A Hop, Skip and a Jump (Family Law Book 4)

by Mackey Chandler

  "Oh yes ma'am. They sell the bread and whatever whole pies we have left at the front on your way out. In the morning they have cinnamon rolls and such too. Would you like ice cream with the pie?"

  "I'll have the cinnamon ice cream," Gabriel spoke up.

  "Do you have plain vanilla?" Lee asked.

  "I wouldn't call it plain," the girl said. "It's pretty rich with cream and eggs, but it's vanilla. You can see little flecks of the vanilla in it," the waitress offered.

  "That will do fine," Lee agreed. She had no idea what the girl was talking about again.

  "I never used to eat like this," Lee said when both pieces of pie were gone.

  "It's possible to throttle it back," Gabriel reminded her. "You can even have the metabolic boost removed and still keep all the life extension therapy. But if food is abundant, and you enjoy eating why not leave it be?" Gabriel asked.

  "It's way too early to decide," Lee said. "Ask me in a year or two instead of a week."

  "See? You're taking the longer view already," Gabriel said, smiling.

  Gabriel carried a bag for each of them to the taxi. He had all four kinds of bread and Lee had the coarse bread and two whole pies. She intended to feed one to Gordon. For him it would be about four bites. The waitress was surprised when he left two silver dollars Ceres to cover the meal, but a small gold coin for her tip. She put that away in a pocket quickly, before it incited a wave of jealousy.

  * * *

  "I see," Gordon said to the Badger spox from their home planet. "So we're back to square one. I'll bring your spox from Far Away over on a shuttle if you want. If he acted so far outside his authority I assume you'll have to put him under arrest. Should I shackle him for you? Is he the sort who might offer you violence?"

  "I didn't mean . . . that," the elder Badger, Timilo, objected.

  "Well I read your transmission of some hours ago to him, the translation anyhow. It was in the clear, not encrypted for his ears only. I don't read Badger very well yet, but I think we have a pretty good translation program. It seemed to agree with what you have been saying since we got in voice range. We made all these agreements and it was a colossal big waste of time. Go ahead, take him and go home. We'll have to consult with our partners and decide if it's worth the long voyage to go back to Far Away.

  "I have little appetite to start over. If I was misled so easily about his authority how can I be sure of yours? I thought we had the basics of your social structure figured out, but here he lied to us," Gordon complained. "I have no desire to invest months with you and find out your people won't honor your commitments either. I thought you got a pretty good agreement from us. Got things you need, like ways to deal with the Biters, but now you don't like it. Go home," Gordon said again, with a dismissive wave. "You can wait a few days for the Dart, or we'll send her after you if you wish."

  "Let's not be hasty," Timilo the Badger home world spox said, wringing his hands nervously. "We might find parts of the agreement salvageable. With clarification and extensions," he added.

  "No thanks," Gordon said, politely. "You had the broad outlines of it when you left Far Away. It's not complicated. We listed all we hoped to accomplish. Unfortunately the Earth nations refused to support their commission to administer claims so far away. We couldn't predict that. It's never been an issue before. But we intended to do the same thing from a closer, more convenient seat of operation on Derfhome. It will be on better terms really, but we can just administer claims for our own group of species if you don't wish to be included. Of course, if there is a conflict in claims you can reasonably expect we'll favor our own," Gordon explained. "You're aware of the folks at New Japan and Fargone. I'm sure in a short period of time, five or ten years if you put some effort into it, you can get armed up sufficiently to deal with your Biter problem. You don't need us," Gordon assured him.

  Timilo looked panicky, even to someone not skilled at reading his alien face. "It would be terrible to start our journey here with an agreement in hand, and then return with nothing."

  "Not my problem," Gordon said, with a Human style shrug. "We have our claims all along our voyage to you and an arch back. That's all we expected starting out. Anything more was an unexpected bonus. We expect commercial contracts to be honored with your merchants. If you prohibit those and force your merchants to repudiate them then I doubt New Japan or Fargone will sell you the systems you want either. Why deal with oath breakers?"

