Space Cowboy Survival Guide

by Long, Heather

  “So what happens when you get to four kids?”

  “The family is typically well established and all funds remain with them, then negotiated into future marriages for the children of the relationship.”

  “How many siblings do you have?”

  “None.”

  “Based on your age, I would imagine your parents have been married for some time?”

  That really was not of his business. “I would really prefer to change the subject.”

  “You can change the subject as soon as I'm assured when we land at my next stop you’re either off the ship or I don’t have to worry about other family members and bounty hunters coming to get you. How likely is it your father will send more?”

  “My parents are a successful example of a unity marriage with only one issue. That would be me. Based on the longevity of their relationship and my age, the funds generated by the union going to be quite considerable.”

  “But?” The captain would not let the conversation go, and he seemed quite determined to get all of the story from her.

  “My father wants to expand his current holdings. The only way to expand is with an injection of fresh capital. The only way to get fresh capital…is to marry me off. I understand why he has made the choices he has, I just don't want to have anything to do with it.”

  Wait—if I get off at his next stop? His comment finally penetrated. Did it mean she could stay if she didn’t want to leave?

  “If your father really needs this investment, the chances are greater he is going to continue sending people after you.”

  “Yes, except it’s expensive, and he will have to pay out on the contract to the other family. He needs time to cool off. Disappearing on your ship may give him that time. After all, you said those other bounty hunters went to the penal colony and no one else knows we’ve met.”

  “Desperate men do desperate things, princess.”

  Well that was one way of looking at it. Hopefully her father wasn’t truly desperate.

  “Are you hungry?”

  Starving. “Very much so, and rather tired of salad.”

  He chuckled, the almost a friendly sound eased some of her nerves from the interrogation. “Help yourself,” he said as he filled two serving dishes. “You can clean up.”

  Since he done all the cutting, and preparation, what he offered seemed a fair deal. “Am I allowed to ask what you do?”

  “You're allowed ask anything you want. I'm not your father.” Then he gave her a hint of a smile.

  “What is it you do?”

  “At the moment? I eat.” Then he cut a piece of the steak and took a bite.

  It was her turn to laugh.

  4

  Rule #24: Bring a gun to a knife fight. Bring the knife, too.

  Shaw Sullivan

  4 Weeks Later

  “Tika,” Shaw announced via the console’s speaker function. “We’ll be docking at EA287 in approximately fifteen minutes.” He’d already given over landing control to Zed, so the computer could negotiate with the planetary docking procedures.

  “Where?” The woman in question appeared in the open hatch to the cockpit. Her dark hair had been confined into a single ponytail and, instead of her white on black robes and dresses, she’d changed into a pair of overalls and a long-sleeved cable shirt.

  “Jump Port York.” At least according to the name on the file. “Not a colony world so much as a port of call for supplies, fuel, and trade.”

  “A smuggler’s port, you mean?” She joined him at the console and looked beyond to the planet they were rapidly approaching. Though they’d been in a descending orbit, they were still several minutes from docking.

  “No, a jump port.” One perk of having Tika on board had been her knowledge, however limited, of the planets and cultures they were encountering. Her sheltered upbringing meant she didn’t know the region as well as he might’ve hoped. Still, when he offered her the opportunity to read the data books put together by Zed for the planets on their route, she leaped at the opportunity. “A smuggler’s port wouldn’t be on a map,” he pointed out.

  Unconvinced, Tika folded her arms. “It wasn’t technically on a map. According to the databook, a manufacturing conglomerate held the initial claim. They thought it would be a better place to build exploration vehicles and other starships. But that company went out of business nearly a century ago. Corporations who go out of business don’t run anything.”

  She had a point, but Shaw shrugged. “Apparently, somebody is running it. We figure out who’s running it, and go from there.”

  “Why?” It wasn’t the first time Tika asked him a question about their stops, and he knew it frustrated her that she couldn’t figure out the rhyme or reason for where he went or why he did what he did. It was easier for both of them if they didn’t get attached. What she didn’t learn about him couldn’t come back to bite him in the ass.

  “Does it matter?”

  Zed interrupted before she could respond, “The dock master has requested that we transmit all identification papers and the ships registry.”

  “Do it, Zed. You know the routine.” For most planets, a registry coming from Earth Prime wouldn’t be a problem. Considering how little he knew about York, however, he always had Zed default to the most basic of registries and identifications typically reaching back to the most populous planet they’d visited recently.

  “Very well, sir. Please stand by.”

  Tika tapped her foot. This would be the fourth colony they’d visited since she joined him on New Genesis, averaging nearly one per week. Though her original request had been simply transport to his next destination, and he had every intention of leaving her at the next destination, she hadn’t wanted to depart. Truth be told, he kind of enjoyed having her on board. If he decided to ignore her, she kept to herself. If he wanted conversation, she was always available.

  Not pushy.

  She tapped her foot again.

  Well, she used to not be pushy.

  “It matters,” she said finally. “I don’t know how to help if I don’t know what we’re doing.”

