13 Degrees of Separation (26 page)

“Hey! Hey you!” she turned to see a guy behind the bar. He
was a nondescript man, Terran, not much taller than her with a bit of a gut and
a fading hair line.

“Yeah?” she asked disinterested, eyes still studying the
picture. Under it was a brass plaque. It said... she leaned closer to see it.
'Uncle Scott McGee'. She made a face at that. Odd.

“Can't you read?” the bartender said. She turned to him. He
looked annoyed. After a moment he pointed to the sign over the bar. She turned.
'no one under 21' she read. She shrugged, now unsure what to do.

“What about it?” she asked, feigning disinterest as she
turned her attention to him.

“So go find a smoothy or something somewhere else kid,” the
guy said waving a bar towel at her. She snorted and sauntered over. His eyes
glittered as she leaned over the bar.

“See, I'm not interested in drinking,” she said.

“Directions?” he asked, shaking his head mournfully. “You
tourists...”

Mairi frowned. “I'm not a tourist. Yeah, I'm new here. I
just came in on the Mariah's Mischief. I was told to look for work here.”

Ralph snorted. “Really. Who told you that?”

“A couple of people. Receptionist at Quake Industries for
one.”

“Chir'rik?” the man asked, wrinkling his brow. “Why would
she send you here?”

“She didn't the map did. Yard Dog inc.”

“Really,” the man said, putting the towel down and
scrubbing at the bar. “Didn't know the add already broke,” he said amused.

“What add?” Mairi asked.

“We need to fix that though, the net's too big if fish like
you are coming in. Kid you're too young to have experience.”

“I've been piloting a tug since I could see over the
controls,” Mairi answered, eyes narrowed. Her fingers drummed on her belt. “I
was looking for something until I can go freelance since the damn station wants
an arm and a leg for me to dock my tug.”

Ralph blinked, eyes wide. “Little thing like you's got your
own tug? Now you're pulling my leg!” he laughed. Alice came by and set her tray
down on the bar. She was chewing gum. She looked Mairi up and down for a moment
and then nodded. “What can I do for you lady?” she asked.

Mairi turned on the freckled red head. The woman was a
worker, that was to her credit. But she was seriously tired of being treated
like a kid. “I'm...” she started with some heat before Alice smiled. She
stopped and blew her breath out. “Sorry, I'm getting tired of being treated
like a kid. I'm a tug pilot and a damn good one but no one is interested in
that,” she said in disgust. “I guess I'll go back to MM and see if the Captain
will let me work off the tickets to Pyrax,” she said turning to leave.

“Hang on there girl,” Alice said catching her arm. Mairi
turned with a glare but Alice deftly guided her to a nearby empty stool. “Now,
how's about we start from the beginning?” she asked.

Mairi sighed and started over again. She didn't notice
Alice give Ralph a look and then a hand motion. After a moment a drink appeared
in front of her. She took it and sipped it cautiously. Water, she thought but
nice tasting water. She snorted. “You've had a hard life kid,” Alice said in
sympathy. Mairi shrugged.

“Some have had it harder than me. I've got no complaints
there. I just want a fair shake.”

“You've got a tug you say?” Alice asked, looking
meaningfully to Ralph before she turned to look for the others. She sighed when
no one else in the company turned up on her radar. “Damn. Ralph...”

Ralph nodded and picked up the phone. He turned and moved
off to the end of the bar, talking quietly. “Something I said?” Mairi asked.

“Tell me a little more about yourself. You said MM dropped
you off? So where is your tug now?” Alice asked.

“The bitch? Still on the freighter actually,” Mairi
responded warily.

Alice picked up a bowl of pretzels and set them down in
front of them. She took one out just as Mairi's answer registered. “The bitch?”
Alice asked affronted.

“Tin Plated Bitch. Bitch for short,” Mairi replied taking a
pretzel from her. “What? I didn't name her, just inherited her,” she said as
Alice stared. She took a bite and chewed. It was saltier than what uncle Edgar
usually had, and surprisingly not stale. “Not bad,” she mumbled, brushing
crumbs away. “Actually pretty good.”

