The crew of the Outlaw Star had felt Elara's absence keenly over the past week. Though she had not been there long, she had somehow affected each rather deeply.
Gene smiled to himself as he walked into the main room of their warehouse home, looking for Jim. Finally, an excuse to go to Inura. "Jim, I've just got a job offer," he announced.
"What is it?"
Gene glanced down at the paper he was holding. "Cargo transfer from here to Inura of rare spices. The pay is good—looks like twelve thousand wong."
"Five thousand!" Jim exclaimed.
"Yeah—two thousand up front, and ten when we deliver it."
Jim's expression turned quizzical. "Why so much?"
"I guess they've heard of the Outlaw Star and think that we'll be able to protect the cargo well."
"Oh—so they're concerned about piracy attempts?"
"Looks like it."
"Did you accept it?"
"Of course. It is a lot of money, you know."
"Duh, Gene."
"Mel," Gene called to her up the stairs.
"Yes?"
"We're heading out to Inura this afternoon after we get the cargo loaded."
"You got a job?"
"Of course I did."
Melfina walked down the stairs. A few minutes later, after Jim had gone upstairs to get his laptop, she asked Gene, "Isn't Inura the planet where Elara's company's headquarters is located?"
"Yes."
Melfina's expression grew apprehensive. "What do you have in mind, Gene?"
"I'm going to talk to her—you know, find out exactly what is going on…and thank her personally for what she did."
"Does Jim know about the money yet?"
"If he does, he hasn't said anything. But if he knew, he would have asked me where it came from, so my guess is he is still in the dark."
"Be gentle with her, Gene—she may have the maturity, job, and poise of a thirty-year-old businesswoman, but she is still a sixteen-year-old girl. Don't ever forget that," Melfina told him, underlining the last statement with a hint of steel.
"You're worried about her, aren't you?"
"Yes. I don't even want to imagine the emotional scarring she has from her…ordeal, as if her having lost her family and thrust into the presidency of a huge company wasn't enough for a girl at her age to handle."
Gene lifted her chin up with his finger and looked into her eyes. "Mel, I promise you that when I go talk to her I'll be good, all right?"
"Thank you, Gene."
True to his word, the trio was on their way to Elara's home planet that afternoon. "Gilliam, how long will we be in ether drive before reverting to Inuran space?" Gene asked once they had left Centennial III's gravity shadow.
"Four hours, twenty-four minutes, and seventeen seconds, to be exact, Gene," the computer replied crisply.
"Thanks, Gilliam. I'm going to go check on the cargo restraints right now, so keep an eye on things, 'kay?"
"Of course."
Gilliam's computations proved to be only half a second off once they entered Inuran space. "Whoa—large planet," Jim commented once it came into view.
"No kidding. Mel, direct us to the capital city."
"Sure thing," she replied.
A little over an hour later they had touched down at the main spaceport. "Gene, the fees here are going to cost us a fortune!" Jim exclaimed once he had learned of their destination.
Gene flashed him a roguish grin. "Hey, don't worry about it, Jim. I'm sure we'll be able to cover it."
"That's easy for you to say, since you don't know about our financial state," he mumbled under his breath.
"What did you say?" Gene demanded.
"Nothing, nothing," he replied evasively, glancing away from his partner and putting his hands behind his head, as was his habit when avoiding Gene's requests to repeat himself.
A few hours later they had unloaded and delivered the cargo and had been paid for the job. "So now what?" Jim asked after carefully counting over the money.
"Now I'm going to go out on the town," Gene told him with a wink and a grin.
Jim groaned. "Not again. Mel, can't you talk some sense into him?"
Melfina chuckled. "Is it possible?" she replied with a teasing smile.
"Hey!" Gene protested. "I'll be back around dinnertime, all right?"
"Sure," Jim said with a roll of his eyes.
Gene chose to ignore that and walked off. A few blocks away he hailed a cab and told the driver to take him to the Alcyone Enterprises corporate office building on 6th Avenue downtown. He arrived there minutes later and, after paying the cabbie, stared up at the massive skyscraper in awe. Nice place Elara has here. Now to see if I can get inside to meet with her.
He took the elevator up to the seventy-fifth floor after asking the desk where the president's office was located. Upon arriving at the floor he was again stopped short by the opulence displayed there. Expensive mahogany woods from the exotic world of Enrica paneled the walls. Gene recognized the wood due to its distinct spicy scent. Lush green carpet covered the floor, muting the steps of employees moving from place to place.
