The Golden Token #6
“Seven hells, I’ll buy it out. I can afford it.” As soon as he made the impulsive offer, he knew it was a mistake, might insult her despite his honorable intentions. He tried to make amends. “We can call it a loan. Pay it back when you can. No strings.”
She slid off the bench, her movements elegant, and walked to the rosebushes.
As she picked off dead leaves, she said, “I’ve never met anyone like you.
I wish we had more time because I think—I know—we could be good together, crazy as it sounds so soon after meeting you.
You’re special, soldier, I can tell.” She let the crumbled brown vegetation float to the deck as she stared at him.
“But you buying my contract isn’t right.
I can’t accept. It would put everything between us on the wrong footing, even if we called it a loan.
I’d always know I was bought and paid for. ”
“Rose Caludi, I never meant it like that.” He tried to tamp down his anger at himself for being clumsy. She had pride and backbone, which was part of her attraction for him. “I said no strings and I meant it, soldier’s oath.”
“I know, but I can only tell you how I’d feel.
I’m sorry I involved you in my troubles.
If you want, once I get to my new assignment, we can stay in touch, see how things stand when the three years are up.
” Sniffling a bit, she tried to regain her composure.
“Maybe I can emigrate to your planet then.”
“I’m not satisfied, but I won’t pressure you.
With my contacts, I can make sure we don’t lose sight of each other, wherever you’re assigned, if you want?
” He didn’t trust the Kumisarc Corporation in the least and felt her misgivings about the forced transfer were probably justified.
But she obviously wasn’t going to let him help her, no matter how much attraction was growing between them.
Which ought to make him happy, since it answered some of his doubts.
He realized he was grinding his teeth so hard his head ached.
If only he had more time. But friends on the crew or not, the soon-to-arrive freighter wouldn’t wait for him to woo a woman, and her employer could whisk her away at any moment.
“I promise—no, I swear on my life, if you need help, I’ll be there. ”
Rose nodded. “I believe you. Thanks for the reassurance.”
Eyes wide, she watched him as he walked to her. He fished in his pocket, drew out the golden token. “Here, I want you to have this, to remind you of me and my promise. I wish I had something better to pledge—”
“No, it’s perfect.” Smiling, she took the coin from his hand. “We met when you dropped it at my feet. Maybe I’ll have it made into a necklace.”
“Three years from now you can give it back to me when I come get you, wherever Kumisarc’s moved you.” He tried to inject all the emotions flooding his heart into the words. “If not sooner.”
She came into his arms and he kissed her, the sweetest caress he’d ever shared with a woman.
Her personal handheld began to buzz, the sound growing louder and more insistent. “I’d better answer,” she said. “I am on duty after all.” He released her and she keyed the message. “Uh oh, I’ve got to run.”
“What’s going on?”
“Kumisarc management’s been assessing the mines and a group of their executives is coming to the Station for a private party tonight.
My boss is calling me in early to dance for them and stay for the dinner.
” She stuffed things inside her toolkit at random for a moment, then looked over her shoulder at him.
“Guess I’ll have to take a raincheck on our date. I’m sorry.”
“Hey, gotta do what the boss says.” Fists clenched, he swallowed hard against the frustration rising in his gut. He wanted every moment he could get with her. “I’m disappointed but maybe we can have breakfast tomorrow—my treat—before my ship gets here.”
Catching his hand, she said, “Or a nightcap at my place maybe and then I can fix us breakfast tomorrow?”
He did a double take, not sure he’d heard correctly but she was smiling at him. His pulse kicked into high gear. “I’ll be there.”
Rose agreed he could walk her to the casino when she was ready, so after a quick shower and a change of uniform, she knocked and walked into his apartment.
His kit bag lay open and military gear fanned neatly out on the floor around him.
Charlie was working on something small. “Give me a minute and I’ll be ready,” he said.
She walked carefully around the periphery of his equipment, noting not one but two serious blasters. “Why do I have the feeling you were no ordinary soldier, my friend?”
“I have the resources to make sure we can stay in touch no matter where Kumisarc transfers you. No bullshit. But for now, I want you to take this.” He handed her a small black and gold button. As she rolled the object in her hand he repacked his gear with no wasted motions, and sealed the duffle.
