[04] Elite: Mostly Harmless by Kate Russell

fine. The convoy will have dredged the area just ahead of us and you know I can fly my little princess in rings around any chancers that do stumble upon us. Four quick jumps and we both pick up one of the best pay-creds we’ve ever earned.’
    Angel looked at Rachel who was still staring at her with dismay.
    ‘You know what will happen if you can’t settle for the repairs. I have no control over private contractors; those bots are merciless in recovering bad debt.’
    Just when Angel thought it couldn’t get any worse, Captain Riley came striding into the control room.
    ‘Everything alright, ladies?’
    ‘Err, what about me?’ Kram said.
    The naval officer looked him up and down with open disdain before turning back to leer at Angel and Rachel.
    ‘Like I said, everything alright, ladies?’
    Angel felt like she was being circled by Vipers. Her whole body screamed that this was a bad situation she should have nothing to do with, but what choice did she have? Without the credits to pay for the repairs her ship would be pulled apart by corporate salvage bots before being impounded for not being space-worthy when she failed to pay next week’s berthing fees. But worse than that she would have to collect her gear from her Pilot’s Federation quarters and move back in with her parents. She bit her lip and made a very hard but unavoidable decision.
    ‘Everything is just spacey, thanks. Loading up the hold now and then lady Tailspin and myself will get moving.’
    ‘Good, good,’ he unclipped a small tablet from his belt and handed it to her. ‘I need your thumb on the contract; it’s pretty standard.’
    Angel took the pad and glanced over the tiny scrolling text, not reading it at all.
    ‘Fine,’ she said, utterly defeated as she placed her thumb in the sig-box.
    ‘Great!’ The captain pulled what looked like a thin metal manacle out from his inside pocket. ‘Wrist please.’
    Angel looked at him.
    ‘Sorry?’
    ‘I need your wrist.’
    ‘Err, why?’ She was backing away from him holding her wrist defensively to her chest.
    ‘Don’t worry, it’s just insurance. You did read the contract you just signed, didn’t you?’ His smirk told Angel he was fully aware that she had done no such thing.
    Angel’s eyes flicked to the bangle.
    ‘What does it do?’
    ‘Oh, this thing? It’s mainly a location sensor. It links you to a little programme that keeps an eye on what’s happening around you. It’s a brand new system just out of R&D so you’re actually very privileged. Its job is to protect the interests of the investor and since you are carrying a large chunk of the investor’s interests that means, by de facto, it will be protecting you.’
    Angel remained dubious.
    ‘How?’
    The naval captain sighed and started to look impatient.
    ‘Look it really doesn’t matter. You signed the contract and spent the repair creds, so unless you want to talk about another way you might be able to settle your debts…’ his comment was loaded with innuendo and Angel shuddered, forcing her right arm to extend so that he could clip the bangle around her wrist. ‘Good girl,’ he crooned.
    He closed the metal band and it clicked decisively shut. Then she heard a whirring sound from outside and a hover-bot glided in, propellers buzzing. It was about the size of a family selection biscuit tin and hovered at head height. Seeing it arrive the captain reached inside his breast pocket and pulled out a small control pad. He punched in a code and the lights on Angel’s wrist clamp flashed red.  The lights on a small panel mounted in the robot’s chest were blinking in a similar way. It hovered a little closer and then the LEDs on both panels flashed in sequence together before all turning green.
    ‘All set,’ the captain looked at her directly. ‘Meet your new best friend and business partner. DORIS here is programmed to keep an eye on you, stop you from making any stupid mistakes that might put your shipment at