Between sips he saw that the other smooth metallic surface that made up Alejandro’s face shifted like water creating a mouth and lips for him to drink. Jason’s eyes opened wide at the discovery. His face is a nanite swarm allowing it to change as needed. Jason can’t even imagine why someone would do that and how much it would cost.

After a few minutes Alejandro went into an unprovoked tangent into the different types of tea that due to several extinction events on Earth he will never be able to try. On that list were several black teas, oolong, peppermint, puer and many others. Chiara cleans everything and bids them farewell when he is done leaving the two men alone.

“Now, lets get down to biz.” Alejandro says as he open palm gestures to the menter rack. “This thing that you have brought me. Where did you get it?”

“It was a gift from my brother and his girlfriend.” Jason says. “Like I said though if it is a problem I can take it and go somewhere…”

“Your brother, Kevin Smith? How could he afford something like this? Speak carefully I didn’t bring you here to be lied to. As I am sure you can imagine I have a well connected network. Tell me why we can not determine the make or model of this sensory augmentation.”

Jason is speechless for a minute. “All I know is that it was a gift. I didn't even know it was a custom model or anything.” Jason thought for a second. “It’s from Mars could that be the reason.”

“Who was backing your brother. Who sent you to me?” The Mid stated his voice rising in anger.

Jason could not help but think of the fact that Alejandro knows exactly where Wynn is right now. Panic is suppressed though he can still feel the edges of that sharp emotion rubbing into his thoughts. If he doesn’t act quickly he isn’t leaving here alive, it isn’t like killing him would be hard. The amount of augmentations Alejandro has it probably will be no more difficult than crushing an insect.

Jason swallows dryly. “I wasn’t sent by anyone. I just need credits, that is it. Kevin died yesterday and me and my sister just need the creds. My brother’s girlfriend was Jessica Petterson if that helps. From what I understand she was a pretty big deal on Mars or at least wealthy or something.”

Alejandro stands up abruptly. “Jessica Petterson of the Pettersons? You are fucking with me.”

“No-no I am not, they were going to elope and everything.” Jason says leaning back in his chair as much as possible.

“You have ties to the Pettersons. They are practically the owners of that red dust bowl and you expect me to believe you.”

“I don’t, no.” Jason admits. “But if you are going to kill me just don’t hurt my sister.”

Alejandro is silent for a while then sits back down. “Call her. I can verify the secure line of the Pettersons HTN network.”

“I can’t.”

Is all Jason can say before in a flash of impossible speed Alejandro is standing over him with a gun in his face. He moved so quickly that Jason didn’t even see him move. Steam rises from Alejandro’s joints as the augmentations allowing for such rapid movement cooled. Alejandro’s red eyes lock on to Jason no mercy present in the cybernetic orbs.

Alejandro says with a voice that makes death all but certain if Jason refuses. “I wasn’t asking, amizé. Call her”

“She is dead. Jessica died yesterday as well.” Jason states trying his best not to move an inch.

Jason closes his eyes expecting Alejandro to pull the trigger and end him right then and there. After a minute passes he peeks up at the man and sees the familiar glint in his eyes indicating he is looking at something in his sensory augmentation. Jason doesn’t relax as the gun is still very much still pointing directly at his head only an inch or two away.

“A princess of Mars is dead.” Alejandro says sounding like he doesn’t believe what he is saying. “They have not made any public statement but there is some indication that something has happened to the young woman.” He lowers his gun. “How do you know about her death?”

Jason explains the short conversation he had with Derrick the Incident Account Settlement agent. Things seems to click with Alejandro as he spoke. Alejandro lets out a single airy disbelieving chuckle as he walks back around his desk and sits down.

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“We will ship your item. There are a couple of things we will have to settle first of course.” Alejandro says his voice is far friendlier. “This augmentation is custom and no doubt made with some of the Pettersons proprietary tech. It is a one of a kind piece and by the looks of it in excellent condition. How this works is we hold on to the item and find buyers once we have interest we hold an auction. We keep forty percent of the auctioned items' sale price, no negotiation. Tomorrow we will have one of our menters authenticate the item to and say they they are the ones that removed it for you for legal purposes.”

“How long will all of this take? We need the money soon.” Jason questions.

