“I bought it off her,” the small man said self-assuredly. Dylan couldn’t believe it.
“Beka would never sell that ship,” he said, “she adores it.” The man shrugged.
“Miss Valentine’s personal life is none of my business,” he stated smugly. He reached into his back pocket and gave Dylan a flexi. “The contract. Not that it’s any of your business.” Dylan grabbed it and read it through. It seemed perfectly authentic, though it was easy to fake a contract. He sighed and handed the flexi back. Though he was sure the man was lying, there was nothing he could legally do, and besides, the Maru was the least of his concerns.
“Ok,” he agreed, “nothing I can do. You can go.” The man gave a smug smile and went back to “his” ship. Dylan left the hangar bay.
“Andromeda, did you get the data?” The disembodied voice chirped in response.
“I most certainly did,” she confirmed.
****
Beka gaped up at Mr Culligan, who was putting his clothes back on while she still laid in the bed, resting back against the pillows. It took her a few seconds to regain her speech.
“How much did you say they pay?” He grinned.
“Four hundred thrones,” he said casually before kissing her on the top of her head and leaving the room. She rolled over, unable to take this in. Four hundred thrones for something so small? Four hundred per customer. That made two thousand per night. Fourteen thousand per week. Sixty thousand per month. Seven hundred and thirty thousand per year. That was a lot of money, more than she could grasp the concept of.
“Maybe…” She trailed off, but the thought was still there. She hadn’t really thought of what she would do once she’d managed to get off the drift. Maybe she’d continue doing what she was doing now. She’d get to keep all the money, and she’d only have to do it when she wanted to. She could even do other things, like piloting. Maybe she could go find the Maru and fix it up. She swallowed. It sounded brilliant, but there was still something missing. The Andromeda. She clenched her eyes shut, determined not to let a tear escape.
“Don’t think about that,” she told herself. “Think money. Think the ability to buy whatever I want. Don’t think Andromeda.” She could easily be a prostitute after leaving. She’d grown nearly used to it, sleeping with five men a night. She wouldn’t even have to do half of that. It didn’t even bother her anymore, she’d become so good at repressing her feelings, and besides, it was all about growing used to it, wasn’t it? “I don’t need the Andromeda,” she told herself, “I can cope without them. I don’t need friends.” She stretched, inching herself out of bed and went to the shower.
****
“Dylan, you have to listen to me. Beka would never sell the Maru!” Harper was nearly crying and Dylan finally stopped just before entering command.
“I know Harper, but we can’t prove it.” Harper shook his head.
“We have to find her Dylan, we have to!” Dylan simply turned around and entered command, Harper just behind him.
“Andromeda, show me the data,” he said, and a long list of place names showed up. Harper frowned.
“What’s that?” he asked. Dylan gave him a smug smile.
“Andromeda managed to get a list of all the places the Maru’s been,” he explained. “in chronological order. If we just work our way down the list, eventually…”
“Do you think we’ll find her?” Harper’s face had lit up.
“Andromeda,” Dylan said, “only display the places the Maru’s been since Beka left.” The list shortened considerably and Dylan smiled at Harper.
“Yes,” he said. “Yes, I think we will.”
****
Beka was still trying to fight off thoughts of Andromeda, her friends. She didn’t need them, she told herself. Besides, there was no point in thinking of them. Even if she did want to come back, they’d never have her. And she couldn’t go back anyway. Not with what she was doing now. How could she be there every day when she’d had to reduce herself to a common whore? She wasn’t who they were looking for anymore. They were so much better off without her. She shook her head, trying hard to think of other things. She had friends in the brothel, didn’t she? Maybe, once she had the Maru back, or at least another ship, she could come and pick them up? They could set up a new brothel together, well the girls who wanted to stay in the business at least. They could keep all their money themselves. She tried to tell herself it would be great. It didn’t really work, but she was feeling a little better. She went in to join some of the girls who were watching the news on the little view screen. As she entered the room she stopped, frozen in her tracks.
“Captain Dylan Hunt of the Andromeda Ascendant, the ship trying to restore the System’s Commonwealth, has announced a search for his first officer and pilot, Beka Valentine, who left the ship several months ago. Her own ship, the Eureka Maru has been found, confirmed to have been sold by Miss Valentine, and she is presumed to be in trouble. If you have seen her…” Beka stopped listening when she saw a picture of herself on the screen. The room went dead silent as all gazes turned to her. They’d all seen it. A hand grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the room. Mr Culligan. He pulled her into a small room, where he picked up a flexi, studying it and then her. She looked up at him with pleading eyes.
“Please don’t throw me out,” she asked, tears burning behind her eyes. He gave her a surprised glance.
“No way in hell,” he muttered, “you’re the best hooker I’ve got. No frickin’ way in hell.” He sighed as he looked at the picture. “But customers will no doubt recognise you.” She suddenly had an idea and shook her head vigorously. Her unruly blonde curls turned to waist-length, straight hair with her natural red colour. He nodded approvingly. “That’s better,” he remarked and went over to a drawer, pulling something small out. “Brown contacts,” he said. “And you’ll have to wear more make-up. But if we do this right, no one will recognise you. Well, your crew would, but Captain Dylan “Terrific” Hunt is hardly likely to be coming to a brothel, is he?” He chuckled, then patted her back awkwardly. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I won’t let anyone find you.” In a twisted, bizarre way, his words made her feel strangely calm.