Putting on an air of confidence he did not quite feel, Gene strode down the corridor toward Elara's office. When he got there he noticed that her secretary was busy talking with a white-haired man, so he sat down and waited for her to finish. Here goes nothing—I had better try the legitimate channels first before doing anything drastic.
Seven minutes later the white-haired man left and Gene walked up to the massive oaken desk. "Yes?" the secretary asked politely.
"Is there a spot open today for a meeting with President Alcyone?" he asked.
The secretary glanced through the day's notebook. "You're in luck, sir. There is a two-hour spot open beginning at twelve fifteen this afternoon. Shall I write you in for it?"
"Yes, please."
"I will need your name for it, sir."
He glanced at her with a slightly embarrassed look. "Sorry. It's Gene Starwind."
"Thank you, sir. We will see you at twelve fifteen, then?"
"Of course." As Gene turned to leave he spotted a man in his early fifties stomp angrily toward Elara's office and barge into it without giving any advance warning of his coming. He frowned and turned as casually as he could back to Elara's secretary. "Who was that?"
The secretary winced. "The vice president, Ivan Stinson. He's been getting on the president's case lately about imagining some sort of traumatic event, and is trying to persuade the Board that she is incapable of carrying out the duties of her position. Personally, I think she should get rid of him, but right now he's undermined her authority enough that I don't think it would matter." Her expression changed to one of fear. "Don't tell anyone I said that, please, Mr. Starwind."
"Your secret is safe with me," he promised. Gene then glanced at a nearby clock. Two hours until I get to meet with her. I hope she doesn't revoke my appointment or anything…I don't think she will, but with the way she left, maybe she doesn't want to see any of us again.
As he punched the first-floor button in the elevator he frowned when he remembered that man's actions. She said that the VP was getting on Elara's case about imagining some sort of traumatic event. There's only one thing that could be—her being raped. But what did he mean by imagining it? How would he know? That's just one more thing I will have to ask her in two hours.
Deep in thought, he sauntered absentmindedly through the lobby once he had exited the elevator at the first floor and left the building.
* * *
Fifteen minutes after Gene's departure Stinson left Elara's office with an annoyed expression on his face. She's a tough one, all right—I've got to get just a little bit more hard evidence to prove she's cracked to the Board—I wish she would say something in her office that would give me the break I need! I'm running out of time, since the longer she remains apparently sane, the less pull my argument will have. Still grumbling to himself, he returned to his own office and got down to work.
Meanwhile, Elara had just received her updated schedule for the day and was shocked to find Gene's name written in. What on earth could he have to say to me? she wondered, then grimaced. A whole lot, she reminded herself. Oh, well. Best to be prepared. She took out a sheet of paper from one of her drawers and began writing on it.
* * *
Promptly at twelve fifteen Gene was admitted into Elara's office. It was all she could do to refrain from running to him. Instead, she calmly glanced up at him and said in greeting, "Hello, Mr. Starwind."
"Hello, President Alcyone," he replied in kind, catching on to her tone of voice.
"Will you sit down?"
"Thank you."
Elara reached down into a file drawer and withdrew a slim folder, taking care to ruffle the pages somewhat loudly. "If you will peruse these papers, I believe you will find everything to be to your satisfaction. Let me know if you have any questions, of course."
Gene nodded and opened the folder. Only the first page held words; the rest were completely blank. Glancing at the note, he read, Gene, this office is bugged. It's a really long story, and I'm sure you want to hear all about it, since normal company presidents don't have bugged offices. I want to explain some things to you, but I can't here. Maybe you could ask me out to lunch or something—you know, get us out of here to a place where we can talk. In short, I need your help. Desperately.
He glanced up at Elara in surprise, who sat there watching him. "The papers do look well in order, President. But since I do have a few issues to discuss with you, would it be all right if I treated you to lunch? I am sure you are rather hungry by this time, and I must admit that I am famished."
"That would be wonderful, Mr. Starwind." Elara stood and walked over toward him. Gene also stood, and before he opened the office door for her caught her flashing him a grateful smile.