“Haven't had any in a while?” Alice asked amused.

“No. Uncle Edgar's were always stale.” She didn't mention
the questionable ingredients. Sometimes ignorance really was bliss.

“Okay...”

“Howie's on his way,” Ralph said quietly coming over. “He
and Shari just got off shift. The others will follow when they get off,” he
said.

“Clio?” Alice asked, looking over her shoulder to her
husband.

Ralph grimaced. “She's in a meeting. She's recording.”

“Um...” Mairi looked from one adult to the other.
“Something I'm missing?” When neither responded she got up. “Fine look,
whatever. I've got to get going. Mom's going to be disappointed but that's
tough. I'd planned on going to Pyrax anyway. Hopefully they are hiring. I'll
find out in a few months,” she sighed. She wasn't looking forward to being
trapped on that ship with her mother for the better part of another year or so.
Maybe chief Rogers would let her sign on again?

“Hang on kid, no one asked you to leave,” Ralph said waving
a meaty hand. “Just settle on down there for a bit. We'll... we'll work it out.
Just chill a minute,” he said. He turned as a Veraxin couple came in and waved
to him. “Alice customers,” he murmured to his wife.

Alice looked over her shoulder and grimaced as the couple
seated themselves in a booth. She turned back to Mairi. “I'll be back in a bit.
Stick around kid, it'll be worth it I think,” she said and reached out to pat
the girls hand. After a moment she turned and left.

Taken aback Mairi sat there confused. After a moment she
picked at another pretzel. “Okayyy...” she drawled.

Just as she's about ready to give up and leave a familiar
brown chimp came in through the double doors. After a moment another followed
him. Howie came in with the others right behind him. He paused looking to
Ralphi who waved to the girl at the end of the bar. Howie turned to her,
recognized her from the day before and was instantly amused. “What?” Shari
asked behind him.

“Nothing, just met her earlier.”

“You did?” Savo asked, coming in behind them. The holo
projector hidden in the corner of the room came to life. Rasha Warner smiled
politely, and then stepped to one side to make room for Clio.

“Sorry I'm late,” Clio said just as Howie responded.

Howie shrugged. “It's a small station after all,” Howie
sing songed. The others snorted at his whimsy. Alice pointed to a nearby booth.
They waved a confused Mairi over to it.

The organics took a seat in the booth and made small talk.
They are polite, talking with Clio and Rasha. Rasha doesn't say much, she just
smiled politely and nodded occasionally. Eventually their curiosity got the
better of them and all eyes turned to Mairi.

“Howie said he knows you?” Savo asked. “You met yesterday?”

“Yeah,” the girl said, looking at the chimp. He was a tough
customer, and to her dismay he was wearing a station security uniform. “We met
when MM docked,” she said.

“She was on it with another woman,” Howie confirmed. “I
didn't know you were a pilot though,” he said to the girl.

All eyes turned to Mairi. She felt like she was in some
sports match. She squirmed again. “You didn't ask.”

“That's right,” Howie said. “I didn't. So you are? A pilot
I mean.”

“Yeah,” Mairi said defensively.

“Still doesn't matter since we don't have a ship,” Shari
said, sounding disgusted. Mairi opened her mouth to interject but Savo grunted.

“She's a kid. A bit young to send her out and alone into
the outer dark.”

“I can hold my own. I've been...” Mairi started to say but
the blonde being in the sheet raised her hand.

“I've digested the recording. You told Alice and Ralph you
own your own tug?” Clio asked. “The ah, Tin Plated Bitch? How quaint,” she
said. She turned to the others as they looked at each other in surprise and
then to the girl. “She is telling the truth, I have her on file and her tug her
a registry.”

“Interesting,” Howie said, grinning a tight lipped grin. He
was practically smirking, brown eyes twinkling with glee as he turned to Shari.

“Maybe,” Shari said, more cautious and not as optimistic as
her partner. After all, they were far from a finished deal. “And you are
looking to hire on with us?” she asked pointedly.

“Us?” Mairi echoed.

