Free Anja's Star (Outer Settlement Agency) by Lyn Brittan

and-.”
    “Yes, I know a thing or two about ships.”
    “Right. Of course.”
    “Are you lying to me?”
    “No, no, no, of course not. It really does need those repairs.”
    “And it still can’t be moved?”
    “Nope.”
    “Then where is my ship?”
    “You really stepped into that one,” Retzi said in her ear. He was huffing and out of breath. “You had to move it because of me.”
    The words rushed out of her. “I thought I saw you. Only, it wasn’t, but an OSA officer and I didn’t want to risk it, so I had it drogued to a safer location.”
    “And that location is where?”
    “Right around the corner,” said Retzi both in her ear and gasping right behind her. His chest heaved and sweat dripped from his face. “Cleared everything up,” he said finger rotating in the air. “No problem. Good to see you again, Father.”
    The Captain stepped back, looking from his grinning men behind him, to his son and back to her. “Is there something you want to tell me?”
    “Nope.”
    “No, Captain.”
    Attila pulled out his omnitab and punched something on the screen. Retzi’s device started ringing moments later. “I’m not sure what’s going on here and I don’t really care. What I can tell you, is that you have until nightfall to get The Bastard’s Revenge docked at the coordinates I’ve just sent you.”
    ***
    T here’d been no celebration after that, just running. Lots and lots of running. First to the ship they’d stolen, which, due to recent time restraints would have to stay right the hell where it was, then back to the location where Crost had The Bastard’s Revenge towed and hidden away.  Even then, there wasn’t time to catch a breath. Anja had to go out for protective gear while Retzi kept a lookout for Crost’s men.
    “Wait!”
    She skidded to a stop as Retzi pressed Crost’s omnitablet in her hands.
    “Get rid of this. Drop it someplace with a lot of traffic and let’s hope some stranger picks it up.”
    Anja grabbed it, stole a kiss and shot off. He thanked the stars the woman could run. She came back and went straight to work an hour later, having the heap of crap roaring into the air before twilight. They made their way as the light dimmed, landing at the coordinates right when shadows faded away into night.
    Maybe that’s why he wasn’t sure he saw what he thought he saw.
    Anja’s shared disbelief didn’t make it any less confusing. “Retzi?”
    “There’s no way.”
    “So you see it too?”
    “There’s no way.”
    “Unbelievable.”
    “I hate my father.”
    Stunned to silence, they exited the The Bastard slackjawed and wide eyed as they gazed upon Retzi’s lost OSA hopper.
    “He stole my ship!”
    “We don’t know that yet, Retzi.”
    He turned to her, eyebrows raised and pointing.
    “Maybe there’s something inside explaining all this.”
    There was.
    Inside on a table were several boxes and a glimmering blue square. Anja rushed to it. “There’s a video cube on top.” She turned it on and came to stand next to him as the image of the captain projected against the side of the hopper.
    “At some point I mean to find out how your ship wound up on the black market. I hope you appreciate the lengths I had to go to steal a stolen government bird. It wasn’t the easiest thing I’ve had to order someone to do.  I don’t know what you assholes have done, but I’ve taken the bags of money for my troubles. Oh and Anja, you’re fired.”
    “Damn, I love that man.”
    “Me too,” Anja said, her fingers curling around his.  Retzi pulled her in for a kiss and nodded towards the main console.
    “C’mon. Let’s get out of here.”

Epilogue
    S ix months later, Titan’s Newest Sector
    Anja reviewed the specs of the rover one last time before pulling it into the garage. She smiled at the humming omnitablet in her pocket and checked the time. It was him, here right when he’d said he’d be. Though they had the worst schedules, Retzi hadn’t been late for a