He nodded in reply and opened the door for her, then followed her out. "One of the things I was curious about, President Alcyone, was the ratio of piracy attempts to successful boardings. I deal in rare goods, as you well know, and would not like them to fall into pirate hands."
Elara realized Gene was trying to make legit conversation and appreciated his efforts. "Last I checked only three percent of all cargo transports had been attacked by pirates, and of that three percent only seven point five percent were successfully boarded. Of those successful boardings, fully half were intercepted by Space Police Forces."
"You have quite the positive record, President." By this time they had entered the elevator. After Gene had hit the first floor button, he cast a quizzical glance at Elara, and a shake of her head warned him that they were not out of danger yet. "However, I must ask how it is that you are able to enlist the Space Forces' help so quickly."
"A legitimate question. All of our ships, and those ships that are pressed into our service temporarily, are outfitted with a transponder beacon manufactured by a branch of this company. That beacon, once the activation button is pressed, sends out a large-wave radio distress signal throughout the immediate area of space and a small-wave signal through hyperspace, alerting all forces within a five-light-year radius to the situation at hand, as well as the exact location of the raid. Generally there is a Space Force base within that radius. Alcyone Enterprises rarely deals with planets that are so far away from the major centers that they would not have enough bases to cover that much space."
When reaching the circulation desk in the main lobby, Elara had the man on duty order her car brought around. Minutes later they had been led out by another man to the waiting limousine. The chauffeur let them in, and once they had been comfortably seated asked them their destination.
"The Crystal Shard restaurant, please," Gene told him.
Elara glanced over at him with an approving look. It's high-class enough for me to go there, but is too much of a public place for Stinson to have a legit reason to bug it. We'll be able to safely speak there. He's not powerful enough to get away with any illegal eavesdropping in that place—my servants have it and six other restaurants checked out and have assured me that there is no one within his reach working in the building. The only reason I can trust them is because they were completely loyal to my parents first, then my brother, and now me.
"Do you use grappler ships?" Gene asked, breaking into her thoughts and steering her back into their earlier line of discussion. I doubt that this car is bug-free, so I'll wait to drop the disguise until we reach the restaurant.
"From time to time, if we see a need for them."
"How do you define a need?"
He's good, real good. He asks all the questions a real customer would ask. This is a side of Gene I've never seen before. "A need is if the cargo is what one would think would be fairly enticing to a pirate group to lay their hands on, or if the cargo is being transferred through an area that sees heavy pirate activity."
"How effective are they against pirate attacks?"
"Very. We recruit only the best pilots and buy only the best ships this galaxy has to offer. The fact that the company is so diversified grants us the funding to be able to do that."
"How many areas do you cover within Alcyone Enterprises, exactly?"
"Let's see…computer hardware and software, delicate electronics and repair, cargo transport, office hardware, computer and video games and hardware, television production, radio production, and book and video publishing and distribution."
Gene's eyes grew wide. I had no idea they encompassed that many industries. He regained his composure and replied nonchalantly, "Quite the self-sustaining business, apparently."
Elara was pleased at his self-control. "Yes. The fact that we are diversified allows us to keep one part of the company to keep running even if the demand for its products begins to decline, helping us stay in business and refraining from having to worry about mass layoffs."
"I'm surprised more companies haven't followed suit."
"It does take quite an operating base to launch a corporation of this magnitude, you know. It does not appear overnight."
"True." Gene was about to answer another question, but the driver interrupted. "We have reached the restaurant, ma'am."
"Very good. I will let you know when I wish for you to return."
"Yes, ma'am," he answered. Parking on the curb, he exited the vehicle and walked around to the back, opened the door, and allowed Gene and Elara to exit. Once standing out on the sidewalk, Gene courteously offered Elara his arm and together they walked inside the building.
"Thank you, Gene," she whispered to him once they had been let in.
He glanced over at her and saw her eyes sparkling with unshed tears. "No problem," he replied with a slightly embarrassed shrug. By this time they had reached the registrar. "May I help you?" the suited man behind the stand inquired politely.
"Yes. A table for two, please," Elara told him.
"Under whose name?"
"Alcyone."
The man's eyes widened. "Miss Alcyone?"
Elara nodded.
"Why, it is an unexpected pleasure to serve you here. Right this way, if you please," he said as he led them over to a spacious booth that, fortunately, was in an area where there were others around, but not so many that it would make speaking harder. Once they were seated, the man handed them each a menu and said, "Your server will be with you shortly."
