Chasing Stars

by Helen Douglas

  Clarence placed a hand on each of my shoulders. ‘You are about to dance with the most eligible bachelor in the room.’

  ‘Oh, really?’ I said, raising my eyebrows.

  ‘Really,’ he said. ‘Not only am I handsome and rich, but I’m also a fantastic dancer.’

  ‘You’re modest as well, huh?’

  ‘I’ve never seen the point of false modesty.’

  ‘Is that everything?’

  ‘Don’t believe everything you hear.’

  Clarence pulled me towards him and then placed one of his hands around my waist. ‘Just copy my moves,’ he said. ‘It’s easy.’

  I tried to find the rhythm of the music, but the beat was odd. I looked around me at the other dancers, but everyone was wrapped up in their own moves; no one took any notice of me. Thank God for the wig.

  ‘How am I doing?’ I asked.

  ‘Not bad for a beginner.’

  I followed Antoine’s lead and, for a few minutes, I forgot about Ryan and the reporters and being in the wrong time. I forgot about everything but the heat and the rhythm and the deep thrum of the bass that made the dance floor gently vibrate.

  After three songs, I could feel my scalp sweating and itching under my wig.

  ‘I think I’m ready for another beer,’ I said. ‘Or a glass of water.’

  Clarence escorted me back to the table. The others were chatting and laughing and all of the tension from earlier had gone. I took a cold, sweating beer bottle from the bucket and held it to my forehead.

  ‘How about it, Lyra?’ asked Clarence. ‘Will you dance with me?’

  Lyra narrowed her eyes. ‘I don’t think so.’

  No one spoke for a second. Lyra and Clarence just held each other’s gaze, and I was reminded that these people had a shared history that I was not a part of.

  ‘Well,’ said Clarence after a few seconds. ‘It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Eden.’ He shook my hand again and left.

  Antoine took a long, slender case from his jacket pocket and opened it. Inside were several more of the thin cigars he’d been smoking when we arrived. He offered them around the table. Lyra took one and leant in close to Antoine as he flicked open his lighter and held the flame to the tip. I watched, wondering if they were together.

  ‘You gonna dance with me now?’ Peg asked.

  I leant close and whispered in his ear. ‘I just danced with Lakeborough’s most eligible bachelor. That’s a hard act to follow.’

  ‘I think I’ll cope,’ said Peg, taking my hand.

  We walked on to the dance floor just as the music changed to a slow number. Peg held my waist and shoulder loosely, not too close, and we swayed gently to the music.

  ‘Clarence isn’t wrong when he describes himself as Lakeborough’s most eligible bachelor,’ said Peg. ‘There are a lot of girls in this room who’d like to dance with him tonight.’

  ‘But not Lyra?’

  ‘Clarence and Lyra have a complicated relationship.’

  ‘Are you going to elaborate on that?’

  Peg shook his head. ‘Not tonight.’

  ‘What about you?’ I said. ‘Are you single?’

  ‘Between work and school, I don’t have time for a relationship.’

  ‘Got your eye on anyone?’

  He laughed, but there was something about his look that suggested I’d embarrassed him. ‘No one.’

  We left the bar just after midnight. As we shoved our way through the throngs, Lyra held on tight to Peg and he put his arm around her. It wasn’t until we were outside and we were able to walk more easily that I noticed Lyra had a pronounced limp.

  ‘The night is young,’ said Antoine. ‘And there’s a party boat just about to sail. How about it?’

  ‘You guys go,’ I said. ‘I’m pretty tired. I’m going to head home.’

  ‘I’m beat too. I’ll walk you,’ said Peg.

  ‘How chivalrous of you,’ said Lyra. Her wide smile didn’t reach her eyes.

  ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, Lyra,’ said Peg.

  She kissed his cheek, but her eyes were on me. ‘Behave yourself.’

  ‘Hey, Eden,’ said Belle. ‘Are you coming to New York with us on Sunday?’

  I shook my head; it was the first I’d heard about a trip to New York.

  ‘Come. It’ll be fun.’

  ‘I should probably stay in the hotel in case there’s any news about the trial.’

  ‘Nothing will happen over the weekend,’ said Belle. ‘And Monday is a public holiday. Come to New York with us.’