  “We aren’t doing anything.” He checked their descent speed as well as the scanners. On the approach to any colony, the scanners would automatically begin cataloguing information from the world below including air quality, temperature, landscape, and population. Any anomalies would be noted and flagged for him to investigate further.

  “But I want to help.”

  Reminding himself for the hundredth time that his unexpected passenger had been raised in a very sheltered and limited environment, Shaw searched for a deeper well of patience. “You don’t have to help. I didn’t ask for your help, and no one negotiated for your help.”

  “Papers accepted, sir. Beginning final approach. The region is currently experiencing temperatures of 9°C, with wind gusts upwards of 45 mph. Recommend securing stations for docking.”

  “That means park your ass in that seat, princess,” Shaw ordered as he engaged his own seat restraints. Fortunately she didn’t argue this time and simply dropped into a seat and secured the buckle.

  Gravity went to work, accelerating their descent, and Tika’s knuckles went white as she gripped the chair at the sudden shaking of the Gilly.

  “We’re fine,” he assured her. “Zed and I’ve done this a lot. We’re just encountering some environmental stress.”

  “Easy for you to say,” she snapped in reply. “I think my stomach is now in my throat.”

  Shaw didn’t laugh. For a woman who declared she’d been bartered away in a marriage contract and who hadn’t truly rattled since coming on board, the edge of panic in her voice amused him. “If you plan to get sick, there should be a bag in the side pocket of the chair. Don’t hit the control panel.”

  The wild look in her eyes vanished as she glared at him. “I think I’m going to be sick and the only thing you can say is don’t hit the control panel?” Reverse thrusters kicked in at that moment, adding to their jostl
ing. The rapidly approaching ground coalesced into a landing platform and what looked like a healthy trade going on at a shipyard.

  “I told you where the bag was.”

  Before she could respond, the final thrusters kicked in and the shaking and shivering of the ship stopped. A moment later, they touched down on the landing platform as gentle as a leaf kissing a pond.

  “Landing completed, Captain. The dock master will meet you at the rear hatch in approximately five minutes.”

  “Would you prefer that I wait here, until after you spoken to him?” The soft question sobered the earlier anxiety in her voice.

  “No, you’re good. Zed and I came up with papers for you.” Before Zed could correct him, he continued. “We had transport papers issued out of the Titan Deep Space Depot.”

  When he unbuckled his seat restraints, Tika mirrored his actions. “But I’ve never been to Titan.”

  “They don’t need to know that. They just need to have identity papers, and your papers will check out. Would you rather be stuck on the Gilly?” Not waiting for her response, he grabbed his hat and descended the ladder from the cockpit to the crew deck. By the time he reached the hatch for the hold, she was right behind him.

  “Not particularly. I’m very curious about the smugglers port…”

  Shaw pivoted and halted her by pointing his hat at her. “Not. A. Smugglers. Port. Got it?”

  Tika raised her hands in surrender. “Yes, Captain.”

  Scowling at her false meekness, Shaw scowled. “Don’t make me leave you here.” The utter lack of fear in her eyes at his threat warned him she’d already cottoned on to his surliness. “Bah.” Liking having her aboard, and letting her know he liked her company were two different things.

  Once in the hold, Shaw double-checked his pistol and the knife in his boot. “Are you armed?”

  “You know I don’t like weapons.” Yes, he did know she didn’t like weapons. He also knew that she had bounty hunters after her.

  “That doesn’t answer my question.”

  “I have my shock stick.” To demonstrate, she tugged the stick from the side pocket of her overalls and held it up. “See?”

  Satisfied, Shaw walked to the landing hatch and entered the security code with his handprint to release it. As the hydraulics engaged, he tugged his duster from the hook and pulled it on. He then grabbed a second jacket and tossed it to Tika. The pea coat, while not as long as the duster, was thicker. Considering she kept her quarters like a sauna, he knew she got cold easier than he did.

  The dock master waiting for them didn’t even have a security detail, probably because they’d landed on an external platform, and the wind sliced through them. The dock master ran their ID cards, scanned the ship’s registry, and then waved them inside. “Secure the ship, Zed.” The order would keep the Gilly locked down until he returned. He’d given Tika access to board, but she didn’t have flight privileges yet, nor had she acted as though she wanted any.

  The Port of York seemed to be comprised of several dome enclosed structures. Once inside, they found themselves in a metropolitan atmosphere. Shaw checked his hat, then checked on his companion. Tika stared wide-eyed at their surroundings. No matter how poised she tried to be, she was just a kid.

  “Stay close,” he told her as he began his walk around. A body could learn a lot about a planet by looking at what foot they put forward first. The dock master disappeared as soon as they’d entered. For a colony owned by a dead company, it seemed to be thriving.

  His companion said very little as they walked. Shops were scarce within the immediate vicinity of the docking ports, but began to appear as they ventured deeper into the city. Each shop seemed to specialize in a product—spices, tobacco, produce, game, and more.

  The owners didn’t seem to be in a rush to greet them when they entered. One rule he’d given Tika before allowing her access to the Gilly’s credit accounts was to not make any purchases on a first pass through unless it was of vital necessity. She’d seen the prudence in his caution. As they examined the wares in the storefronts, she kept her hands clasped behind her back.

