Free Facsimile by Vicki Weavil

something you enjoyed.”
    Mom’s golden eyebrows arch over her wide eyes. “Now, whatever gave you that impression, Captain Patel?”
    “Connor.”
    “Only if you call me Tara. Ms. Cooper sounds so formal.” Mom slides her fingers from his grip and pockets the rock sample. “So, you think I like trouble, Connor?”
    “I think you may be trouble,” replies the captain.
    He’s got that right. I clench my fingers into fists.
    “And trouble concerns you?” My mom gives a little pout before those lovely lips curl into another smile.
    Connor Patel runs a hand through his thick, dark hair. “Let’s just say it confuses me.”
    “There shouldn’t be any confusion.” My mother leans into him and runs her fingers down his arm. “I thought I was being rather transparent, actually.”
    As I prepare to scream, I hear whistling behind me. Spinning about, I spy Dace stepping into the hall.
    I hurry to meet him, careful not to stomp on the metal floors. The last thing I want is for Dace to find my mother and his uncle in his cabin. Dace isn’t stupid. He might put two and two together. “Hey,” I say, reaching him before he can move farther down the corridor, “Just looking for you. Come to the rec hall—I want you to meet some of the other kids.”
    “I was headed to my room … ”
    “Hell no, that’s way too boring.” I usher him toward the large hatch. “You don’t want to just sit in your room. You’ll go bonkers. Besides, it’s early yet.”
    “I wasn’t going to bed,” replies Dace, shooting me an inquisitive glance. “I thought I’d run some more tests on my samples.”
    “Plenty of time for that.” I shove him into the cargo bay. “I want to introduce you to some of my friends. They’ll be thrilled. We don’t get many young spacers.”
    “Those two guys we ran into earlier didn’t seem too thrilled.” Dace jerks his arm to shake off my hand. “And I am not a spacer.”
    “Oh, I know. Just that you’ve been traveling from planet to planet. They’ll want to hear about that. I mean, we’re just stuck here on Eco. Not much to talk about.”
    As we stride past Calla, the cyber glances up from polishing her laser pistol. “Found each other, did you? Now what?”
    “Off to meet some other people, or so I’m told,” says Dace, with a jerk of his head towards me.
    A grin, macabre in its artificiality, splits Calla’s face. “Taking charge, is she? Well, enjoy it, little man. Not often you get to spend time with the young, pretty ones.”
    Dace straightens, the flush in his cheeks contrasting with his dignified expression. “Ann’s simply introducing me to some of her friends. No big deal, but it’s something different, you know?”
    Calla laughs, a mechanical trill that turns into a wheeze. “Yeah, I gotcha. Well, run along. I’ll clue in the Captain if he questions your whereabouts.”
    “We’ll be in the recreation hall.” Determined, I meet Calla’s direct gaze without faltering.
    “Sure thing.” Calla waves us away with one sweep of her gloved hand. “Better get a move on. Captain’s likely to show up any minute with a list of chores for the kid.”
    Knowing how my mother’s entranced him, I doubt it. I just pray the cyber won’t go searching the ship. That’s all I need—someone else discovering my mother’s little rendezvous with Captain Patel. Gossip swirls about the colony like a sandstorm. All it takes is one word, even from a cyber, and my dad and grandparents will hear all about it.
    “Come on.” I grab Dace’s hand and pull him toward the exterior ramp. “No time like the present to become the most popular person on Eco.”
    “Or the most uncomfortable,” Dace replies without enthusiasm. But he doesn’t yank his hand away.

 
     
    The rec hall is full of people. I lead Dace to the game room, threading our way through a cluster of chairs. I nod silent greetings to the adults who are gathered before a large screen, engrossed in watching an old