  Gordon frowned, a sort of grimace, which showed some teeth. "Unless you are challenging our claims in the systems we visited as we came to you?"

  "Oh no, not at all, that was never discussed," Timilo said quickly. "Allow me to go speak with the rest of my delegation," he asked. "Let me tell them your views frankly and get a consensus."

  "I don't know why you didn't have them all listening in from the start," Gordon said. He knew exactly why, but would act ignorant of the sort of power hoarding games Timilo was playing.

  Timilo took that for a dismissal and promised to get back to Gordon quickly.

  * * *

  "Derfhome control, this is Brownie for Master Gordon in the Nation of Red Tree Heavy Cruiser Retribution. We would like docking as near the Badger vessel as convenient, since we have business with them. Be advised the High Hopes and Dart are in transit and will arrive in several days. We do not expect the High Hopes to dock. We have no idea of the Dart's plans. The large alien vessel that has been following us may show or not. They aren't under our control at all. They'll do as they please."

  "Retribution, we have a vacancy two slots down from the Badger vessel, Testhaus. We are told that translates as Messenger. Given your angle of approach, please do an orbit around Derfhome on the leading side, and then do a normal following approach to the station. Do you wish utilities or fueling?"

  "We'd like power and sanitary connections, Control. We are good on fuel."

  "Gordon, we have an entry burst about a light hour out. The vessel had considerable velocity so far in system, and appears to be decelerating at twelve Gs. My guess would be that your daughter is back from dinner," Brownie said with a big smile.

  "Yes, confirming the Cricket flagged to the Kingdom of Central is hailing Derfhome station for a drop off, and asks a straight in approach. Derfhome control welcomes them and notes this is a first visit for a Central flagged vessel. They advised them they may drop their passenger at dock fourteen which will display a beacon, and there will be a fifteen-hundredths of an ounce fee for the airlock cycle. Cricket requests a dock cart pickup for their passenger and packages, and says that she will have the fee in cash. It looks like she is going to beat us to the station," Brownie said.

  "Ah, so you won't have to try grounding her," Jon said with false relief.

  "Packages? She had time for dinner and shopping too?" Gordon said, surprised.

  "They must have stayed in this galaxy," Ha-bob-bob-brie joked, tongue firmly in whatever served the Hinth for a cheek.

  "How quickly we accept the impossible and make jokes about it," Thor told him.

  "Has local traffic control said anything about his entry?" Gordon asked.

  "Not a blessed word," Brownie said, "if it's impossible sane folk just ignore it."

  "Huh, what can I say? First impossibility I saw, I didn't want to enter it in the log," Gordon agreed. "Brownie, call somebody on the station and arrange for them to take pix of the Cricket on approach and docked. Tell them to be subtle about it. And tell them we'll be picking Lee up when we dock."

  * * *

  The AI did a perfectly acceptable docking maneuver. Derfhome control informed them there was a cart and driver waiting for her. He was also the Derf version of a customs officer.

  "That was a pleasant dinner," Gabriel said. "I'll see you again fairly soon I'd wager. I'll stay at the controls if you don't mind letting yourself out. You go down to the next deck and there's a tunnel up to the nose under the flight deck. It's not how we usually dock at our own stations, but it's where we keep a standa
rd docking collar for Human stations. It would be an awkward goodbye from behind you in a narrow tunnel," he apologized.

  "Why do you expect to see me soon?" Lee asked, surprised. "Will you have business back here?" She was out of her couch and ready to climb down through the hatch, but she wanted that to be answered first.

  "No, but if you get your claims organization functioning I expect you'll do another voyage of exploration off the opposite direction," he said with a vague wave of his hand. "You'll go past Earth and come back past in maybe three or four years. If I'm not out of the system I figure you might stop again in passing. If not, I saw how well you got on with April. I'm sure you'll be back to Central sometime in the next couple decades."

  Lee laughed. "That's still not soon to me. Life extension hasn't changed my thinking that much yet."

  "It will," Gabriel promised. "You'll see."

  "Maybe," Lee agreed, "And thank you for dinner and your help with the Retribution," she said hanging on the take-holds to drop down to the next deck.