  The shopping district gave way to a manufacturing center. Steel smelting and iron factories hammered away around them. The smoke from their stacks fed out through long pipes to the dome top. Why the industries were right in the center escaped him though.

  “They’re warming their domed enclosures.” Tika’s soft comment made sound sense. “According to the databook, the main ports were all built in intemperate zones. They experience less than optimal temperatures nine months of their fourteen month solar year.”

  Fourteen months? Weird. Still, the adherence to old Earth calendars helped him to weigh the results of their settlements, their rules, and the overall design. “Wonder what the emissions do to their environment?”

  She gave him a curious look, but didn’t comment. Taking a mental note of the location, Shaw planned to examine the reports the Gilly would compile while he was off ship. Some readings didn’t make sense out of context.

  “What is the average temperature when they aren’t in winter?”

  “It ranges from 15 to 25 degrees centigrade.”

  Mental math translated it to damn chilly, even in their summer. Another piece of information to pocket. On the far side of the factory district, they found restaurants. Apparently, they circled the area so maybe he’d just missed them when they’d made entry. Beyond those were more shops and hotels. Interesting, no living quarters? “I’m going to explore. Why don’t you find something to eat and pick up some supplies for the ship?” He pulled out a small data unit. “Zed updated our current quantities and flagged anything we might need to restock.”

  Not a job he would usually pass off, but the sudden kindling of enthusiasm in her gaze couldn’t be denied. “You trust me to do the supply run?”

  Uneasy with the need reflected in her eyes, Shaw suppressed his knee jerk response and went with, “You want a job, right?”

  “I did.” She smiled, and all but hugged the data pad. “I won’t let you down.”

  “Miss Anderson,” he murmured, catching her arm before she could charge away. “Remember to check anything they package where you can’t see. Have Zed scan them before you take them aboard. If the wind is still vicious when you return to the dock, you can wait for me to get there, too.”

  “Understood, Captain.” She gave him this smart little salute before pivoting and marching away.

  Shaw grumbled. Why did he feel like he’d just let a toddler loose in a mall? After watching her charge off, riding a wave of determination, he checked his datalink. The tracker in her jacket provided a clean signal.

  They couldn’t ignore the bounty on her, false ID card or not, so it was better to not take chances. Her tracker was more for his peace of mind. If someone should try to shanghai her, he’d at least be able to find her. Sending a message to Zed to keep her tracker active, he forced himself to walk away.

  She was an adult. She’d run from her wedding all by herself. She’d also made it as far as New Genesis without any assistance. Not his responsibility or his problem. So why put the device on her?

  He’d made it all the way to the access port for the next dome when he managed to find a reason.

  She made the most excellent of salads.

  * * *

  Shaw spent the next several hours making his way through the various domes accessible from the port. It turned out visitors couldn’t access the most central of the domes, only the external ones. Based on his rough mapping compared with the schematic on his datalink, the Port of York consisted of six domed structures, with each dome housing a city within. The five he could access, all on the perimeter, offered similar functionality from shops to restaurants to factories. Though the factories varied, the shops and restaurants were all seeming carbon copies. Even the housing, stacked one on top of the other, were similar in each sublet.

  As far as he could tell, only permanent residents could access the main dome, an
d security didn’t give a damn about any of his reasons. What he needed was a solid look inside, but it seemed he’d have to rely on the Gilly’s scanners to peel the layers of that onion.

  As tempted as he was to stop for a meal, he returned to the ship. Zed alerted him nearly three hours earlier that Tika had returned to the Gilly. Better to get back, check on her and the scans before he made further plans about the Port of York. The majority of colonies he’d visited so far had all been rather upfront about their issues—planets like New Genesis which seemed perfect on the surface definitely disguised an uglier side.

  So what did it say about the Port of York that they only showed their retail front? Their industrial? What were they hiding?

  He gripped his hat as he stepped out onto the platform to walk to the Gilly. The fierce wind which had greeted them hadn’t slowed one iota. If anything, it seemed even colder. His breath frosted and came out in puffs of white as he hustled to the ship. One upside of the foul weather was the lack of people on the platforms. Of course, the rain beginning to fall struck like blades of ice. It wasn’t quite frozen. At the access hatch, he keyed in his code and Zed dropped the rear door.

  “Lock it up,” he ordered Zed before he’d even begun the climb inside. Tika’s pea coat hung on the hook again. As soon as the exterior door sealed shut, Shaw shrugged out of his duster and hung it. Fresh storage crates had been added to the stacks where he kept samples.

  Despite the relative temperature maintained within the Gilly, the chill of outside had chased him in. Shaw paused at Thunder and Lightning’s containers to check on them. Their status remained unchanged, all vitals reported healthy. If he could get ahead on his current schedule, he wanted to make time to let them out for a run.

  One he could indulge in as well.

  After hanging his duster and setting his hat on the hook to dry, he picked up one of the newly purchased crates marked food and carried it up the ladder. Tika’s shopping trip appeared successful.