The Girl They Sold to the Moon by Chris Stevenson Page A

been here just under three and half years.”
    â€œThat fucking pig,” said Sue Lin, under her breath. “You must have missed a labor auction. Even after two years you would have been cut loose and back to civilian life.”
    â€œI did miss out. My name wasn’t called. Who the hell wants a waitress? You can’t pad a bio-history with a job description like that. I still haven’t made enough in tips to pay the loan off.”
    Everyone looked at Sue Lin.
    â€œWhat’s your story?” asked Tilly. “You’ve been here a long time.”
    Sue Lin hunched her shoulders. “Simple, I volunteered. I had to go through the application process and wait nine months. But they snapped me up.”
    Fia looked incredulous. “Can’t you leave any time you want? You’re not a ward.”
    â€œDon’t want to leave,” said Sue Lin around a mouthful. “I applied for volunteer status at FTALC seven years ago. I had a successful martial arts studio at the time. I also danced in some Broadway productions. I wanted something different, a new location. FTALC sent me to Las Vegas, where I pranced back-up for the lounge acts. I applied for a transfer to Tranquility Harbor, which had just been completed. I moved up in the ranks in the first year, became a headliner, and then they offered me a coach-instructor position. I took it. I’ve been coach for Block 41 for four years. It’s grueling, hard and fast-paced. That’s the way I like it.”
    â€œAny family?” asked Fia.
    â€œI hopped an old steamer out of Okinawa when I was thirteen. Runaway. Father wanted me to be a Geisha. No fucking way, said this girl. I landed on the American shore before it became the United Western Enterprise. My family’s right here, all around you.”
    â€œYou’re a success story two times over,” said Buddy.
    Tilly looked at him. “I thought you were going to keep your mouth shut.”
    â€œSorry.”
    â€œI’ve trained over 700 entertainers since I’ve been here,” said Sue Lin. “That’s the real success story.”
    â€œBut why
here
?” asked Tilly. “You could have worked any Earth-side job.”
    â€œUnited Western Mining was one of last corporations that offered a pension plan. I figure to stick with it until my retirement. That, plus my savings, I’ll be sitting pretty at the end of it all. No regrets from this gal.” Sue Lin let out a raucous burp.
    From the corner of her eye, Tilly saw the hand that flung the muffin that bounced off her forehead. A small knot of girls cackled manically then rushed to different tables. The girl who threw it had red hair fashioned in a multi-layered shag with temple ringlets. She also had the biggest bosom in the dining hall.
    Sue Lin shoved up from the table, squinting at the suspects. “All right, who threw that food item?”
    All eyes turned toward Tilly’s table. A moment of silence ensued. Then the rabble started up again. Tilly looked at her salad plate and whispered, “Redhead with ringlets. Big tits, four tables behind you, Sue Lin. I think I’ve seen her before coming off the stage.”
    Sue Lin turned around, spotting the girl. “You dumb bitch, Candy. If I was your coach I’d pull your act. You feel like a trip to Roger’s office? Try that stunt again.”
    â€œYou’re going to see a lot of that,” said Buddy.
    â€œYeah, but who is she?” asked Tilly.
    â€œCandy Cane Evans--she headlines at the Amazon,” said Sue Lin, making a face. “One of the erotic prancers. She got her start working the pole, a pole that looked like a candy cane. Now she has her own show and a huge draw. Nothing artistic about the erotics—they’re a bunch of slithering tramps with no shame. But the Dogs love ‘em and the Corp allows it, so what are you going to do?”
    â€œHow does headlining work?” asked