Both nodded once in reply, then turned to their menus. Once the man was out of sight, however, Gene set his menu down on the table. "What's going on, Elara?"
Elara set her own menu down much more slowly and hesitated before answering. "A lot."
"Why is your office bugged?"
She glanced away from him. "I made a few mistakes, so Stinson got some information that I wish he didn't have and is using it against me."
"You mean how he's claiming that you're not mentally capable of carrying out the duties of your position?"
Elara looked at him in shock. "How do you know that?"
"I happened to be making my appointment with you when I saw a man barge into your office. I asked your secretary who that was, and she told me that he was the vice president and is trying to persuade the Board that you imagined some traumatic event and that you should be relieved of the presidency."
Her face had gone pale. "It's that obvious, then."
"What do you mean?"
"One of the times that Stinson 'told' me off he deliberately left the door to my office open. All of the staff in the immediate area could hear what he said, and word must have spread as well." She shook her head sadly as a lone tear slipped down her cheek. "And I have no way to refute him. So now I live in almost perpetual fear that something I do will be able to be used against me and get me out of the presidency. I don't have anyone I can trust…not anymore…"
In an unexpected gesture Gene reached across the table and took the young woman's hand. "I'm sorry," he said simply.
Elara blinked rapidly as she tried to keep the tears at bay. "Thank you," she replied, her voice thick. Out of the corner of her eye she saw someone approaching, and took her hand away.
Gene saw their waiter coming as well, and decided it would be a good time to change the subject. "I got that message from you."
She glanced over at him. "You did?"
He nodded. "Yes. And Jim doesn't know about it…yet."
"Thank you."
"No—thank you, Elara. You're the one who got us out of that horrible debt problem. Almost as soon as I read that message, I got a call from Fred thanking me for finally starting to pay off the loan."
The waiter then arrived. "What would you like to drink, ma'am?" he asked.
"A bottle of your finest sparkling cider, please."
"And you, sir?"
"I'll stick with the same, thank you."
"I will return shortly." The waiter turned smartly and headed over to the kitchens.
"As I was about to ask you, Gene, I was wondering how you were able to head of Fred's questions about how you got the money," she queried with a slight smile.
"I told him it was a 'trade secret,'" he told her with a wink and a grin.
One of her eyebrows shot up. "A trade secret, eh? And since when does Starwind and Hawking Enterprises have trade secrets?"
"Since I said so."
"And Fred bought it?"
"I guess," he answered with a shrug. "He seemed sorta quizzical, but took the bait."
Elara shuddered faintly. "That guy is so weird."
Gene grimaced. "Tell me about it. At least you've never been the recipient of one of his hugs. Or… other gestures."
She made a face in reply. "How awful."
"Yeah." He chuckled. "You should have seen the look on Jim's face when…" Gene trailed off when he saw the expression on Elara's face at the mention of his partner's name. "Why did you leave?" he said abruptly, his tone gentle.
"It's a long story," she responded evasively.
"Elara, I know you have a reason."
Elara opened her mouth to reply when she spotted the waiter returning with their drinks. "We'd better figure out what we're going to eat, you know."
"True. I'm definitely hungry now," Gene said, trying to get Elara's mind off Jim.
She rolled her eyes. "You're always hungry."
"Hey, not always!"
"Well, most of the time," she allowed. "Anyway, when you are hungry, you sure do eat a lot. Don't worry—I'm paying for this," she told him when she saw the look on his face. "How's your business doing, anyway?"
"It could be better," he replied as the waiter walked up. "The new influx of funds should help, at least as soon as my partner is made aware of them," he said, deliberately becoming more businesslike in order to keep their charade up.
"Oh? Does he keep track of the money side as well?" Elara inquired, acting out her part.
"Yes. Since I tend to be the one to go on the most business trips, I do not have as much time as he does to look over our capital. Besides, he is a bit better with numbers and economics than I am."
"How convenient."
"Actually, we engineered it that way."
She chuckled appropriately. The waiter chose that point to clear his throat. Both Elara and Gene turned to look at him as if just having been made aware of his presence. "Are either of you ready to order?"
"Yes," Elara told him. "I'll have a nirée salad with Riia dressing on the side please, and a side order of fruit salad."
