CHAPTER 3
Istop by Phantom’s office the moment I get off the shuttle.
“Welcome back,” they say.
The room feels like something yanked out of a seventies movie set. Everything is orange and red and teal.
“Thank you. I have some questions.” I sit in a chair shaped like a mass of tentacles.
“Ask away, and I will answer anything I am able.”
“What’s the age of consent on MiNo?”
“That is based on the species, not the station.”
“Fine, what is the age of consent for humans on MiNo?”
“There are so few of you, it is not legally binding yet, but… I believe eighteen is the benchmark. I myself do not tend to employ anyone younger than twenty-five Earth years… though there are exceptions to every rule.” They form a shape so they can pinch their chin like they’re thinking.
“My sister wants to come work for you.”
“No, she doesn’t.” They crackle like lightning. “What does she actually want to do?”
“She wants to do what I do and make the money I make.”
“Better.”
The front of their form becomes the back of their form, and a wall of ancient TV screens flick to life with pictures of my little sister at college, medical information, transcripts and social media feeds.
They flip through a massive amount of information in a few seconds. “I don’t see any reason she couldn’t come to work here if she wanted to… is there some insight you could provide that might change my mind?”
“No.”
“I’ll reach out and bring her in for an interview… see if she really does want to come work for me after she finds out what we do here.”
“Thank you.” I stand, but the door doesn’t immediately open.
“Are you certain you’re alright with this?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“I am aware that the society you were raised in doesn’t think particularly highly of this line of work.”
I shrug. “Fuck ‘em.”
“Fuck them indeed.” They chuckle, and all of my sister’s information disappears from the screens.
I pause long enough to check in with Feather and make lunch plans and then make my way out into the station from one of the less obvious exits.
I shouldn’t have taken a bag with me.
Some little part of me hoped that there would be a reason to stay a day or two, but I knew I was going to be coming straight back. I just didn’t want to admit it to myself. Maybe I inherited the denial from my mother.
Hey guys, what are you up to?
Ferrok
Wishing you were here.
Mooralan
Almost home from work. Do you want to come over?
I’d love to. Just let me drop off my things and change into something comfy.
Mooralan
We can be comfy for you.
Ferrok
We’ll be waiting.
See you soon.
All I need to do is stop by my apartment…
I hear running, but ignore it until it’s too late.
Someone knocks into me from behind.
I stumble.
My grip on my bag loosens.
It’s ripped out of my hand, and they keep running.
“Hey!” I take one quick step before I immediately stop myself.
They bolt out of sight, and I take a deep breath, counting to ten and letting the adrenaline ebb.
You don’t run after thieves.
You don’t chase down people who could decide they want to hurt you more than they want replaceable things.
When I was twenty and broke, I might have run after them. Now… here? I’m not taking one more step in the direction that guy went.
A few more breaths, and my focus expands from the pinprick it had narrowed to, and a sweet little Andulen woman comes to my side, asking…
I assume if I’m okay. I tell her I’m fine and try to head for the elevators—I’ll call station security when I’m home—but she takes my hand and tugs me to a brightly glowing information terminal.
The pillar of light gets brighter when we step closer, and it greets us in a strange echo of her language and mine.
“Thank you for reporting this security infraction. Please wait one moment while we connect you with the correct response team.”
She doesn’t let go of me, and with a few more taps of her fuzzy fingers, she lets the column translate, keeping me occupied with vague questions, and I’m honestly grateful for the distraction.
When she finally lets me go, abruptly saying goodbye, I question what’s just happened until someone clears their throat on the other side of me.
The Opodean man flanked by a security bot tips his head to me.
“I’m very sorry that your return to the station was punctuated by such an inconvenient offense.
We have been able to locate your belongings.
One of our other bots, like this one, will bring it along shortly.
” He holds a tentacle out, motioning for me to walk, and I get an uncanny feeling.
“Have we met before?” I ask.
“I don’t believe so.”
“Then how do you know I just got back?”
“I’m so sorry. I am Sirin, the station administrator. As soon as Nelee reported the crime, I pulled a brief overview of your file.”
“Oh.”
“I do realize that may have been unsettling without knowing who I am. I will try to do better.”
“Thanks.”
The bot makes a clattering noise, and I know that Sirin understood it when he says, “The thief is not a permanent resident of the station. In fact, he is already back on his ship and has been barred from reentry, as the ship’s captain will not release him to us for questioning.”
“I see.”
We’re almost to the lifts by the time the other bot arrives, handing me the bag and handing Sirin something small and shiny.
“What’s that?” I ask, trying to see it more clearly.
“I was just about to ask you if you had a tracking device in your belongings for this sort of eventuality, but it would appear this may have been the reason they took your things.”
“To put a tracker on me? I don’t think I have anything worth stealing.”
“It may have been you they wanted, or… Perhaps someone is trying to find Earth?”
“Oh.”
“It is the best-kept secret in our part of the universe.” He glances down the hallway, back toward the exit I took from the club. “Phantom has never let anyone else know where it is… and they’ve stated they never will.”
“That’s probably a good thing.”
“Is it?” The words aren’t an argument, even though it feels like there’s more he would like to say. “Have a nice evening, Jennifer. Please do not hesitate to call on us if something arises that requires our attention.”
“I will.” Probably.
He smiles and says, “Be safe,” as the doors close.