Y+33
Nils drove toward his home habitat.
“Hab 18?” Miller asked again, though Nils avoided the subject for the past half hour.
“Miller, how about I give you a bigger cut with my job–”
“I’d always take a bigger cut,” she grinned.
“–in exchange for you not going with me?”
“Out of the question,” Deputy Miller snapped back quickly. “I’ve got to look out for my investment.”
“What investment?” Nils grumbled.
“The value of my ten percent of the thirty-thousand, plus expenses.” Miller stated, then her voice softened. “Plus, I think it will be a perfect way to ask you for my favor.”
“What is it about, Miller?” Nils asked, his own voice softening. “Can’t you give me a hint?”
“No,” she almost whispered. “Not yet.”
They sat silently as the crawler navigated the tracks, heading toward his habitat.
“We’re about three hours away from my hab,” Nils said, breaking the awkward silence.
“Any surprises?” Deputy Miller asked.
“Like what?”
“Like letting me in on Hab 18?
“What will you give me for it?” Nils sparred, hoping to agitate her.
“Fine, keep your secret!” Miller snapped. She furrowed her brows.
“We’ll get to it,” Nils answered. He reconsidered. Agitating her seemed stupid. “I’ve got an idea.”
“What?” Miller asked.
“Let’s call a truce.” Nils suggested.
“What do you propose?” Miller’s voice softened again.
“We’ll set the discussion about Hab 18 aside for a while. I’ll stop asking you about the favor.”
“Fair enough,” she said.
“Thanks,” Nils smiled and checked the auto-drive, ensuring that they were still on course.
“What should we talk about instead?”
“How about the Urubuan Marshal’s visit?” Nils asked, wondering what they had been looking for.
“Mostly informal,” Deputy Miller answered. “They seemed concerned about how we organized the Department.”
“How so? I mean, you handle things fairly well. We have no crime at Conrad.”
“Ha. Coming from one of its most upstanding citizens.”
“Yup, I’m planning to run for Station Council.”
They both laughed at the joke.
“How so?” he said, asking again.
“They wanted to know how our jurisdiction fit within American law enforcement. It surprised him that we don’t.”
“Really?”
“You’re surprised?” She asked, Nils noticed her face betrayed astonishment.
“Well—I mean, yeah,” Nils fumbled. “I didn’t realize that you don’t have connections.”
“It’s simple,” Miller answered. “The department is part of Lunadyne security. If we have an actual crime to report, we need to contact the whatever agency we care to. It’s usually the U. S. Marshal’s office since it’s easier.”
“You’re not a cop?” Nils challenged.
“So, if you assume that,” Miller growled. “I’ll put you in a body cast for sure.”
“No,” Nils steered away from the challenge. “I meant that I don’t understand how Lunadyne security fits.”
“Honestly, that is what the Marshal was asking.”
“What did you explain that made sense to him?”
“I can arrest whoever they need arrested,” she answered. “If a major crime occurs, I need to report it to whatever authority is convenient. I can arrest anyone and hold them until the Earth side authority picks them up. Also, I can act to protect the company assets from destruction.”
“What does that mean?”
“Exactly what I said. If some asshole were attempting to break open a door directly to vacuum, I would stop him. I’d take him down if needed.”
Nils thought as he monitored the progress of the auto-drive.
Why is she being so open about it? She got pissed at me and kept it up for going on three years now. What has changed? She is almost being nice.
She knew about the smuggling. He had told her in so many words. Obviously, she could have arrested him frequently, but she did not.
“Miller?”
“Yeah, prospector?”
“What’s with the arrangement?” Nils asked.
“You mean the ten percent?” She grinned.
“Yup, that and the other fees,” he said, wondering about the cat-and-mouse game they played. She would find him about once a month and force him to pay some fee to have her look the other way.
“So, you’re wanting to renegotiate our deal?”
“No.”
“Let me remind you, Nils,” She smiled. “Our arrangement is that you need to pay a ten percent fee for you to continue doing business at the bar.”
“–payable before I leave the station. We’ve been through that.”
“Then what do you want?”
“Forget it,” he said. Nils declined to dig any further. Paying Miller had become a cost of doing business, and he lacked the money to pay more. But it had never gone beyond the occasional hassle. Miller had never asked him to drive anywhere. She had never inserted herself into any of his other business.
Why now? He wondered. What had changed?
