCo, Michelle?”

Michelle patted my cheek. “I already do, darling. Or have you forgotten I’m one of your bodyguards?”

“And I love the way you’ve guarded my body today,” I leered. “But you know what I meant and I think you’d make a great member of the security team.”

“Okay. What are you going to do? No offense, Matt, but I don’t think they’re going to have an opening for company owner, empath, or all-around great guy.”

“True, but I know a thing or two about computer security, having hacked your father’s security systems a few dozen times. Plus, I know three different backdoors into GenCo networks.” I leaned back and put my hands behind my head. “They’ll hire me.”

And I was right. Twenty-four hours later, traveling under yet another set of false identities setup by Jonas, Michelle and I boarded a GenCo transport to Pegasus Station.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

An Unexpected Proposal

Compared to the population of Pegasus Station, the new employee transport didn’t hold many people. Even then, only half of its hundred seats were occupied. Out of those four dozen or so employees, Michelle was one of eight women and easily the prettiest of the group. I admit I can’t look at Michelle dispassionately, but it appeared most of the other guys couldn’t either. Unlike the open stares she drew at Rockville Station, the men on the transport cast furtive, disturbing leers her way. Meanwhile, the women cast openly hostile looks at Michelle.

Leaning close to Michelle, I said, “I don’t like the way the men are looking at you, but I can understand it. I can’t figure out what the deal is with the women, though.”

“You really are clueless about women, aren’t you?” Michelle smiled sweetly, removing any possible sting her words might have had. “Did you bother to check the ratio of men to women on the station?”

“No. Should I have?”

“There are four men for every woman.”

“Then I really don’t understand. If those women are looking for men, doesn’t that make Pegasus Station a target rich environment? Even if you were looking to play the field, there would still be plenty of men left over for them.”

“It’s the quality of the men they’re afraid I’ll attract, not the quantity. A woman wants a man to choose her, not simply settle for her.”

“Will it help if they see that you’re off the market?”

“Maybe, but then the men aren’t going to be happy with you.”

“Too bad for them.”

I gave Michelle a long kiss. When we came up for air, the glares of the women were less intense. But, as Michelle predicted, the men turned hostile glares on me. It made for an uncomfortable trip to Pegasus Station.

Hours later, the lot of us were herded into a large room where a middle-aged woman, who identified herself as Miss Ospin, waited. Each seat had a basic data entry station and we spent the next hour entering all sorts of personal information for taxes and insurance and stuff like that. Miss Ospin addressed us briefly once paperwork was complete.

“When I dismiss you, please proceed through the doors behind me where you will find med techs waiting to inject your ID chip into your arm. After-”

One of the very big guys, one who had glared most nastily at me, interrupted. “Nobody said nothing about putting no ID chips in me.”

Miss Ospin checked her pad. “Mr. Crane, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“If you interrupt me one more time, I will dock you one week’s pay. Is that clear?”

“Um, yes?”

“Are you asking me or are you telling me, Mr. Crane?”

“Um, telling?”

She sighed and tapped on her pad. A screen lit up behind her, showing the signature page from a contract. “Is that your signature, Mr. Crane?”

“Um, yeah?”

“You’re not exactly the most prized knife in the kitchen, are you Mr. Crane?” Miss Ospin muttered as she scrolled back through the contract and highlighted a paragraph. “This paragraph grants GenCo the right to insert an ID chip into your arm, Mr. Crane.”

“Huh.” Crane was quite the conversationalist.

“You did read your contract before signing, Mr. Crane?”

“Uh, sorta?”

“I thought as much.” Miss Ospin glared at the rest of us. “I shall assume Mr. Crane isn’t the only one who failed to read his contract. The ID chip serves several purposes. It controls your access to secure sections of the station, saving everyone the trouble of fumbling for an ID card. I’m told that is very difficult to do in a spacesuit. And-”

“Oh yeah, that’s for sure,” Crane blurted.

“That will be one weeks pay, Mr. Crane.”

Crane’s eyes bugged out and his face reddened. Fists balled, he rose and stalked toward Miss Ospin. Michelle jumped out of her seat and landed a kick to the back of Crane’s knee before anyone else reacted. Crane wobbled and she yanked him backward, tripping him over a planted leg. As he crashed to the floor, she drove an elbow into his throat followed by a knee to the groin. Gasping for breath, Crane curled into a ball.

Two security men burst in from the door behind Miss Ospin, stunners in hand. Michelle calmly returned to her seat as Crane was dragged to his feet and marched out.

“Thank you Miss…” the woman checked her pad, “Norwood. That was very neatly done. Now, where was I?”

