doesn’t change like that. Instead, make the world adjust to you. You don’t need to be an ass or a bully, but you don’t have to accept the crap either. Our ancestors didn’t stay up in the trees and numb themselves to relieve their fear of tigers; they came down and made spears .
Meriel’s spear was a lie, a disguise. And behind that disguise, Meriel and Elizabeth worked out ways to fool the psych evaluations and drug tests to keep Elizabeth and the kids from having the meds forced on them.
***
Meriel exited the tram and walked to her destination: Heinhold’s, a bar for neighbors and upscale stationers with no business in green-zone. It was dark, discreet, and nearly empty.
She sat at the bar, and a huge bartender with a chin as big as her fist came to her, drying a glass with a towel.
“What’ll it be?” he asked.
“Teddy here?”
Without moving his head, the bartender scanned her and then the room and the door. He put his elbow on the bar and flexed a big, tattooed bicep in front of her while pretending to polish the glass, and then he looked back at her with a cold squint. “What do you want with her?”
“She’ll know. Just tell her that hope has returned.”
“No promises,” the bartender said. He walked to the other end of the bar and picked up a link.
Above the bar, a large monitor displayed the latest news from IGB, InterGalactic Broadcasting, one of the few honest networks out there, and Meriel watched while she waited.
“In business news, LML Corp, representing the Local Merchants League, has added new routes to Alpha Station in the Alpha Centauri system and nearby asteroid habitats. This is a result of the redesigned and rehabilitated stations at Alpha and Proxima Centauri…”
A nicely dressed woman about Meriel’s age sat next to her and interrupted her thoughts. “Hey, spacer, need company?” she said and gave her a professional smile.
Meriel noticed the subtle spacer tattoo on her inner wrist and smiled back. “No, thanks. Bunk’s full, but have one on me.” Meriel gave her a large tip, about a night’s worth. The woman smiled, genuinely this time. She put her hand on Meriel’s arm and then left.
Must have lost her ship or her sailor, Meriel thought . Tough life. That might have been Penny in a few years. Or me.
Meriel returned part of her attention to the monitor and the news.
“Top news in Sol System, recently elected UNE President Biadez pledged to uphold the United Nations of Earth charter today at his inauguration ceremony…”
The bartender, still on the link, looked back at her and stared for a few moments. Then he turned away. On the monitor, Biadez began his inauguration speech.
“My fellow citizens of Earth, we stand here on the brink of a resurgence of Earth’s influence on the galactic stage after decades of stagnation, a resurgence of the vitality and influence…”
Meriel looked around the bar. A woman in an expensive business suit, her black hair pulled back severely, now sat at a small table. She might have been a CEO or a corporate lawyer. Her glasses shimmered slightly—a heads-up display out of focus for anyone but the wearer. She looked at Meriel with a broad smile.
Other than Elizabeth, this woman was the only person in the galaxy in whom Meriel could confide: Theodora Duncan, her mother’s childhood friend and nav-6 who was so good that she could work any ship, even navy.
“Hi, sweetie,” Teddy said with a smile and signaled for some drinks. Meriel walked over, gave her a hug, and sat opposite her.
Meriel tipped her head in the direction of the girl who had approached her earlier. “What’s her story?”
Teddy frowned and shook her head. “Don’t know. She doesn’t work for me. I don’t have the heart to stop them. They’re all independent. Pimps get spaced around here, and I make sure they know it.”
Meriel glanced back at the monitor on which Biadez continued his inaugural address.
Teddy caught
Meriel’s spear was a lie, a disguise. And behind that disguise, Meriel and Elizabeth worked out ways to fool the psych evaluations and drug tests to keep Elizabeth and the kids from having the meds forced on them.
***
Meriel exited the tram and walked to her destination: Heinhold’s, a bar for neighbors and upscale stationers with no business in green-zone. It was dark, discreet, and nearly empty.
She sat at the bar, and a huge bartender with a chin as big as her fist came to her, drying a glass with a towel.
“What’ll it be?” he asked.
“Teddy here?”
Without moving his head, the bartender scanned her and then the room and the door. He put his elbow on the bar and flexed a big, tattooed bicep in front of her while pretending to polish the glass, and then he looked back at her with a cold squint. “What do you want with her?”
“She’ll know. Just tell her that hope has returned.”
“No promises,” the bartender said. He walked to the other end of the bar and picked up a link.
Above the bar, a large monitor displayed the latest news from IGB, InterGalactic Broadcasting, one of the few honest networks out there, and Meriel watched while she waited.
“In business news, LML Corp, representing the Local Merchants League, has added new routes to Alpha Station in the Alpha Centauri system and nearby asteroid habitats. This is a result of the redesigned and rehabilitated stations at Alpha and Proxima Centauri…”
A nicely dressed woman about Meriel’s age sat next to her and interrupted her thoughts. “Hey, spacer, need company?” she said and gave her a professional smile.
Meriel noticed the subtle spacer tattoo on her inner wrist and smiled back. “No, thanks. Bunk’s full, but have one on me.” Meriel gave her a large tip, about a night’s worth. The woman smiled, genuinely this time. She put her hand on Meriel’s arm and then left.
Must have lost her ship or her sailor, Meriel thought . Tough life. That might have been Penny in a few years. Or me.
Meriel returned part of her attention to the monitor and the news.
“Top news in Sol System, recently elected UNE President Biadez pledged to uphold the United Nations of Earth charter today at his inauguration ceremony…”
The bartender, still on the link, looked back at her and stared for a few moments. Then he turned away. On the monitor, Biadez began his inauguration speech.
“My fellow citizens of Earth, we stand here on the brink of a resurgence of Earth’s influence on the galactic stage after decades of stagnation, a resurgence of the vitality and influence…”
Meriel looked around the bar. A woman in an expensive business suit, her black hair pulled back severely, now sat at a small table. She might have been a CEO or a corporate lawyer. Her glasses shimmered slightly—a heads-up display out of focus for anyone but the wearer. She looked at Meriel with a broad smile.
Other than Elizabeth, this woman was the only person in the galaxy in whom Meriel could confide: Theodora Duncan, her mother’s childhood friend and nav-6 who was so good that she could work any ship, even navy.
“Hi, sweetie,” Teddy said with a smile and signaled for some drinks. Meriel walked over, gave her a hug, and sat opposite her.
Meriel tipped her head in the direction of the girl who had approached her earlier. “What’s her story?”
Teddy frowned and shook her head. “Don’t know. She doesn’t work for me. I don’t have the heart to stop them. They’re all independent. Pimps get spaced around here, and I make sure they know it.”
Meriel glanced back at the monitor on which Biadez continued his inaugural address.
Teddy caught
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