Boomtown Craze by M. Pax

Author:M. Pax [Pax, M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Science Fiction, Space Opera, General, Action & Adventure
Google: vOlPBgAAQBAJ
Amazon: B00BJ6FUKO
Publisher: M. Pax
Published: 2015-01-21T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 33

Having the new hire-ons hawk their stories and experiences on InfoCy did wonders. Twenty-three hopefuls came in with the next transport. Nahv, Mos, and Eina trained them. When Craze approved the work of the new staff, he promoted Nahv to tour manager, Mos to concert organizer, Eina to souvenir coordinator, and sent Chenna’s people back to Vodag with his thanks and kegs of his malt, mead, and ale.

By the time the next excursion came in, Craze’s team handled it like a perfectly navigated trip through the Lepper. Guests left happy and laughing after spending good amounts of chips. He grinned at the quantities filling his accounts, dreaming of the central worlds relocating and declaring Pardeep the main hub.

When his tab pinged, he grabbed it, hoping for word from Talos. The worry nipped like pinches, tarnishing his golden new age. What if Ingarsse had jettisoned him out an airlock and commandeered the Sequi? The only thing squelching that nightmare was the fact the Jixes hadn’t shown up on Pardeep yet.

Talos wasn’t the only stain on the growing boom. Craze’s friends were either off world, despondent, on the verge of death, or unwilling to share in the turn of fortune. These improved days belonged to them as much as to Craze, and he wished for them to be here laughing and planning with him, sharing a malt and the dreams.

When Rainly’s face filled the screen, he brightened, but she quickly dashed his joy with her grief-stricken face. “I haven’t seen you in over a week.” She muttered as if those few words robbed her of all her energy.

He hated to see her so low when Pardeep teetered on such a high. It made him feel dastardly to have been so jolly when she spent the days crying and Dactyl spent them struggling for life. Craze’s shoulders slumped. “Had new staff to train. Two tour boats came in. I’m sure you saw.” He chewed his thick lower lip, chiding himself for making excuses.

The glow of Dactyl’s stasis field brightened the darkening patches under her eyes. She stared off to the side at nothing, barely moving her mouth. “Thanks for handling them for me.”

Don’t thank me, he wanted to shout at her. He wanted to shake her until she giggled and blabbered at him for hours. “Sure. Hey! I’ll come up ‘n bring you some stew. OK?”

She blinked in slow motion. “I’m not hungry. One of your hire-ons brought me some earlier. The one with the six arms.”

Craze straightened and yanked down the cuffs of his brown and ivory striped shirt. “You see, I’m lookin’ out for you ‘n seein’ to it you is taken care of, but I wish you’d come hang out for awhile. You need the break, ‘n we don’t talk so much anymore.”

She didn’t move and faintly whispered. “You never have the time.”

He had avoided her and Dactyl’s sorrow. He swore to be a better friend. “I’ll always make time for you.”

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t have anything to say I haven’t said five billion times already.

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