  "That's fine. It worked out well, because we didn't need another set of alien vessels getting the Earthies all excited," he said with a smile. "They tend to do stupid unexpected things when startled, so I hope your people resolve their issues and keep your new allies at Derfhome."

  As she climbed down Lee wondered how much of his help was a favor, and how much was what he'd just said? Or if both, how to weigh their relative importance? Gabriel hadn't said so explicitly, but Lee realized none of the aliens they met could follow a ship like the Cricket back to Earth when it moved the way she'd just seen.

  The driver was waiting, and couldn't hide his surprise when it was a young Human. He had a cart with a flat platform on the back comfortable for a Derf. Instead Lee climbed on the bench seat beside him and carefully put her package on the floor between her feet. Lee gave him the docking fee and an extra coin for his services. It was probably too much, but she didn't care.

  The driver asked her citizenship and looked surprised all over again when she informed him she was First daughter of the Third love son of the Four Hundred-Seventy Third First Mother of Red Tree, by the Hero of the Chain Bound Lands, Second line of the short haired folk, of Gordon - Lee Anderson. He wasn't about to question such a claim, not with a Red Tree heavy cruiser coming in to pick her up, and the furthest thing from his mind was to scan a young woman for weapons or prohibited items. There wasn't much prohibited into Derfhome station anyway. She didn't look like she had much of anywhere to hide live birds, and she didn't carry the shopping bag like it was full of plutonium. He relayed the information to the station administration on internal com, repeating her name flawlessly.

  "The Retribution won't be into dock for a couple hours still," the driver informed Lee. "Is there somewhere you want to go wait?"

  "Take me to the closest place to their dock where you think I might get a decent cup of coffee."

  "I'll drop you at a place about two hundred steps away from the dock that brews real bean coffee. Tell them Mark sent you to them," he requested. "Do you need high security storage for star-goods?" he asked, nodding at the package between her feet.

  "Oh! No," Lee laughed. "It's just a couple pies I picked up at dinner for my dad."

  The station worker looked confused, and then decided to drop it. If she didn't want him to know what she carried that was fine, no need to insult his intelligence. He wasn't going to be baited to be a humorless official and demand to see them. Pies indeed...Nobody carried pies between the stars, but then for a wonder he caught the scent of apples. Lee had no idea why he looked at her so oddly. He was still concerned to drop a young girl off by the docks. As safe as Derfhome station was compared to some others, the docks still had a lesser reputation.

  "I'll have dispatch call your ship and tell them where you are waiting," The fellow said, looking worried. "It isn't the best part of the station. Some of the dock rats are rough characters. I'd suggest you wait there and don't go out wandering around."

  "I'll keep that in mind. I've been in Earth jails. I doubt Derfhome station has anyplace to compete with them for scumminess. I shall be cautious," Lee promised, amused. She didn't mention the hypervelocity pistol under her elbow. The silly fellow would insist on holding it for her, and in a couple hours Gordon would have to send a courier all the way to the station offices to recover it. Besides, she liked the tactile reassurance of the deadly lump.

  * * *

  "Is this joint any good?" A familiar voice rumbled. Lee looked up and grinned at Gordon.

  "I didn't feel the station lurch. You must have had Thor dock," Lee said. "I expected a com call or that you'd send a lackey to fetch me." Lee waved at him to take a seat.

  Gordon looked across the room at the waiter and made a drinking motion, pointing at Lee's coffee.

  "Not much for me to do once we're grappled at dock. We don't have any lackeys," Gordon assured her. "They're all highly skilled workers. They're much busier than me now that we're docked. There's provisioning and maintenance you can't do under way. They're all self motivated and near irreplaceable to hear them tell it. Especially since they all figure they're millionaires several times over now, they've all developed a huge independent streak since they won't have to scramble for work. They aren't getting a Claims Commission payment as quickly as they hoped, but the banks would probably advance them cash against their claims, at a suitable discount."

  "That does change the dynamic, doesn't it?" Lee admitted. "But we still can retain the wanderlust weirdos and the adrenaline junkies who weren't in it primarily for the money."

