Chapter 22

“We will have to come and visit your Mars one day,” Raul said.

“Yes, it is a place I’ve always wanted to go,” Sofia added.

Zeke grinned, “I’m sure the boss can spring for a bonus holiday.”

“See, I heard our boss likes to provide incentives,” Raul chuckled.

Zeke looked at his friend thoughtfully, “Maybe, after we get the worst of the junk cleaned up, you can come and stay as my guests on Mars and meet my family. I would enjoy that.”

“We would like that too, Zeke,” Sofia smiled fondly.

Raul smiled at Zeke, “Family is important.”

After a pause, Sofia stated, “Zeke, I have a question.”

Sitting up straighter with hands tightly held together in her lap, she asked, “You mentioned you want us to have a sister ship. Do you object to women freighter owners?”

Zeke frowned, “Sofia, I hire based on, ‘Can you do the job?’ I don’t care about where you come from, the colour of your eyes, or whether you wear underwear or not. I do care about honesty and good work ethics. That is why I hired you, two.”

“Sofia, I didn’t hire you just because you are Raul’s wife. I have your resume, remember. As far as I was concerned, I was getting a great team. Neither of you has disappointed me in that regard.”

Sofia seemed to be bolstered by his response. So, she said, “I was raised by my uncle, Marko Lorenzo since I was twelve. He has twin daughters, Paula and Jada. They are now twenty-two, and they did flight training with Raul and me. That is how I met Raul.”

“Marko once worked for Art Stanzi as a sub-contractor. However, he was injured two and a half years ago. A gang boarded his ship at Armstrong Station, and he was beaten quite badly. Art’s insurance had to pay, and Marko used some of the money to put us girls through Flight School.”

“He wanted us to run his ship, Mariah. I, of course, ended up working for Raul and his father, Arlo. The twins were running Mariah. Lately, they have been having trouble getting loads in the system. The Union on Morpheus were trying to extort them.”

“Because Art wouldn’t renew his contract with Marco, the Union thought the girls were fair game. It got to the point that the girls refused to go to Morpheus. Which meant they had to start looking for jobs going from Armstrong to the other stations.”

“However, Art and the other big companies have many of those contracts sewn up. The twins need help, Zeke. They are good operators. They would move, but Marko is on Armstrong and still needs care. They are hard workers and very honest.”

Zeke chuckled. “So, you believe we can trust them with our secrets?”

Sofia and Raul nodded.

Raul said, “They believe as we do. Jada and Paula were talking about selling the ship and trying to take Marco to Harmony. The ship needs some work, so they will not get what it is worth.”

“They still have the old ionic drives in it. While the latest software patch has helped. It is still bumpy when they jump, and Mariah does not always stay on course. Not like my ship, we barely feel the jump with your new engines in Condesa, and they are accurate.”

Zeke sighed, “Okay, I’ll look them up. The only thing is that Fortune leaves in four days for Harmony. Do you know what their status is?”

Sofia nodded. Sadly, she said, “I talked to them this morning. They said the only offer they had for the ship was insulting. Marco refused to sell. They haven’t been accepted by Harmony yet. So, they won’t be on the Fortune.”

“I don’t know what they will do,” Sofia sighed.

Zeke held out his arm, “Spit me their contact details.”

Sofia did, and Zeke called the new contact that said, Jada Lorenzo. He turned on the speaker, so Sofia and Raul could join in if required.

A sultry female voice replied, “If you’re a bill collector, you can sue my arse, but you ain’t getting to feel my tits or touch my booty.”

Zeke chuckled, and after a moment, the voice said, “Who are you! I, sure as shit stinks; don’t know you. With a laugh like that, you had better be good-looking and able to get it up!”

Sofia and Raul were both smothering their giggles with their hands.

“So, are you as sexy as your voice?” Zeke asked.

“You better believe it, Buster. But that doesn’t mean I’m easy or cheap.”

“So, you don’t have a boyfriend?”

“Got to find one worth having first. My cousin snaffled one of the best men I’ve met in a long time. He’s cute, too. A shame he’s a touch on the short side, but then, so is she. A match made in heaven.”

Zeke was watching Raul’s and Sofia’s faces as he listened to the young women on the comm. They were smiling at each other, and he had to agree with Jada’s assessment.

“So, you like tall blokes, then?”

“Darlin’, if you under one point eight, don’t bother coming onto me. I hate looking down on my dates.”

“Phew, I passed that test by eleven centimetres. I’m on a roll!”

She giggled, and Zeke was a little surprised by the shiver that the sound evoked in him. He had to meet this girl. It was a shame he was trying to employ her.

He asked, “So when was the last time you dinged up a ship?”

He heard the harrumph before she answered, “I’ll have you know that wasn’t me. Paula is great with the systems, but never let her dock your ship unless you’re talking about a male appendage.”