  ‘I don’t know.’

  ‘I’ll talk her into it,’ said Peg.

  ‘If we don’t get a move on, that ship is going to sail without us,’ said Antoine. ‘See you both tomorrow.’

  Peg put an arm around my shoulders and we turned away from the others. The next thing I knew I was blinded by a bright light. And then we were surrounded. Lights flashed in my face and reporters thrust microphones under my chin. I turned back to see if Antoine and the others could see what was going on, but my view was blocked by yet more photographers, their oversize cameras blocking my view.

  ‘Lovely wig, baby,’ said one of the reporters. ‘Where did you buy it?’

  ‘Who’s your escort?’ asked another.

  ‘Can you give us a smile?’

  ‘Have you seen Orion?’

  ‘Are you enjoying the twenty-second century?’

  ‘Will you be testifying at Orion’s trial?’

  ‘Is it true that you’re pregnant?’

  I froze to the spot. We were surrounded.

  ‘No comment,’ said Peg.

  ‘Who are you? Her bodyguard?’ jeered one of the younger male reporters.

  ‘This is not the time or place for an interview,’ said Peg calmly. ‘We’d both appreciate it if you’d let us go home.’

  ‘Where is home?’ asked a female reporter.

  ‘Are you staying with her at the Lakeview Hotel?’

  ‘Excuse me,’ said Peg to the male reporter in front of us.

  We stepped forward, but the man didn’t step aside. I was beginning to panic. Cameras continued to flash in my face. Fear began to coil around me.

  ‘Would you mind stepping aside to let us pass?’ said Peg.

  ‘Just answer a couple of questions,’ said the man. He pushed his microphone in front of Peg’s face.

  Peg swiped at the microphone, sending it spinning to one side.

  ‘Hey!’ shouted the reporter.

  Peg swung for him. One second the man was hurling abuse at Peg, the next he was lying on the ground, sprawled across his microphone.

  ‘Let’s go!’ said Peg. He grabbed my hand and we ran.

  I glanced back. Some of them were running after us.

  ‘Don’t look back!’ yelled Peg.

  We raced around the corner and along another street. Peg had a tight hold of my hand and was dragging me behind him. He turned abruptly up a narrow alley. The alley divided into two. We took the left lane and slowed to a walk. There were takeaways and bars, tattoo parlours, girls heavily made-up and lounging against door frames. Peg walked up to one of the girls, a heavily tattooed girl in a black corset and not much else.

  ‘Hey, Millie. Is there a game on?’

  She nodded. ‘Who’s your friend, Peg?’

  ‘She’s my cousin.’

  ‘Course she is.’

  Peg and I slipped through the doorway and into a small, dark room at the back of the house. There were five round tables, six people crowded around each, all playing cards. A makeshift bar was set up against one wall.

  The girl behind the bar, who, like the one out front, was wearing little more than her tattoos, winked at Peg. ‘Your usual?’

  ‘Yeah. And a beer for my cousin, Jennie.’

  ‘Hi, cousin Jennie,’ said the girl, pushing a bottle of beer across the bar to me. She turned back to Peg. ‘You joining a table? We have stud, Texas Hold ’Em and blackjack.’

  ‘Not tonight. Jennie and I
just fancied a nightcap before heading home.’

  ‘Suit yourself.’

  I followed Peg through a door and into another dimly lit room, this one with couches and candles spread around. The room was empty apart from a couple sitting on a couch in the darkest corner of the room, their hands on each other’s bodies. Peg chose a couch as far from the other couple as possible and sat down.

  ‘So, do you come here often?’ I asked as I sat next to him.

  He smirked. ‘Are you trying to pick me up? Because, you should know, that line’s really old.’

  I shoved him with my elbow. ‘Thanks for the tip.’

  Peg took a sip of his beer. ‘I thought this would be a good place to hide for a while until those parasites outside get bored and go home.’

  ‘I’m glad you brought me here. I want to see the real twenty-second century, not just the tourist spots.’ I looked around and caught the eye of the girl on the other couch. She smiled at me.

  ‘You wanna join us?’ she asked.

  I shook my head and looked away quickly. ‘Did – does – Ryan ever come here?’

