“It’s nice to have the choice,” Mooralan adds as he follows us.
It takes a little longer than it needs to, but we do, eventually, manage to follow Phantom’s first directive.
The portal is still in place, so maybe we aren’t safe yet.
But I won’t complain about a one-step commute to their office.
“Someone’s come looking for you,” they say as soon as the portal closes.
I can’t stop myself before, “Well, that sucks,” slips from my mouth.
“Another assassin?” Mooralan asks.
“Worse.” They say, and a screen flickers on, showing a Sovian arguing with the station administrator.
Cursing, Ferrok tips his head back. “It’s my mother.”
The quiet laugh that leaves Mooralan’s lips is too painful to be a chuckle.
“What’s going on?”
But either Phantom doesn’t hear my question, or they ignore it.
“The good news is that the Sovian government has recognized the debt. You are free to move about the station as you please, but you can be sure that they will be watching the account, just in case.”
That doesn’t explain what has them all upset.
“So why do these two look like you’ve just announced impending dental appointments?” I ask.
“Because of the bad news,” they say.
“Which is?”
They look at Ferrok. “That’s how your mother found out about this.”
Ferrok curses and Mooralan does too.
“What?” I ask, wanting to shake them. “What’s going on?”
“She didn’t know where I live because she would have come to visit too often.” Ferrok snaps his beak in frustration.
Phantom tells him, “She’s already scheduled visits to three vacant apartments for viewing.”
“Of course she has.” Ferrok exhales, long and frustrated.
“Do you not like her?” I ask.
“Oh, I love her. But she…” he curses again. “She is very old-fashioned, traditional Sovian and that is going to make this a problem.”
“Am I going to have to fight her to the death or something?” I laugh, even though it’s not funny.
“I believe a better way to put it would have been ‘this will be a headache,’ not a problem.” Phantom waits for Ferrok to nod before he says, “No physical altercation should be necessary.”
“She’s going to have questions. And you don’t know Sovian well enough to answer them.”
I don’t know why that would be a problem. “You can translate, though.”
“I can’t.”
