in disbelief. Running? Again? A part of her wanted to wail at the injustice of it all, then she reasserted herself. She hadn’t come this far only to be caught by Republic forces. With thinned lips, she walked back to the bedroom and dragged two large, anonymous-looking satchels from the closet space.
After their last lovemaking session, Moon had given Srin his nightly shot of medication, and she wasn’t surprised to see him still in a deep sleep. She would have started giving him the bulk of his medicine at night but wasn’t sure whether they would need to make any night-time escapes. Just as well, judging by Gauder’s note, which got her thinking – was the threat real, or was Gauder trying to overly dramatise the situation? Once more, she hated having to depend on people while flailing in ignorance.
Moon packed their personal things quickly and efficiently. Not knowing when she’d be clean again, she took a quick lukewarm shower before changing into a top, shirt and loose pair of trousers. Walking through the rest of the small habitat, she took stock of what more they could take. Not much. Maybe a set of knives she had bought when she discovered she would actually have to start butchering meat and vegetables in order to prepare meals, a couple of metal cooking dishes – they called them “pans” at the local market – and a handful of utensils. The rent on the habitat wasn’t due for another fourteen days, almost a week and a half by Marentim time reckoning. With any luck, the trail would be cold by the time anyone asked about them as past tenants. Just to be on the safe side, Moon called a cleaning service and booked a slot later in the morning for the “Ultra Sanitation” option, paying for it and providing the habitat passcode at the same time.
Only when she was ready, the two packed bags at her feet, did she wake up Srin.
“My love.” She shook him gently. “We have to go.”
She watched as Srin surfaced through layers of sleep, his eyes clearing and his brow furrowing as he took in her appearance.
“Have I slept through half a day?” he asked groggily. “Why are you dressed?”
“No, it’s four in the morning, you didn’t sleep through anything. But we have to get out of here.”
As debilitated as he was, his brain leapt to the right conclusion. “Gauder?”
She nodded. “He left us a message.”
Moon didn’t know how much time they had. Gauder’s message had intimated that the Security Force was on their heels, but was its proximity measured in minutes? Hours? Days? She tried not to fret when Srin went to the bathroom to clean himself up, shuffling like an old man under the weight of his new drug regime. She brightened with relief when he emerged. It only took him minutes to change into what he termed his “travelling clothes” and they were ready to leave.
Moon didn’t spare a look back as they left their habitat. If she started doing that, spending precious minutes summarising the entirety of their stays, where would she end? The Differential , Slater’s End, the Merry-Go-Round , Lunar Fifteen, the Velvet Storm , and now Toltuk on Marentim. How many more such bolt-holes lay in their future? No, better to continue on their journey, without looking back. It was cleaner that way.
There were only twenty hours in the Marentim day and dawn was already breaking over the city when the two escapees emerged on the street. The roads were starting to fill up with workers heading for jobs on the outskirts – assembly lines, manufacturing workshops, canteens. The pair joined the slow ribbon of people winding through the dark streets.
“I wonder if I should contact Gauder’s answering service again,” Moon mused quietly, after filling in Srin on the gist of the message she’d received. “Let him know that we’re on our way.”
With Moon leading the way, they stopped close to her usual terminal along the alleyway full of bars and gambling dens but, as she turned the corner, she
After their last lovemaking session, Moon had given Srin his nightly shot of medication, and she wasn’t surprised to see him still in a deep sleep. She would have started giving him the bulk of his medicine at night but wasn’t sure whether they would need to make any night-time escapes. Just as well, judging by Gauder’s note, which got her thinking – was the threat real, or was Gauder trying to overly dramatise the situation? Once more, she hated having to depend on people while flailing in ignorance.
Moon packed their personal things quickly and efficiently. Not knowing when she’d be clean again, she took a quick lukewarm shower before changing into a top, shirt and loose pair of trousers. Walking through the rest of the small habitat, she took stock of what more they could take. Not much. Maybe a set of knives she had bought when she discovered she would actually have to start butchering meat and vegetables in order to prepare meals, a couple of metal cooking dishes – they called them “pans” at the local market – and a handful of utensils. The rent on the habitat wasn’t due for another fourteen days, almost a week and a half by Marentim time reckoning. With any luck, the trail would be cold by the time anyone asked about them as past tenants. Just to be on the safe side, Moon called a cleaning service and booked a slot later in the morning for the “Ultra Sanitation” option, paying for it and providing the habitat passcode at the same time.
Only when she was ready, the two packed bags at her feet, did she wake up Srin.
“My love.” She shook him gently. “We have to go.”
She watched as Srin surfaced through layers of sleep, his eyes clearing and his brow furrowing as he took in her appearance.
“Have I slept through half a day?” he asked groggily. “Why are you dressed?”
“No, it’s four in the morning, you didn’t sleep through anything. But we have to get out of here.”
As debilitated as he was, his brain leapt to the right conclusion. “Gauder?”
She nodded. “He left us a message.”
Moon didn’t know how much time they had. Gauder’s message had intimated that the Security Force was on their heels, but was its proximity measured in minutes? Hours? Days? She tried not to fret when Srin went to the bathroom to clean himself up, shuffling like an old man under the weight of his new drug regime. She brightened with relief when he emerged. It only took him minutes to change into what he termed his “travelling clothes” and they were ready to leave.
Moon didn’t spare a look back as they left their habitat. If she started doing that, spending precious minutes summarising the entirety of their stays, where would she end? The Differential , Slater’s End, the Merry-Go-Round , Lunar Fifteen, the Velvet Storm , and now Toltuk on Marentim. How many more such bolt-holes lay in their future? No, better to continue on their journey, without looking back. It was cleaner that way.
There were only twenty hours in the Marentim day and dawn was already breaking over the city when the two escapees emerged on the street. The roads were starting to fill up with workers heading for jobs on the outskirts – assembly lines, manufacturing workshops, canteens. The pair joined the slow ribbon of people winding through the dark streets.
“I wonder if I should contact Gauder’s answering service again,” Moon mused quietly, after filling in Srin on the gist of the message she’d received. “Let him know that we’re on our way.”
With Moon leading the way, they stopped close to her usual terminal along the alleyway full of bars and gambling dens but, as she turned the corner, she
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