  ‘Sure. He’s been here a few times.’

  My chest constricted. There was so much about Ryan’s life in the twenty-second century I didn’t know.

  Peg looked at me. ‘We didn’t come here for the girls. We came for the cards.’

  ‘Oh.’

  ‘You didn’t think . . . ?’

  ‘I didn’t know what to think.’

  ‘Great.’ Peg laughed to himself. ‘I’ve clearly made a good impression so far.’

  I tried to shrug off my embarrassment. ‘I thought things might be different now. In this time.’

  ‘We only ever came here to play cards. We needed money to buy parts for the ship Ryan used to get back to you, and playing poker against a table of drunk old men was a good way to do it.’ Peg turned to face me, and held his bottle up in the air. ‘Cheers. Here’s to evading those scumbags.’

  I clinked my bottle against his. ‘How do you think they worked out it was me?’

  Peg shrugged. ‘Dunno. I hoped the wig would be enough. But your face has been all over the com-screens for the last week, so I suppose we shouldn’t have been surprised.’

  ‘What’s the story with Lyra? She didn’t seem to like me very much.’

  ‘Lyra was born sarcastic and she’s been ten times worse since she injured her leg.’

  ‘What happened?’

  ‘She was in a car accident. Her leg got crushed.’

  ‘Clarence said he used to date her. Do you think it bothered her that I danced with him?’

  Peg took a long swig from his bottle. ‘They went on a couple of dates. That’s all. The only thing that bothers Lyra is not being the centre of attention. And right now, you’re the centre of attention.’

  ‘I don’t want to be. I wish everyone would leave me alone. Maybe I should just hold a press conference and be done with it.’

  ‘Maybe you should.’

  ‘I’m just scared I’ll say the wrong thing and make things worse for Ryan.’ I sighed. ‘What if the court finds him guilty? I don’t know what I’ll do if that happens.’

  Peg put his hand on my arm. ‘Let’s hope that doesn’t happen. But we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.’

  I liked the way he said we. I had finally found a friend – an ally – in this new world.

  ‘Do you think the trial will be fair?’

  ‘I guess. Ryan’s father – Admiral Westland – is one of the best people I know, but he won’t be allowed to judge the case. Admiral Shastri and Admiral Hwa are generally in favour of space-time exploration. If either of them is the judge, I think he’ll get a fair trial. Admiral Philp is a wild card. And Admiral Wolfe opposes most space-time explor­ation. He is likely to be the harshest judge of Orion.’

  ‘Let’s hope Ryan doesn’t get Wolfe then,’ I said.

  ‘The thing is, Eden, I think Admiral Wolfe is behind Orion’s capture. I think it’s personal.’

  I looked at him. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘It’s no secret that Westland and Wolfe hate each other. Wolfe has these mining colonies on the moon. He uses prisoners to work in the mines. Westland wants to put a stop to that, claims it is cruel and unusual punishment.’

  ‘What’s that got to do with Ryan?’

  ‘Not sure. But if anyone was in a position to travel back through time without being detected, it was Orion. The ship he took had been marked for scrap. I work in the shipyard, so I altered the records to make it look like it had been sold for parts. He calculated his portal so that the energy signatures would be lost among other portals. It would be hard to find Ry if you weren’t looking for him.’

  I stifled a yawn.

  ‘It’s just a hunch,’ he said. ‘Let’s get you home.’

  ‘They’ll probably be there, at the hotel entrance,’ I said.

  Peg put his bottle on the table. ‘Why don’t you stay at my place tonight?’

  ‘I don’t want to impose,’ I said, shaking my head.

  ‘You wouldn’t be imposing. In fact, you’d be doing me a favour; my place is much closer than the hotel.’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  Peg stood up and held out a hand. ‘Come on.’

  Peg’s flat was only a two-minute walk away from the gambling den where we’d hidden. It was above a noodle bar on another back alley. The noodle bar was still open; steam hissed and fat sizzled and I began to feel hungry.

  ‘Are those noodles any good?’ I asked.

  ‘If you like greasy.’

  ‘I like greasy just fine.’