  "Maybe we should reduce crew shares now that we have the avaricious ones weeded out."

  "Primarily, they're weird not stupid," Lee told him. "I thought you and Talker would be busy talking with the Badger officials waiting here," Lee said.

  "Ah, well that's another reason I decided to come collect you. I've had about as much talk-talk with the officials as an honest person can stand in one day. If they call to uh... excuse the expression, but badger me, Thor can tell them I'm on station and unavailable at the moment. It will build character to not have their calls received with breathless anticipation.

  "Did Gabriel take you off into the Deep some new direction? It occurred to me after you left, that he might take you to some distant Central colony such as he and April hinted they've established."

  "Gabriel was very hush-hush about any of Central's secrets. He took me to a colony in Human space started by religious groups that want to separate themselves. It was an agricultural world founded by Amish and Mennonite groups. He said it's hard to get a decent dinner off in the Deep. We had a very nice meal and I brought you an apple pie. I had a piece so I can assure you it is top notch."

  "Thank you. We visited a world like that near the end of the war," Gordon remembered. "They treated aliens better than the supposedly modern and enlightened worlds. It was pretty pleasant. I have my doubts the horses would have ever gotten used to me however. I made them nervous."

  "Interesting, I never saw any horses on Bountiful. They had lots of very efficient light vehicles with steam engines and diesels," Lee said.

  Gordon nodded. "A different colony plan I'd suspect, and perhaps different skills available in the colonists. There's a lot to know to take care of animals. To train and breed them, and keep them disease free."

  "Like most planets it was fun to visit, but I think it would get monotonous to live there," Lee said.

  "How did you find Gabriel?" Gordon asked directly. "Does he loosen up and get any more outgoing one on one? I thought him rather reserved most of the time."

  "Oh, I've been sitting here thinking about Gabriel," Lee said. "You know, the videos are full of all kinds of people in complicated social situations, but just like I found out on Earth, it's a whole lot different actually dealing with people face to face than in the videos. In the future if we have to deal with April, or go to the Moon, I'll try to avoid Gabriel. He said he was looking forward to seeing me again in a
few years, or decades! He really does take the long view with life extension. I decided not to argue that with him or be unkind, but I'm of the firm opinion I can only make him unhappy."

  "That rather surprises me," Gordon admitted. "But why did you say it that way, that you'd make him unhappy, instead of saying he'd make you unhappy?"

  "Because Gabriel is in love with April," Lee said, with certainty. "I'm not even sure he knows it, but he completely changes his voice and manner if he relates something about her. It's so obvious even I can figure it out, as little as I've been around people. He kept remarking how similar I am to her when she was my age. I'm pretty sure he hopes I'll turn into April, just given a little time. I really don't see that happening. In fact, I have no desire to become April, no matter how neat she is, and I liked her a lot. We're alike some ways, but he only sees the similarities he wants to see. No matter how close I get, I'm afraid I'm never going to be April. It would disappoint him in the end."

  "Ah, that's sad. I wonder if April knows?" Gordon pondered.

  "How could she not, if even I can figure it out?" Lee asked. "It did teach me something though. I wasn't even aware it was something I needed to learn, but it's a remarkable insight. Just because you like somebody, in no way does that mean they are going to feel the same way back."

  "I think that's one of those things that's so obvious nobody feels the need to spell it out," Gordon said, "at least not in a formal way. I'm sure there is literature that explores it. Surely there must be a modern play or a movie that touches on it. I think it might be characterized as a tragedy. There is a genre called romances, but I believe they are universally happy,"

  "I guess nobody loaded up my playlist with tragedies," Lee said. "You give kids happy stuff."

  "Yes, we're guilty of that I suspect...Well! At least the food was good I hope?"

  "The food was fantastic," Lee agreed. "I enjoyed seeing a completely different Human culture, and the ride was a blast again. I tried not to be too obviously impressed, but damn!"

  "We'll catch up," Gordon promised. "Just knowing it can be done is the first big step. You'll have time to do it now, and likely I will too.