“You’re not wrong.” He crossed his arms. His expression turned just a bit defensive. “Not sure what you want me to do about it.”
“If I cover the cost of any parts you need, is there any way to revive one or two of the bots? Deploy them around the outpost to keep things tidy?” She met his eyes. “I know your hands are full. If it’s not possible right now, I completely understand.”
Sam rubbed his chin, looking thoughtful. “How much are we talking?”
“Thirty-seven hundrednits. It’s what Charles has left in his personal account that’s been left to me.” Holly pulled up her wrist comm and navigated to the currency transfer screen. “I’m transferring it to the station account now.”
She tapped the confirmation, and Sam’s console chimed with the incoming funds.
He studied the screen for a moment, then nodded slowly. “I can get one or two bots running with that. Enough to order some replacement parts, and a little extra left over.”
“That would be wonderful. Thank you, Sam.” She smiled. “And thank you again for fixing up Luv. I suspect she needed some work after?—”
Before she could finish, an alert sounded from his console. Sam held up one finger and turned to study the screen, his brow furrowing as he read the incoming data.
“What is it?” Holly asked.
“Ship requesting docking clearance.” Sam’s fingers moved across the console. “They’ve got a radiation leak. Few other system problems, too. The occupants are going to need to stay somewhere while I clear the leak and make repairs. I hope the hotel has accommodations.”
“We do.” Holly straightened. This was her moment. The first chance to begin to improve the station’s reputation. “I’ll show them to the hotel personally.”
Twenty
Sam’s expression brightened at hearing that he would not have to deal with guests. “Good. As soon as I’m done with this incoming ship, I’ll work on those cleaning bots.”
Holly waited on the landing pad as the ship descended. It was a midsize transport, very pretty, but its hull was scorched in places that suggested a long journey through rough space. The landing struts groaned as it settled onto the pad.
The hatch opened and six people of various species emerged, looking tired and irritated. They hurried through the decontamination unit, grumbling to one another, and came out on the other side looking no happier.
Holly stepped forward with her most hospitable smile. “Hello, and welcome to Moone’s Landing. I’m Holly Greene-Moone, the new owner. I understand you’ll be staying with us while your ship is repaired.”
The group exchanged glances. One of them, a tall woman with close-cropped silver hair and a single eye in the middle of her forehead, spoke for the group. “We didn’tplanto stop here. We are building consultants on our way to Saga-1, the new station under construction. How long will we be stuck here?”
Ah, so the mega-station under construction had been given a name: Saga-1. She glanced at Sam, who held up two fingers, then three. Then shifted his hand back and forth as if to say,I’m not sure.
“Two days. Three at most.” She put on a cheery smile despite the groans going up among the group. “I’ve heard about that project,” she said. “It sounds impressive.”
“It will be, when it’s finished.” The woman looked around the landing pad with barely concealed dismay. “We didn’t expect to be stuck in a place like this. No offense.”
“None taken.” Actually, a little offense was taken, but Holly kept her smile firmly in place. “I hope we can make your unexpected stay a pleasant one. Let me show you to your rooms.”
The walk to the hotel was quiet, the six travelers too tired and too annoyed to make conversation. But as Holly led them through the square, she noticed a few of them looking around with curiosity. The fountain was still broken, but the plants lining the walkway had perked up. The light in the dome was warm and golden, and extra beautiful at the moment, due to the gas planet being in partial view.
She showed them to their rooms on the second floor of the hotel, explaining the amenities and pointing out the lounge downstairs. By the time she finished, a few of them seemed less annoyed.
“Thank you,” the silver-haired woman said, though her tone was still cool. “The last time we had to stop here, which was several years ago, no one greeted us at all. We were wandering around for hours before someone helped us.”
“I understand,” Holly said, meaning it. “When I first arrived here, I experienced the same thing. But you won’t have that problem this time. I’m here if you need anything,” she promised.
She hurried back to the spaceport, where Sam was already suited up and approaching the damaged ship with a radiation scanner.
“How bad is it?” she asked.
“Manageable.” Sam didn’t look up from his scanner. “Leak is contained. Should have it cleared by tomorrow. The other repairs will take another day.”
“I’ll let them know.”
Holly returned to the hotel and went straight to the lounge. The kitchen was clean and waiting, and she had an idea.
