An Easy Job by Carrie Vaughn

Author:Carrie Vaughn
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates

* * *

Perce and I are on an entirely different station, several dozen light years away, well within Trade Guild territory this time. We’re standing outside the offices of an interstellar aid organization in need of an operations manager with accounting experience.

“A job?” Perce stares at the organization’s nameplate, baffled.

“Or I can take you home and suggest you be charged with abetting piracy. But I thought you’d like this better. It might not be helping Cancri Delta directly. But it’ll get you closer.”

“I hate bureaucracies,” he muttered.

“Yeah, I gathered.”

“But they probably won’t shoot at me.”

“Very likely.”

He bows his head, nods like he’s made a decision. “Thank you. This … is better.”

“And I’m trusting you.”

“Yes.” He looks at me square on. “How do you stand it? Being so close to Ransom and your crew, being their friend, and they have no idea what you are?”

“No choice, really. The alternative is not having it at all.” It’s easier for everyone this way. No one ever needs to know. Even Ransom wouldn’t understand if he knew. So I don’t tell.

“I understand, I think.”

I hold out my hand, so that he’ll really understand. And he takes it. The pinch, the spark follow, and we know each other, everything that has happened and our memories of it. I see myself through his eyes and … he is still confused. He’s holding both versions of me: my memories and his perception of me, at the same time. It isn’t easy.

For my part, I see that he has a lot to learn. I’m looking forward to downloading someone’s memories about him in a few years, when he’s had a chance to settle down.

Our contact breaks, and he gets this daring look in his eyes. He takes hold of my face and plants a kiss on my lips, dry and aggressive. Then he lets go, nods, and walks himself through the office door.

Just like that. Simplest thing in the world.

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