Free The Stars Came Back by Rolf Nelson Page A

on his safety line, whipping up and out of the view, clearing the oncoming quad-rotor like a high-speed yoyo being reeled in. The quad flies straight on into the rock wall and explodes, splattering on the sheer rock wall of the canyon.
     
    FADE TO WHITE
     
     
    Relaxing
    FADE IN
    INT - DAY - Spaceport lounge
    A busy place, lots of booths, tables, many screens on the walls, varied lighting. Helton and Harbin sit across from each other at the end of a long table. A dozen passengers from the pirate rescue sit along the table with drinks and the remains of meals in front of them. The other passengers talk among themselves. The two are comfortable with each other.
    Harbin: Been a while since I had more action on leave than in the field. Felt good to be in a noncontract fight where the only rule was “ win.”
    Helton: Too bad about your being shot, though. The leg seems to be healing nicely. No noticeable limp.
    Harbin: Shouldn’t be. The Boss and the Wife both frown on getting damaged outside the line of duty. On duty as well.
    Helton: I’m sure they’d cut you some slack, given the situation.
    Harbin: (Grunts) Part of my job is to teach people how to not be careless and die from stupid. I wasn’t careful enough when I boarded the tramp ship and let myself be gassed and dropped in the desert. That would be unforgivable if we hadn’t managed to get ourselves out of it.
    Helton: Your boss must be a serious hard ass.
    Harbin: ( Tipping his head in thought) He’s among the best, but he doesn’t suffer fools or stupid mistakes lightly. Working for him is tough. Fighting against him, deadly .
    Helton: Next time, then, we’ll just have to take a ship with better armor.
    Harbin: Hard to find. Most ships don’t have it. Generally it’s useless.
    Helton: Like souvenirs?
    Harbin: (Shoots Helton a dark look) A first for everything. Normally it’s useful as a screen door on a spaceship. (Shrugs fatalistically) Been a while since anyone one-upped me on getting shot and lived to talk, too. That’s something to tell the grandkids about. Any more ideas about it?
    Helton: Nope. At least it’s open, now. Lots of damaged pages, but they are seriously tough. Some sort of metallized carbon nano-tube stuff, I think. No idea who made it. Can’t go back to the cave without government clearance, and they’re not letting us anywhere near that prison mine again. Haven’t told the authorities about it. Ah, well. It all worked out OK. Good guys lived, bad guys mostly died, official investigation started-
    Harbin: ( Cynically) Likely just a whitewash-
    Helton: -but started anyway, some official reward cash and a couple of cute new friends who owe me their lives .
    He looks over at the young passenger ladies nearby, one with a kid next to her, who smiles back when she notices him looking at her.
    Harbin: ( Grinning) Don’t let it go to your head, Hero.
    Helton: After a near death experience, you think about things. Long term, life sort of things. I am, anyway.
    Harbin: Been there. Were I younger and single, I would again, too. Met my wife that way, just after… Being close to death does make you think about life. The closer you get, the deeper you see into yourself. No real risks, no deep thoughts.
    Helton: Feels good to have more control of my life again…
    Harbin: (Nods agreement) Any plans till your flight pulls out next week?
    Helton: ( Shrug) See the sights. Meet people, hopefully a cute one. Get a new coat. Find a game. Try to stop being amazed that I actually landed something without killing anyone.
    Harbin: If you call that a landing.
    Helton: ( Joking) Picky, picky, picky. We walked away, didn’t we?
    Harbin: ( Grudgingly) Technically. If you define “walk away” broadly enough… All things considered, you did well. You did your family proud.
    They lean back in their chairs, clink glasses in salute to events and each other, and take a drink.
     
    FADE TO BLACK
     
    Cards
    FADE IN
    INT - NIGHT - Discreetly lit, respectable-look