You can always recognise Hawking ships. They are painted thick orange with a few vertical red stripes and the name “Hawking Corporation” in forest Green as well as the Logo; a Hawk with a Crown, is stamped on every side.

I’d had to put a decal of the logo on the Presidium, (but only one, as we were freelancers). Seeing the three Hawking ships, I wasn’t surprised by the hail;

“Captain Paulwell, we’ll take over from here, please log aboard the Cornucopia to gain your emoluments and consider a further contract…” Dressed in my best uniform I took a shuttle to the lead vessel, while the other two took conduct of the supply ship we had been escorting.

I was met by a pompous bureaucrat, who dithered and babbled, paid by another whose heavy lifting was spoon to mouth. I got a bonus and the offer of a return to Cyberus to motherduck another cargo ship. We’d be paid for our empty ride out.

It hadn’t been an arduous journey, the two Pirate attacks were exciting, but brief. However the fact there was no shore leave was a negative. I asked if we couldn’t have four days on Ceres, which was not far off the route.

“I’ll clear it with Ms. Rhyse, please enjoy our bar,” he clipped, leaving me.

Hawking never used androids or cyborgs or anything that looked human. They had developed the tech, you could buy a robot that looked and acted human, but they didn’t use that series domestically. The “bartender” was a tin man. I ordered a Punchback, a popular drink amongst Spacers. A thick gluey topping kept the liquor in the glass and added a spicy bite. The best Punchbacks, like this one, were made with single malt under a coat of crushed cinnamon pepper.

Before I finished, the flunkey waddled back.

“Your terms are acceptable. Four days on Ceres, we’ll pick up the tab if you stay at any of our Crown Hotels,” and he gave me a card.

I finished the drink, hopped back to the Presidium. Everyone was in the galley, discussing “what ifs” as usual. Interestingly, Gye was there. Way far in a corner, languid, his chair against the wall, his large legs on a table.

As paymaster, I called names, Gye was last. He didn’t move right away. While he was in transit, I announced the bonus, and the four days on Ceres.

While the others whooped, Gye asks, “What is my portion of the bonus?” taking his pay.

“I figured we’d use it on Ceres.”

“I want my portion,” he says in a soft threat.

I gave him a steady eye; “When we get a bonus, we use it for a party.”

His eyes dug into mine; “And if I don’t partake of this, ‘party’?”

I didn’t like sitting with a Gennie looming above me, so stood; “Then you lose your portion. In fact, you can leave now.”

“And go where?” Gye asks as if it’s real option.

Someone spoke, I turned to respond, Gye wasn’t there when I turned back.

I’m a Captain, not a psychologist, not a counselor, if Gye wants to play dog in the manger or whatever was the best analogy, that was fine. I’d enjoy myself. I ordered the “keg” opened, we all had a few drinks, then were underway to Ceres. I went to my cabin. There was Gye.

“Excuse me?” I say, seeing him looking through my private things.

“You have eclectic tastes…” he says. “Get out of my cabin,” I say with as much force as someone not fully sober would.

“How much was the bonus?” he asks in a seductive voice.

“Gye, if you don’t get out, I’m going to shoot you…”

“We both know you won’t shoot me. I’m unarmed.”

Looking at him, knowing his reaction time, his prowess, I laughed. He joined me. When he did he had an innocent look. In fact, he looked more innocent than a child. The laughter broke the wall I’d built between us. Maybe because I was a little drunk, I said;

“Two thousand. I take half, divide the other half. Which considering how many members of staff there are, works down, to you, to about three guilders. Hence, I blow it all on a party. It’s the only fair way. You drink, you eat, you listen to music, you dance, you get drunk, you have a few laughs, and eventually, you go to bed, probably not alone. That’s what I usually do with a bonus.”

He looked into my face when I spoke, there was, if I can use the word, innocence. Quietly, letting a few beats pass; “I don’t drink, I don’t like common food. I don’t like modern music, I don’t dance, I don’t get drunk, laughs are rare, and I would probably not want anyone who would appear at the party to share my bed.”

“So what do you want for your three guilders?” I flick.

“I’ll think about it,” he said, gave me a tip of his head in lieu of good night, and left my cabin.

There was no outward change, he still hid in the bowels of the Presidium unless summoned and ate alone, I felt different towards him. Not that I trusted him, but I trusted him more now than I did when he first logged on, more than I had before he entered my cabin.

Before we got into Ceres orbit, I had the A.I. locate him. He was in an unused part of the ship, which I think had been a hospital ward before the Presidium was decommissioned. The Presidium began life as a mid range war ship, after ten years, it was put on the market, bought by Hawkeye Security.

After two years, it was for sale. It wasn’t cheap, but I was able to purchase it with the condition it had to be available when necessary to Hawking.

As the point of the purchase was to hire the Presidium out as security for cargo shipments, and Hawking was the largest corporation, it was a double gift.

I journeyed to the forsaken corner Gye occupied. He was reading, as he usually did, and looked up as I entered.

“We’re docking in about two hours. We have rooms at a Crown Hotel. I’m deciding to go to Terrafin…”

“I’ll get my own room?” he asked.

“Yeah, no one else would want to share with you.” I tossed, then added; “In four days we’ll leave for Cyberus, another escort job.”

He continued to look at me.

“If you want to be part of that, be back here in four days. If you aren’t ….you aren’t.”

“I think I would…” he said so softly it tickled my ears.

I was glad. I liked him being here. I don’t know why, but I just did.

I returned to the bridge. We orbited, berthed, took a shuttle to the planet, Gye pretending he didn’t know us. At the Terrafin I argued with the concierge, got everyone in double rooms, got myself a single, asked for another, telling him it was for a Gennie, pointing at Gye, who was standing in the crowded lobby doing his impersonation of a cannibal selecting dinner.

The snotty manager handed me a key with a hissed; “Get him out of my Lobby!” I choked a laugh. Gye, head and shoulders above the average, was getting a wide berth.

“Here’s your key,” I say, unnecessarily. He took it, looked around, moved off.

I went to my room, which was the best, took a nice hot bath, using all the crap set out for my use. I dressed in a white shirt and dark pants, went down to the restaurant, the buffet was dazzling. Surprisingly, Gye was there, taking vegetables, fruit, a few other items.

“You don’t have a change of clothing?” I ask.

“No,” he said without looking at me.

“You’re scaring the guests.” I impart.

After a pause, in his soft voice, “I don’t kill unless I’m paid to,” he admits.

“Would it kill you to dress like me?”

He gave me an eye; “Possibly,” he replied, moved to the patio. All the tables were taken. He sat down on a vacant chair, the guests got up and left with noisy haste.

He looked at a terrified busboy, wiggled a finger, pointed. The boy didn’t move. I came to the table, stood with my plate in my hand, glared, and the kid came over and cleared. I sat opposite, began to eat. Gye looked over the beachfront, the sea.

“That’s an ocean?” he asked me.

“Yeah, the Summer Ocean,” I reply. It took me six more mouthfuls to add, “You’ve never seen an ocean?”

“No,” he replied as if bored.

“I suppose you don’t have a suit.”

“Suit?”

“To wear, in the water. Look, see?” I point to a man on the beach who wore an average short.

“Why bathe if you don’t undress?” he asks.

“It’s not that kind of a bath, it’s exercise, recreation.

After we finish, you want to take a dip?”

“Dip,” he repeats, concentrating on his food.

I could see him thinking.

Did he want to go on the beach with me?

Did he want to be outside, among normals?

Did he want to go into the water?

It’s funny, I wasn’t staring at him, I was looking in his direction because he was opposite, but I could feel him thinking.

“Alright,” he replied.