“The Yard Dogs,” Clio answered. “Let me make introductions
since we've been reminisce there,” she made quick introductions. Mairi sat
back, surprised and amused when the AI was finished.

“You seem to be what we need, if you are as good as you say
you are,” Savo said, as cautious as Shari when Clio was finished. “We need
someone like you in the company.”

“What is this company?” Mairi asked diplomatically. “All I
keep hearing from everyone is that you are about to go belly up and stay as far
away as possible. The only one who said to even talk to you said to just hire
on for a week then run to someone, anyone else.”

Savo winced, looking at the others. Howie was scowling
blackly, Shari's expression was sad. Only Clio and Rasha seemed indifferent.

“Can I get you folks anything?” Alice asked. The organics
gave her orders for drinks. Mairi demurred. When Alice was gone Savo sighed.
“So it's like that huh?”

“It's always been like that,” Howie growled, bristling. He
was having a hard time not baring his canines. “Damn bastards. Won't give us an
even break to save our lives,” he snarled.

“Never give a sucker an even break,” Savo grumbled,
muttering darkly. His brown eyes turned to the girl. “To answer your question,
we're Irons folly. Admiral Irons wanted to build a shipyard here but the
writing was on the wall. The station council and politicians drove him out of
the system. But before he left he left his friends...” he paused to indicate
those around the table. “Tools and equipment, not to mention some credits, and
some databases to make the yard in his absence.”

“Yard Dogs. He said it was a nick name for people who
worked in a shipyard. Hence the name, Yard Dog inc.”

“But... I didn't see a yard coming in. No one mentioned a
yard,” Mairi said.

“That's because right now it's a pipe dream. There is a
repair slip. Scaffolding docked to the station but they won't let us use the
damn thing. Bastards,” Howie growled.

“See kid,” Savo started to say.

“It's Mairi. Mairi Jersey,” Mairi interrupted.

His brown eyes met hers and then he snorted. “Whatever you
say kid. Anyway, as I was saying, we're in a fix. We've been trying to get this
off the ground since John left six weeks ago. But so far all we've gotten is
sorry and sore. We can't get off square one because of all the shit going on.”

“Which is where you come in. One of the problems is this
damn station. They charge outrageous fees for every little thing,” Alice said,
coming over with their tray. She set it down and then took a seat next to Savo.
“I'm a Yard Dog too kiddo, me and Ralphi,” she said smiling.

“Oh!” Mairi said, nonplussed.

“We're not big on ceremony or anything. No frills. This is
a strictly hands on work group,” Savo said and then cut his eyes to the holo
projections. “Sorry, no offense,” he said.

“None taken,” Rasha replied, clearly amused. A hand touched
her shoulder. She reached back and touched it, looking over her shoulder as her
husband's image wavered into being behind her. “Sorry I'm late,” Taylor Warner
said. He nodded to the others. “The others sent their regrets. They said they'd
abide by anything we decide here,” he said and then nodded to Mairi. “And you
are?”

“Mairi Jersey. Pilot.”

“You are what? 14?”

“
Seventeen
. I'm small for my age,” Mairi replied
defensively.

“That's cause you haven't been fed up right,” Alice said
patting the girl's knee under the table. “We'll do you right kid. If you sign
on.”

“You sign on with us you're not in it for just a paycheck.
We're a
family
. We take care of our
own
,” Savo said, looking into
the girl's eyes.

Mairi's eyes widened in surprise. He really meant it, she
could tell. There was something there, some... some sense of belonging.
Something she'd longed to have. Slowly she nodded.

“Good cause right now it doesn't pay squat,” Clio said
snorting. “Enough for minimum bills and that's about it. You work for shares
and a future cut of the profits. Which is calculated by me. I'm fair and
unbiased being an AI.”

“You're an AI?” Mairi asked, shocked all over again.

“Nice kid,” Clio said. Mairi seemed brimming with
questions. She smiled politely. “Yes and no, not a smart AI. I'm... well a
hybrid I guess. I was a dumb AI but the admiral's AI changed my core
programming. I'm well, borderline smart.”