Quandar turned to face me. “Would you like another coffee while you wait? This can take several minutes and sometimes up to an hour.”
I nodded. “Might as well,” I replied.
“Another doughnut?” he offered, hurrying over the coffee machine to make my drink. “Just come help yourself.”
Well, I don’t mind if I do.
This time I chose a ring doughnut with milk chocolate icing decorated with white chocolate stars. It felt appropriate somehow, given how they were from the stars and about to hand me the cash I needed for my new life. I sat back down and accepted the drink he pressed upon me, adding my sugars. I sipped it absently, taking a bite of the pillowy sweet delight while daydreaming about what was to come. I’d leave with my first installment of living expenses and use that to rent an apartment near the school I was applying to, three states away. If the house wasn’t rented out by the end of next week, when I hoped to move, I’d have to see about getting a realtor to handle renting it out.
That would probably be the better option,I reckoned.That way they can keep an eye on the tenant, too.
I took my phone out of my pocket. There were no bars inside here. Damn it! Part of the agreement was I could not leave the building until I was told whether or not I was matched.
I sighed. I’d hoped to while away the time by looking at apartment listings again, but it would have to wait.
“Match confirmed!” the AI announced.
I froze. Say what now?
“Congratulations!” Quandar cried out. “You have a match! Both Jolar and son will be on their way shortly.”
Black spots danced before my eyes. I was some poor sod’s match? And he had a kid? I was gonna be a dad? Oh, fuck. This was not at all according to plan.
“Mr. MacArthur?” Quandar said, his voice far away. “Oh, dear. I was afraid this might happen.”
I wanted to ask him what he was talking about, but the darkness closed in.
CHAPTER7
JOLAR
Thankfully a shuttle pilothad been summoned at the same time as I’d been given my notice that I had a mate match. We found him completing pre-flight checks. I smiled in greeting, recognizing him, as we’d gone through basic warrior training as youths together.
“Targel! I didn’t know you’d gotten assigned here!”
“My eyes nearly popped out of my head when I saw your name, Jolar. I’d have sought you out had I known you were aboard.” He booped Neal’s nose. “And who is this little cutie?” he asked, pretending he hadn’t read it on his flight orders.
“I’m Neal. You know my daddy?”
“Well, hello there young Neal. I certainly do. We met when we were just a bit older than you.”
Neal looked impressed. “That was a long time ago and you didn’t forgetted! I forget stuffs all the time! I even lost my shoes yesterday!”
Targel laughed a warm rumble that brought back fond memories of youthful hijinks. “Well, we best get inside and start off before my old brain forgets where I’m supposed to take you.”
Neal’s expression soured at the mention of our destination. Targel gave me a knowing look over Neal's head before leading us up the ramp and inside. He had a booster seat already set up in one chair and I helped Neal into it before fastening him in. I took the seat opposite and likewise strapped myself in while Targel took the pilot’s seat. He started the engines, and the first thing he did was make the entire ceiling of our craft look transparent so Neal could see everything around us as we took off.
“Wow, look, Daddy!” he cried as we left the hangar. “Our ship is so big!”
Targel pointed out the other ships in the Fleet that were easily seen, and I blessed him for it as it helped distract Neal from his worries and turned this trip into an enjoyable one for him.
“Okay, we’re about to enter the atmosphere. All you’ll see is a bunch of bright lights, so I’m going to turn off the view now.”
“Aww!”
“How about some Scobby Doo?” I asked, mispronouncing it on purpose.
“It’s Scooby, Daddy!” Neal giggled. “Not Scobby.”
