Hardshellz

by Morris Kenyon

CHAPTER 13: ENDGAME

  The following day, I woke up. Despite the medication the ship's auto-doctor had pumped into me, I still felt like a football at the end of a match. However, I was cheered up when I saw the view-screen was displaying the pure blackness of outer space as we headed towards the edge of Sepharvaim's solar system. Better still, there was no sign of pursuit as, even set to maximum, our sensors could find nothing behind us.

  We'd made it. We were free. Even if the pirates launched their craft now, it couldn't catch us before we'd reached the optimum position to engage the monkey-saddle and launch into hyper-jump. Putting on fresh clothes, I made my way over to the restaurant and requested breakfast. As one of only two passengers on board, I felt like a billionaire as the servo-bot brought my food. As I ate, I watched as a brilliant white moon belonging to a gas giant swung by. It was a beautiful sight and my heart lifted as it dropped behind.

  Julianna joined me. She looked as ravishing as ever, even wearing a formal, chalk-striped trouser-suit. Her hair was immaculate. She laid her hand on mine and my skin thrilled to her touch. "You did well, Vic. You rescued the shell and got it back safely. I know Sava will be really pleased and I'm sure he'll reward you."

  I gulped. I knew what I wanted for a reward but I doubted Sava would give it – or her – to me, no matter how grateful he was. Guessed I'd have to settle for a monetary reward instead. Never mind – at the rate I was going I'd soon be able to afford a gynoid of my own.

  Later that day, a medic-bot administered the relaxants needed to enter hyper-space. Cocooned, we slipped into that weird beyond-space that is still not fully understood by scientists. We dipped out of it once to refuel hydrogen from a gas giant before continuing.