no habitable planets and the station is for shipping and receiving, not catering to the whims and desires of pleasure-seeking tourists.” I plopped into the pilot chair, noting the countdown to wormhole exit was at fifty-three minutes. “But that is our ace in the hole.”
“The fact that Pegasus Station is a hellhole no one wants to go to is an advantage?” Michelle sounded dubious.
“Absolutely. When I say no one wants to go there, I mean no one , not even GenCo employees. GenCo always has thousands of job openings at Pegasus Station.” I spun my chair to face Michelle. “Haven’t you always wanted to work for GenCo, Michelle?”
Michelle patted my cheek. “I already do, darling. Or have you forgotten I’m one of your bodyguards?”
“And I love the way you’ve guarded my body today,” I leered. “But you know what I meant and I think you’d make a great member of the security team.”
“Okay. What are you going to do? No offense, Matt, but I don’t think they’re going to have an opening for company owner, empath, or all-around great guy.”
“True, but I know a thing or two about computer security, having hacked your father’s security systems a few dozen times. Plus, I know three different backdoors into GenCo networks.” I leaned back and put my hands behind my head. “They’ll hire me.”
And I was right. Twenty-four hours later, traveling under yet another set of false identities setup by Jonas, Michelle and I boarded a GenCo transport to Pegasus Station.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
An Unexpected Proposal
Compared to the population of Pegasus Station, the new employee transport didn’t hold many people. Even then, only half of its hundred seats were occupied. Out of those four dozen or so employees, Michelle was one of eight women and easily the prettiest of the group. I admit I can’t look at Michelle dispassionately, but it appeared most of the other guys couldn’t either. Unlike the open stares she drew at Rockville Station, the men on the transport cast furtive, disturbing leers her way. Meanwhile, the women cast openly hostile looks at Michelle.
Leaning close to Michelle, I said, “I don’t like the way the men are looking at you, but I can understand it. I can’t figure out what the deal is with the women, though.”
“You really are clueless about women, aren’t you?” Michelle smiled sweetly, removing any possible sting her words might have had. “Did you bother to check the ratio of men to women on the station?”
“No. Should I have?”
“There are four men for every woman.”
“Then I really don’t understand. If those women are looking for men, doesn’t that make Pegasus Station a target rich environment? Even if you were looking to play the field, there would still be plenty of men left over for them.”
“It’s the quality of the men they’re afraid I’ll attract, not the quantity. A woman wants a man to choose her, not simply settle for her.”
“Will it help if they see that you’re off the market?”
“Maybe, but then the men aren’t going to be happy with you.”
“Too bad for them.”
I gave Michelle a long kiss. When we came up for air, the glares of the women were less intense. But, as Michelle predicted, the men turned hostile glares on me. It made for an uncomfortable trip to Pegasus Station.
Hours later, the lot of us were herded into a large room where a middle-aged woman, who identified herself as Miss Ospin, waited. Each seat had a basic data entry station and we spent the next hour entering all sorts of personal information for taxes and insurance and stuff like that. Miss Ospin addressed us briefly once paperwork was complete.
“When I dismiss you, please proceed through the doors behind me where you will find med techs waiting to inject your ID chip into your arm. After-”
One of the very big guys, one who had glared most nastily at me, interrupted. “Nobody said nothing about putting no ID chips in
“The fact that Pegasus Station is a hellhole no one wants to go to is an advantage?” Michelle sounded dubious.
“Absolutely. When I say no one wants to go there, I mean no one , not even GenCo employees. GenCo always has thousands of job openings at Pegasus Station.” I spun my chair to face Michelle. “Haven’t you always wanted to work for GenCo, Michelle?”
Michelle patted my cheek. “I already do, darling. Or have you forgotten I’m one of your bodyguards?”
“And I love the way you’ve guarded my body today,” I leered. “But you know what I meant and I think you’d make a great member of the security team.”
“Okay. What are you going to do? No offense, Matt, but I don’t think they’re going to have an opening for company owner, empath, or all-around great guy.”
“True, but I know a thing or two about computer security, having hacked your father’s security systems a few dozen times. Plus, I know three different backdoors into GenCo networks.” I leaned back and put my hands behind my head. “They’ll hire me.”
And I was right. Twenty-four hours later, traveling under yet another set of false identities setup by Jonas, Michelle and I boarded a GenCo transport to Pegasus Station.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
An Unexpected Proposal
Compared to the population of Pegasus Station, the new employee transport didn’t hold many people. Even then, only half of its hundred seats were occupied. Out of those four dozen or so employees, Michelle was one of eight women and easily the prettiest of the group. I admit I can’t look at Michelle dispassionately, but it appeared most of the other guys couldn’t either. Unlike the open stares she drew at Rockville Station, the men on the transport cast furtive, disturbing leers her way. Meanwhile, the women cast openly hostile looks at Michelle.
Leaning close to Michelle, I said, “I don’t like the way the men are looking at you, but I can understand it. I can’t figure out what the deal is with the women, though.”
“You really are clueless about women, aren’t you?” Michelle smiled sweetly, removing any possible sting her words might have had. “Did you bother to check the ratio of men to women on the station?”
“No. Should I have?”
“There are four men for every woman.”
“Then I really don’t understand. If those women are looking for men, doesn’t that make Pegasus Station a target rich environment? Even if you were looking to play the field, there would still be plenty of men left over for them.”
“It’s the quality of the men they’re afraid I’ll attract, not the quantity. A woman wants a man to choose her, not simply settle for her.”
“Will it help if they see that you’re off the market?”
“Maybe, but then the men aren’t going to be happy with you.”
“Too bad for them.”
I gave Michelle a long kiss. When we came up for air, the glares of the women were less intense. But, as Michelle predicted, the men turned hostile glares on me. It made for an uncomfortable trip to Pegasus Station.
Hours later, the lot of us were herded into a large room where a middle-aged woman, who identified herself as Miss Ospin, waited. Each seat had a basic data entry station and we spent the next hour entering all sorts of personal information for taxes and insurance and stuff like that. Miss Ospin addressed us briefly once paperwork was complete.
“When I dismiss you, please proceed through the doors behind me where you will find med techs waiting to inject your ID chip into your arm. After-”
One of the very big guys, one who had glared most nastily at me, interrupted. “Nobody said nothing about putting no ID chips in
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