Zeera was soon finished recharging and was all too happy to take the controls from Dusty. The feelings she and Chad had
felt had melted away during the night and they both returned to the cockpit to find the tired cowboy all too ready to surrender
the captain's seat and lounge back in another chair.
"So how come they paired you with him?" Zeera asked after the usual morning pleasantries.
"I don't know, I imagine they figured I'd need some help since this is my first job..."
Zeera looked at him curiously and laughed. "You're kidding right?"
"No they just gave me this assignment yesterday, I'm actually a claims investigator..." Chad said grudgingly. He wished
he could list at least some accomplishments that might interest Zeera, but there really weren't any.
"Is that why they sent you along?" Zeera asked, looking to Dusty. He replied with a careless shrug and then turned down
the brim of his hat. His reasons for coming were his own and no damned tin can was going to get them out of him, especially
not when he'd been piloting the ship all night.
"You must be something special if they decided you were the right person to bring down Ignacius Lux without ever having
gone on a mission before. What's your story?" She asked, giving up on Dusty entirely and focusing on Chad.
"It's not terribly interesting. You must have a lot to talk about though, out here hunting the scum of the galaxy and all
that..." Chad said as he looked at her wonderingly.
"You go first, a good bounty hunter never reveals too much until it's time." She said with a coy grin.
"Alright, you win. I'm just glad you're interested in me." Chad stuttered as he realized his thoughts had made manifest
in his voice, and he quickly added on. "Since we'll need to know eachother better so we can work together."
"Of course." Zeera returned. "So make with the story..."
"I was born on one of the moons of Jupiter but both of my parents were killed in a fire while I was still too young to
remember them. I grew up in an orphanage in Delphi colony on Jupiter. I guess I was pretty ordinary. I did have a few qualities
that attracted attention though. I picked up things quicker, I could just figure out math and science and history and things,
logic questions, literature. I enjoyed studying a lot and I was always one of the best in all of my classes.
I guess that's how my benefactor found me. Of all my memories of childhood she's the one I recall with the most affection.
The teachers only noticed me more because I was better then the other children, but she treated me like I was special for
being me, not for all the stuff I could do. I don't know I'm sure it sounds silly." He laughed a bit, starting to think that
it might be absurd to try to describe such emotions Zeera. But one look told him that she understood more than her words could
express.
"I understand, Chad. I've been looking for acceptance like that my whole life. I can't even gain acceptance through helping
the people I'm assigned to, I doubt anyone will ever like me for who I am." She said with a resigned sigh before looking back
to Chad. "I'm sorry, go on, we'll talk about me later."
"No if there's something you need to get off your chest I'd like to listen, really."
"No I'm fine. Go on, I was just getting interested." She said with a renewed smile. Chad was all too happy to oblige.
"Like I said even though I only saw her for a while each cycle she was like my mother. I never fully understood why she
couldn't just adopt me but she seemed very busy and important. I guess she just didn't have time. She always told me that
next year might be better and we'd have to see how things went. Finally one year, I think I was about sixteen, she told me
that she'd have to go away.
She was the only real constant in my life, but I had to be strong for her. I think it hurt her just as badly. After she
left I found my way into the GBay corporation on the reccomendation of the man who ran the orphanage. It wasn't all that bad
really and I liked the job. I always dreamed of something more though, of doing something bigger. But I never thought it would
happen like this..."
Zeera smiled a bit as she saw the space station looming up out of the blackness. "I'm glad you're enjoying all of this
at least. We'll be docking in an hour or so, so strap yourself in.
Chad nodded and looked ahead, squinting to pick out what Zeera had seen so easily.
"You're not going to tell me about yourself?" He asked, a bit dismayed.
"Dusty will be awake soon. I don't want to bother him. I'll tell you later though, I promise." She said, offering Chad
her hand. He took it and shook gently and they sat next to eachother watching the space station growing larger and larger.
Chad was a bit worried about waking Dusty, but his ever alert partner sprang from sleep as soon as he felt the subtle vibrations
of the shuttle docking. Chad and Zeera both looked back to him as he stood up from his seat. He hadn't bothered with his harness,
and neither of his companions were going to try to fasten one on him.
Dusty led the way out and showed them to the Gbay office where he stowed his gear and turned to the two of them.
"We're just here to investigate and figure out where Lux went to. Our orders are not to engage and I hope you two can stay
out of trouble. I'll be back in a day or two."
With that Dusty disappeared through the doors. His coat tails were the last thing Chad and Zeera saw of him as he left
them in stunned silence.
On to CH 18