As if nothing had happened, Miss Ospin told us the ID chips also served as locators, helpful in a warren like Pegasus Station, as well as containing medical alerts and other data useful in an emergency.

“Is all of that clear to everyone?” When no one spoke, she continued, “Once your ID chip is inserted, you’ll be directed to housing where you’ll be assigned a room in the men’s or women’s dormitory.”

“Dormitory?” one woman asked. “I don’t get a room to myself?”

Miss Ospin consulted her pad, then said, “No, Miss Epps. Individual apartments are in short supply and are issued based on seniority or to married couples.”

“Well what if I want to spend the night with someone? You don’t expect us to just go at it in a dorm room, do you?”

“Rooms are set aside in the dormitory for such purposes. There are also several businesses on the station which rent rooms by the hour. You will have to make do with those options until such time as you qualify for your own room, get married, or complete your contract and leave. Are there any other questions?” Miss Ospin’s gaze swept the room. “No? Then please exit through the doors behind me.”

Everyone stood and began shuffling through the doors. As Michelle and I reached Miss Ospin, she spoke to us.

“Miss Norwood? Mr. Atwood? May I have a word with you?”

Drawing curious glances from the others, Michelle and I stepped out of line and joined Miss Ospin. She stood quietly, waiting for the last of the new employees passed through the doors.

“Miss Norwood, let me once again thank you for handling Mr. Crane.”

“Please, call me Michelle. You’re more than welcome, Miss Ospin.”

“And you may call me Nora.” She turned toward me. “Do you prefer Matthew or Matt, Mr. Atwood?”

“He goes by Matt,” Michelle answered.

“You’re already answering questions for him, Michelle?” Nora smiled. “Well, perhaps that’s just as well.”

“Just as well
what
?” I asked.

“Oh, you do speak.” Nora smiled, making sure I understood she wasn’t being serious. “Well, young Matt, is it a safe assumption you’ve noticed that Michelle here is quite an attractive young woman?”

I grinned. “Very safe, Nora. I’d have to be blind to miss it.”

“Yes, and you can bet none of the other single men on the station will miss it, either. Nor will any of the single women.”

“But won’t they all leave us alone once they realize we’re together?” I asked.

“In normal society, perhaps. Pegasus Station is not normal society. People who end up working here generally do so because they have nowhere else to go. Attractive women almost always have
some
options beyond signing on here, even if it means trading on their looks. Put simply, in the wider galaxy you’re a very pretty woman among many very pretty women. On Pegasus Station, it’s entirely possible you’re the prettiest woman here.” Nora leveled an intense gaze on Michelle. “We had a woman as attractive as you arrive on station a year ago. She was lured into a dead end hallway and attacked. Her face was cut so badly, she’s still undergoing reconstructive surgery. I’m told she still screams if more than two women approach her.”

“I can take care of myself, Nora. You’ve seen that.”

“I’m sure it’ll take a bigger mob to really hurt you, Michelle, but it’s not worth the risk.” Nora placed a hand on Michelle’s arm. “I have the authority to release you from your contract. You can be on the next transport back to Eridani Station, along with a healthy contract termination bonus to compensate you for your time.”

“But I came here to be with Matt. I can’t just leave him.”

“We really need good computer security personnel, so I’ll hate to do it, but I can release Matt from his contract, too.”

“No, I have to stay here.” Nora drew back in surprise at the intensity of my words. I temporized. “Sorry, but this is an important step in my career path. But of course, Michelle should go back.”

“Oh no you don’t, Matt!” The force behind Michelle’s words made mine seem mild in comparison. “You are
not
shutting me out of your life now.”

Nora looked back and forth between the two of us, certain she was missing something but unsure what it was. “So you’re both determined to stay here?”

We both nodded.

“Very well, if you’re unwilling to take my first suggestion, then please seriously consider my next one.”

“Certainly, Nora,” Michelle said. “What is it?”

Nora’s gentle smile returned. “Get married.”

“Maybe it’s because I’m just a dim-witted guy,” I said, “but how will getting married solve the problems you just described?”

Nora patted my arm. “I’ve seen your test scores, Matt. Dim-witted, you most assuredly are not. But I notice your first thought is to ask how marrying Michelle will solve the problem rather than to protest you don’t want to marry her. Do you?”

“Want to marry her?” I looked at Michelle and found her watching me intently. “I didn’t want Michelle thinking I was rushing into anything, so I planned to date for a while longer. And I had a much more romantic scene in mind—a crisp night on a deserted beach with a fire crackling next to us, the ring hidden somewhere she would find it… God, I don’t even
have
a ring.”