“What is it?”
“Best I can do right now. Do you still have the golden token?”
Feeling heat in her cheeks, she knew she was blushing as she fished the coin from her pocket and handed both items back to him.
He made swift work of cutting the token open with a thin beam from a laser cutter, inserting the button and adjusting it so it seemed a part of the previously blank surface of the coin.
A moment later he gave her the altered token.
“Press that between your fingers and I’ll get pinged.
” He tapped his skull behind the left ear.
“Implant, left over from when I was in the Teams. Use it to let me know when you’re ready to be picked up tonight.
Or if anything happens you don’t like. Promise me? ”
She stared at him. “Tonight is just me and my girls dancing and then doing the friendly chitchat with the corporate types over dinner. Barker—my boss—said we’re there to keep the atmosphere light. You overreacting much?”
Frowning, he said, “I’ll admit it’s my nature to be concerned. But I’ve seen how these generational billionaires and corporate types can behave. The entitled bastards firmly believe the galaxy is theirs to do with as they please. I only want you to know I’m available for backup if needed.”
His concern was raising the hairs on the back of her neck at the same time it made her feel warm and protected. Rose rolled her shoulders. “Fine. But you’ve seen my dance costume—not a spare inch of fabric, much less a pocket.”
“Wear your fancy dressing gown to dinner, after the performance, like usual.” Charlie wasn’t yielding an inch.
Touched by his determination, she didn’t have the heart to be truly annoyed. “I said I’d take this. Can we go now? I don’t want to be late. I still have to warm up too.”
There was silence between them as they made their way to the Casino.
Station Security guards stood at the entrance next to the faux trideo warriors.
“You can go on in, Rose,” the one in charge said to her, even as he stepped in Charlie’s way, one hand raised.
“Sorry, sir, the casino is closed for a private party tonight.”
“I’ll be fine,” she reiterated, kissing him lightly on the cheek. “See you later.” Clutching her satchel containing the costume and cosmetics, she hastened inside where she could see Barker and the Station Manager waiting.
She didn’t think she’d ever been in the casino when virtually no one else was there.
Hector was behind the bar, and some of the prettiest dealers waited at the high stakes tables in case the visiting executives wanted to gamble.
Rose hurried to the dressing room, finding all four of her dancers already warming up.
Changing clothes first, she led them through the stretches, although it was hard to get the women to focus.
“I heard Kumisarc’s son is in charge of the mine assessment,” said Fleeka, whose brother worked in Station Security. “He must be worth billions.”
“Yeah, too bad you’re a married woman,” teased Suzan, flipping her curls, which happened to be turquoise this week.
“Rumor is an announcement was made today about the mines closing,” said Adelaide, whose eyes were red as if she’d been crying. “Management gave out some vague schedule, said they’d let people with critical skills know who was being relocated when the time came.”
“What about the people who don’t have skills?” Rose asked. “Or the ones who’re too old? What was said about their fate?”
“Hey, the Sectors government steps in, relocates the unemployed and the homeless. They’ve done it before, remember? The Station’ll be busy for decades with all the moving. Good for us at least.”
Management must not have explained the entire plan today, about closing the Casino too.
As she limbered up and did a few practice kicks, Rose felt nauseous.
Sure the Sectors government would take action eventually, but relocation to some refugee camp on an outer planet was no life for the elderly or kids.
Not for anyone really. No hope. She was actually glad her parents weren’t alive to endure the upheaval.
And her poor gramma wasn’t long for the world, her heart failing.
For the first time ever, the dancing didn’t go well.
She had a hard time concentrating, and the whole group’s timing was off.
Rose left the stage while the small party of corporate bigwigs was still applauding and went to fetch her robe as she’d promised Charlie.
Barker cornered her in the dressing room.
“The other girls are already seated,” he said.
“Mr. Kumisarc specifically asked for you to be his dinner companion and everyone’s waiting for you.
” He took her by the elbow and practically dragged her into the corridor.
“This dinner is important for us, Rose. If the boss likes what he sees, we might all get better assignments out of this transfer.”