  Peg ordered us each vegetable dim sum with noodles and miso broth that came in plastic trays with chopsticks. I inhaled the smell of onions and grease and my stomach rumbled. The food at the Lakeview came in small, perfectly healthy portions. I needed this, especially after the three bottles of beer I’d drunk tonight.

  ‘How come you have your own place?’ I asked as Peg unlocked the front door.

  ‘My dad and his new wife moved to Titan right at the beginning of summer. I had the choice of moving there with them or staying here. I chose to stay.’

  I followed him up the stairs and inside. It was surprisingly large for a flat in a back alley. The living room stretched across the full width of the building, with views out over the lake. There were two couches, a large com-screen and a bookshelf. Against one wall was a display case filled with certificates, medals and trophies. I wandered over to take a look. Every one had Peg’s name on it. Maths champion 2119. Debating Society winner 2120. Navigation 1st Place 2122.

  ‘These are all yours?’ I said.

  He shrugged and ran one hand through his dark hair. ‘This is my dad’s place. He insisted on displaying them all.’

  ‘You must be really smart.’

  He shrugged again and went to make up the bed in the spare room. I wandered over to the window and looked out across the lake. A dozen pleasure boats were sailing across the darkening water, their lights ablaze. I wished I was on one of them, drinking and dancing with no worries in the world other than what classes I would take when school resumed at the end of the summer.

  ‘The bed’s made up, whenever you want it,’ he said, scanning on the com-screen and flopping on a couch. There were two couches in the living room, both angled towards the com-screen. I took the other one and opened my box of noodles.

  The screen opened to the news. The first thing I saw was a large image of me in my blonde wig, Peg’s arm around my shoulders.

  ‘I’m sorry. I’ll switch channels,’ he said.

  ‘No, don’t. I want to know what they’re saying.’

  ‘First night out on the town in the twenty-second century,’ the reporter was saying. I recognised her from our ambush outside the club. ‘Sporting a cute blonde wig and blue dress, Eden was seen drinking and dancing with pals at the super-cool Watering Hole.’

  The reporter thrust a microphone under a young woman’s chin. ‘She
looked like she was having a really good time,’ said the girl. ‘She danced with two different men that I saw, maybe more.’

  ‘According to our sources, Eden still hasn’t returned to the hotel where she is staying, which begs the question: just where is she spending the night?’ said the reporter. ‘Back to the studio.’

  The newsreader had a serious expression. ‘In other news, protesters spent a third day demonstrating outside Wolfe Energy Headquarters in New Marseilles.’ The screen showed a crowd of several hundred people holding signs that said Rehabilitation not Exploitation and Close the Lunar Prison Now!

  One of the protesters began speaking to the camera. ‘The average lifespan of a prisoner on the lunar colony is five years. They work seven days a week in horrendous conditions. There’s no opportunity for these prisoners to be rehabilitated. The lunar colony has nothing to do with justice, and everything to do with cheap labour for Wolfe Energy.’

  ‘You sure you want to watch this?’ said Peg.

  ‘Is this Admiral Wolfe’s company they’re talking about?’ I asked, twisting a mound of slippery noodles between my chopsticks.

  ‘Yup.’

  ‘On the news this afternoon, one of the legal commentators said Ryan might get sent to the moon.’

  Peg looked at me. ‘That won’t happen.’

  ‘Why do you say that?’

  ‘To start with, his dad will hire a shit-hot lawyer. But if things do go wrong, we’ll find a way to help him. I’m not letting Orion get sent to the moon.’

  I tried to smile. But words were cheap. I just wanted the trial to be over and Ryan safely back in my arms.

  Chapter 10

  The phone call came on Saturday morning, just after Peg dropped me back at the hotel. When the screen clicked on, I expected to see Peg telling me he’d forgotten something, but it was Admiral Westland. I quickly smoothed over my hair as the call connected and tried not to think about the news coverage he must have seen: Peg punching a photographer or me arriving back at the hotel this morning after our night out.

  ‘Hello, Eden,’ he said, his voice tired and strained.

  It had been less than a week since I’d last spoken to him, but he looked like he’d aged ten years. His brown hair seemed greyer and his cheeks seemed hollow, with two deep vertical lines running from his mouth to his jaw.