Disclaimer: Please see Prologue
Part Three: Pay Your Bills
"50,000 klarns for the repair to your hull, 20,000 klarns for repair to your engines, 1,000 klarns for one of the computer specialists to clean that self-perpetuating virus from your computer," Goddard thought of Catalina. "And a hundred-thousand klarn fee for the resulting damage to the area. We will put you up in a housing facility in Toloch for 300 klarns a week if you wish, or you may remain on your ship."
I hate lawyers thought Seth as the Derezian woman handed him his "bill."
"Do you require a currency exchange?"
"Uh... Actually... we are kind of low in the 'currency' department."
"Are you unable to pay for damages?" The woman's tone was clipped and short, perfectly lawyerlike. She belonged on Earth.
"At this time, yes..." said Goddard, wincing at her tone. He felt like he was being chewed out by the principal in high school.
"Then you will have to remain on-planet until you are able to pay your fees. Do you wish for the work on your ship to commence at this point?"
Why not, thought Seth. We're screwed anyway.
"Yeah, sure," he said. "Will we be able to find employment in the city, Toloch?"
"Yes, the laws here regarding immigration and work will not get in your way. And you pronounce that city "tah-LOCK" not "TA-lock"."
"OK."
"Good day, Commander Goddard. We will send an escort to bring you to Toloch, and your stay in the city will be paid for by us for the first week."
"Thanks."
[pic]
Goddard stepped into the Command Post, where the rest of the crew awaited news.
"We're getting screwed by the government," said Goddard. "If the rest of Derez is like this we'll soon be paying body parts in taxes and eating at McDonald's."
Harlan and Davenport smiled at Goddard's Earth reference.
"Everyone, pack up. We're going to the city, Ta-LOCK, to get bad jobs and pay for our damage to local wildlife." His tone was every bit as sarcastic as that of Bova, who had been woken up for the second time in two hours to hear the news. "We're probably going to be here a while."
[pic]
"Well we sure aren't setting the government back too much by staying in this place," said Harlan, setting his pack down on the floor. The room he stood in was the epitome of crappy motel rooms. His room adjoined to Radu's on one side and Bova's on the other, with Goddard opposite him. In the middle of the four rooms, set in a square, was a single bathroom with a very old shower and a VERY old toilet. The three women were in the adjoining square, with Titania in Catalina's room. The floor squeaked when he took a step towards the bed.
"At least your bed can hold your weight," said Radu, walking into the room from their shared door. "I'll be sleeping on the floor. And yours squeaks."
"Yes, I know."
"Oh well..." Radu sat on the edge of Harlan's bed, sinking down to the frame. Harlan, next to him, raised up a few inches. "At least we are in a block to ourselves."
"Yeah... Hey, Radu?"
"Yes Harlan?"
"That flying you did earlier was amazing. I mean, I never would have known what to do in a situation like that. We all owe you one."
Radu smiled slightly. "Thanks Harlan. You know it was just because I can sense my surroundings. I'm sure if you had been in my place, you wouldn't have been thrown clear across the Command Post when landing!"
"Maybe if I had stayed Andromedan..." The two laughed together.
"Man, five years ago could you have seen something like this?" asked Harlan.
"What, not complaining or even freaking out when we crash on an alien planet and are stuck there indefinitely?"
"Well yeah... that too I guess! But I meant this, just us two sitting together laughing at inside jokes and getting along."
"Not in a million years!"
[pic]
Part Three: Pay Your Bills
"50,000 klarns for the repair to your hull, 20,000 klarns for repair to your engines, 1,000 klarns for one of the computer specialists to clean that self-perpetuating virus from your computer," Goddard thought of Catalina. "And a hundred-thousand klarn fee for the resulting damage to the area. We will put you up in a housing facility in Toloch for 300 klarns a week if you wish, or you may remain on your ship."
I hate lawyers thought Seth as the Derezian woman handed him his "bill."
"Do you require a currency exchange?"
"Uh... Actually... we are kind of low in the 'currency' department."
"Are you unable to pay for damages?" The woman's tone was clipped and short, perfectly lawyerlike. She belonged on Earth.
"At this time, yes..." said Goddard, wincing at her tone. He felt like he was being chewed out by the principal in high school.
"Then you will have to remain on-planet until you are able to pay your fees. Do you wish for the work on your ship to commence at this point?"
Why not, thought Seth. We're screwed anyway.
"Yeah, sure," he said. "Will we be able to find employment in the city, Toloch?"
"Yes, the laws here regarding immigration and work will not get in your way. And you pronounce that city "tah-LOCK" not "TA-lock"."
"OK."
"Good day, Commander Goddard. We will send an escort to bring you to Toloch, and your stay in the city will be paid for by us for the first week."
"Thanks."
[pic]
Goddard stepped into the Command Post, where the rest of the crew awaited news.
"We're getting screwed by the government," said Goddard. "If the rest of Derez is like this we'll soon be paying body parts in taxes and eating at McDonald's."
Harlan and Davenport smiled at Goddard's Earth reference.
"Everyone, pack up. We're going to the city, Ta-LOCK, to get bad jobs and pay for our damage to local wildlife." His tone was every bit as sarcastic as that of Bova, who had been woken up for the second time in two hours to hear the news. "We're probably going to be here a while."
[pic]
"Well we sure aren't setting the government back too much by staying in this place," said Harlan, setting his pack down on the floor. The room he stood in was the epitome of crappy motel rooms. His room adjoined to Radu's on one side and Bova's on the other, with Goddard opposite him. In the middle of the four rooms, set in a square, was a single bathroom with a very old shower and a VERY old toilet. The three women were in the adjoining square, with Titania in Catalina's room. The floor squeaked when he took a step towards the bed.
"At least your bed can hold your weight," said Radu, walking into the room from their shared door. "I'll be sleeping on the floor. And yours squeaks."
"Yes, I know."
"Oh well..." Radu sat on the edge of Harlan's bed, sinking down to the frame. Harlan, next to him, raised up a few inches. "At least we are in a block to ourselves."
"Yeah... Hey, Radu?"
"Yes Harlan?"
"That flying you did earlier was amazing. I mean, I never would have known what to do in a situation like that. We all owe you one."
Radu smiled slightly. "Thanks Harlan. You know it was just because I can sense my surroundings. I'm sure if you had been in my place, you wouldn't have been thrown clear across the Command Post when landing!"
"Maybe if I had stayed Andromedan..." The two laughed together.
"Man, five years ago could you have seen something like this?" asked Harlan.
"What, not complaining or even freaking out when we crash on an alien planet and are stuck there indefinitely?"
"Well yeah... that too I guess! But I meant this, just us two sitting together laughing at inside jokes and getting along."
"Not in a million years!"
[pic]