“Two weeks is the next auction. You will be invited.” Alejandro rests his chin on his hand. “As for your current money issues, I can offer you a job. Completely on the books, taxes and employment agreements the whole legal jargon. I just so happen to need a Zero Gravity Warp Engine Engineer to assist in servicing our fleet of K-920’s. Pay is ten thousand a month and you will be working in our private dock under some of the best in the business. I will even throw in a twenty-hundred signing bonus.”

Jason can’t believe what he just heard. If he made that kind of money a month he could pay for the apartment on his own. He wouldn’t of course but he could. However his gut is telling him to just leave just like Kiran said he should. But if he did then what? Get evicted in a week when he and Wynn can pay rent? Wait for the starport to reopen hoping that they don’t take the desperation most people will be feeling to get back to work to cut wages for some bullshit reason? If Kevin were here he wouldn’t even be thinking like this at all he would have never even thought to come here, but he isn’t here anymore he is dead.

“And if I say no?” Jason asks. “To all of this. Just take the sensory augmentation and walk. Nothing happens to me or my sister, right?”

“This is an offer not me telling you what to do.” Alejandro says.

“Can I think about it?” Jason asks.

“No. Make your decision before you leave my building.” Alejandro says as he stands up again. “You may tell Riley what you decide she will have more details on the job. Now you can see yourself out. I have another meeting.”

Jason is at a loss as he and Kiran ride the elevator back down to the library. Jason to lost in thought to speak even as she prodded for some information. The endocrine system kept his emotions in check but his mind raced for answers as to what his meeting with the man really meant. More than anything he needs money or he and Wynn are homeless in a few days. He will need to rebuy all of his tools before he can start working again anyway even if the starport opens in two days. Most likely there will be pay cuts as the star port claims that it will need the money for the rebuilding efforts.

Not to mention they will need to arrange Kevin’s funeral. Get the death certificate and pay any outstanding taxes before they will be able to access any of Kevin’s life insurance. So they won't be seeing any financial help for at least a year at best. Jason thought and thought but no matter how he thought about it as long as the job is on the legal side and he is only a mechanic for a private fleet there is no downside. He keeps his head down for a few months, saves up enough to return back to the starport and he will be all good.

“Jason, Jason.” Kiran says snapping a few times to get his attention. “We are here, you coming?”

The young man steps out of the elevator back into the main plaza. Riley quickly shuffled over to them as fast as her skirt would allow which was apparently pretty fast. She covers the distance inhibited faster than Jason could have sprinted while being assisted by a travelator.

“You are dismissed, Miss Bowman.” Riley insists. “Please come with me Mr. Smith.”

Jason finds himself in a private nook smaller and more intimate than an office space. He is sitting next to the now two armed Riley as two of the previously four arms have combined into relatively normal arm augmentations. Unlike Alejandro her arms don’t have the synthetic flesh to simulate real skin but it still makes Jason more at ease. Arm augmentations are not rare after all and in fact two of his coworkers from the space dock, Claude and Roger both had arm augmentations that replaced an entire arm.

The two sit on a loveseat as she explains the employment contract and what he will be doing. The work sounds too good to be true, literally all he will do is as one of forty-six Zero Gravity Warp Engine Engineers and his job will mainly be monitoring repair drones and approving work. The K-920 Retriever is a relatively small shuttle craft used to fly within the Earth Sphere meaning within 30 light seconds of Earth. He would get a signing bonus in a week and full benefits after three months.

“And this is all I will be doing? What about tools?” Jason asks as he rereads the contract for a third time. “I lost mine in the Starport incident. I still have my engineer suit and exoskeleton but that's all.”

“We will provide all tools and equipment which must be left at the work site. All you will need to bring is yourself.” Riley states as she inches closer to him. “I would love to have someone like you on the team.”

“When would I start? I need at least two days.” Jason states.

“Then I will see you Thursday at 1200 hours.” Riley says with a smile. “It will be a formality and to sign paperwork and get you entered into the system.” She moves some of the hair from her face and around her ear framing her face. “I will give you my contact, you know, just in case uh, something comes up or you just want to talk or whatever.”

Jason is speechless for a second as Riley sits that much closer to him. He can’t tell if it is the endocrine system or the fact that her arms are literal weapons that it took until this moment to notice that she is actually quite cute. Probably in her mid twenties with expected tan skin for a Bridger. Her hair though is raven black and cascades down to her slim frame. That is when Jason is sure the endocrine system is blocking something.