"Very good, ma'am. And you, sir?"
"I believe I will go with the Diron ribs and broccoli platter, with a side order of white rice."
"Will that be all?"
Both nodded in response.
"Very good then." He took their menus and left.
"You seem to have quite the affinity for white rice, my friend," Elara noted with a smile.
He shrugged. "It was my family's staple dish when I was a kid, so I guess it just reminds me of my old home. Besides, I just plain like the stuff."
"You seem to have lost your businesslike speech."
"Yup." He paused for a moment to pour each of them a glass of the sparkling cider. "Why did you leave?"
She sighed heavily. "I'm not really sure if I can put it into words…you know, so that it's actually understandable…but, it started with the whole Guardian thing."
Gene frowned. "I still don't really understand all that."
"A Guardian is someone who has special powers, but those powers only can be used at certain times, most often when someone the Guardian…cares about…is in danger. That's why I left."
"Because you're a Guardian?"
Elara shook her head. "No…because of why my powers appeared."
"Oh, so…if they appear because someone you like is in danger, you like Jim, don't you?"
She hung her head dejectedly and replied in a barely audible voice, "Yes."
He frowned again. "Then…why was that what made you leave like that?"
"I felt…weird…when I thought about sticking around…you know, because he realized that I like him."
"What does that have to do with anything?" he asked with a quizzical look.
Elara glanced across the table at him, one eyebrow raised. "Would you want to stick around a place where you liked someone and that person did not like you back?"
Gene stared at her for a moment, then burst out into helpless laughter.
"What's so funny?" she asked, her eyes narrowing dangerously.
"Elara…oh, man…you think…damn…you think he doesn't like you back?"
"Uh…yeah…" she trailed off, her earlier expression replaced by one of confusion.
"Elara," he said, having regained his composure, "Jim went nuts when he read your note. I'm not sure what exactly is going on, but apparently you think he doesn't like you and he thinks you don't like him."
Elara stared at him with an air of stunned disbelief. "He…likes me?" she said in a tiny voice.
"Yup."
A small tear slipped down her cheek.
Gene sighed and shook is head. "I'm cursed—I always make girls cry."
Elara chuckled. "Seriously?"
"Yeah." One eyebrow shot up. "Wait…you're not sad?"
"Gene, you silly goose, I'm crying because I'm happy."
"Oh." He chuckled embarrassedly.
She grinned at him. "You're a funny guy, Gene. You can be so irresponsible and almost thoughtless at times, and yet you can be the sweetest guy I've ever met."
Gene was not sure whether that was an insult or a compliment. "Thanks…I think."
Elara laughed. "It's a compliment, silly."
"Oh, okay."
Out of the corner of her eye the young woman spotted their waiter returning with their meals. She switched the topic to the latest news in the area until the waiter left.
"So, Elara," Gene said before diving into his bowl of rice, "what are you going to do about Stinson?"
"I don't know," she sighed. "What can I do?"
"Well, I was thinking that you could have a hearing on it, you know, defend yourself," he suggested around a mouthful of rice.
"A hearing? What good would that do?"
"It would get the evidence for and against his argument out into the open, for one thing. Also, it would give you a chance to have witnesses testify in your behalf."
"Like you guys?"
"Yeah."
"You know, Gene, that's not a bad idea."
"Well, I rather thought so myself."
She shook her head yet could not refrain from grinning. "You're incorrigible, you know that?"
"Why, thank you…I guess…"
Elara laughed. "So, Gene, would you help me do this whole hearing thing?"
"Of course. And I'm sure Mel and Jim will want to help, too."
"…I should talk to him, shouldn't I."
"Yes, you should."
The young woman sighed. "I've made such a mess of things. How the hell am I supposed to reconcile with him after what I've done?"
Gene shrugged. "Just talk to him. It can't be too hard. I mean, you guys had your heads together over half the time while you were staying at our place."
She glowered. "It's not that easy!"
"I know," he said, his eyes twinkling.
"Why you…" She smiled impudently before kicking his shin underneath the table.
"Ow!"
"You're incorrigible."
He grinned. "That's why you like me, right?"
Elara rolled her eyes. "Whatever."
"But, seriously, Elara, just talk to him. I know he'll appreciate it."
"All right…I will. Right after lunch. Though it'll have to be quick. I have an appointment at two-thirty."