Search for the Phoenix: Phoenix Series Book 2 (23 page)

“He was a good man,” Megan whispered, looking at the ground.

“Nolan’s a good man, too,” Boo added.

“Yes, I know,” Megan said, still studying the dirt between her feet.

“Not that it’s any of my business, but how close are you and Nolan?”

Megan turned and looked off across the dark yard.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked. Especially after talking about John so much,” Boo said.

Megan turned to face her. A tear escaped the corner of her eye and clung to her cheek. Forcing a smile, she said, “We’re friends.”

Boo nodded. “Fair enough. That’s all I need to know.”

After a brief silence, Megan said, “He’s in love with me.”

“And what about you?” Boo asked.

Megan shrugged. “I don’t know how I feel. It’s too soon.”

Boo reached over and patted Megan’s knee. “You take your time to heal. Nolan has been alone for a long time. He can wait a bit longer. When you’re ready, he’ll still be there. He needs someone special in his life.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I think Nolan likes his independent lifestyle,” Megan said.

Boo shook her head. “Ha! Don’t you bet on it. That man needs someone like you. I’ve seen the change already. Something was missing before. Now he’s found it.”

“And you think it’s me?” she asked.

“I know it’s you,” Boo said.

Megan looked up at the darkening sky. “I’m worried about him. He’s got his mind set on finding Carl.”

“And you don’t think he will?” Boo said.

“Do you think we’ll find him?”

Boo put down her screwdriver and sighed. “It’s hard to say. SACOM has been looking for him, and they haven’t had any success. I don’t know. Nolan knows Carl better than anyone. Maybe he’ll figure out some clue that SACOM missed.”

“I hope so,” Megan said.

“What are you going to do when Nolan resumes his search?”

“I’m going with him, wherever he goes,” Megan said. “We’ll look together.”

Boo smiled. “Then I’d say you don’t need to worry about Nolan. As long as you’re with him, he’ll be okay whether you find Carl or not.”

“Thanks, Boo. And now, if you don’t mind, I’m going back inside to check on Nolan, and then I’m going to bed.”

“I’ll be in soon. Light’s fading and I don’t feel like moving all these parts to my workshop tonight,” Boo said.

* * * *

Nolan walked into the kitchen and found Boo and Megan busy cooking. “That smells great.”

Megan looked at him over her shoulder. “Hey, you got out of bed all by yourself.”

“It hurt like hell, but I did it. Do you want any help?” he asked.

Boo chuckled. “Everything is ready. We just need help eating.”

Nolan walked to the table and eased himself into a chair.

“Very good,” Megan said. “You’re making progress.”

“So, Nolan, what do you want to do today?” Boo asked as she set a plate piled with pancakes on the table and sat down.

“I want to take a lot of pictures of those SACOM weapon components in your hangar to take back with me.”

“It may help Captain Jiorgenson identify the weapons, too,” Megan said.

“Yes, and that may help him figure out who gave them to the Xetians,” Nolan said.

“Let’s eat while it’s still hot. After breakfast, we’ll go to the hanger and you can photograph everything,” Boo said. “Then you can earn your keep. I’m having trouble with a food synthesizer, and I could use your help.”

“I thought you hated those things,” Nolan said with a smile.

“I do. However, they bring a good price to the right buyer,” she said.

“After we get it working, we can test it by preparing lunch,” he said.

“No, thank you. Besides, I don’t have the nutrient canisters for it.”

“You can’t sell it without testing it. This afternoon, I’ll fly the Griffin over to Centralis and pick up some canisters,” Nolan said.

“I’m going with you,” Megan said. “I’d like to see the town.”

“Why don’t you come with us, Boo? It’ll be fun,” Nolan said.

Boo looked thoughtful for a moment. “Sure, why not. I could pick up a few things while we’re there. It beats a six-hour drive in the old truck.”

Nolan carefully photographed the wreckage, getting close up images of the Xetian markings on the hull and the data plates on the SACOM equipment. When he finished, he turned to Megan and said, “Let’s go check on Boo.”

“I’ve never seen a synthesizer like that,” Nolan said, looking over Boo’s shoulder.

“It’s the latest model,” she said.

“Where did you get it?” he asked.

She looked at him for a moment and then said, “Same place as those Xetian parts.”

“This came from one of the ships of the First Fleet?”

She nodded.

“Can’t you get into trouble selling SACOM property?” Megan asked.

“It’s not SACOM property anymore. It’s space salvage. It’s free for the taking once they abandon it,” Boo said.

“I assumed they had kitchens and cooks on the SACOM ships,” Megan said.

“They do on the big ships. The small ships have food synthesizers. This probably came from a scout class ship,” Nolan said.

“That’s good for us. It uses small nutrient canisters, which don’t cost a fortune. We’ll have no trouble getting them in town,” Boo said. “There’s a store just a few blocks from the spaceport that stocks them.”

“What about the stuff in the hangar? Is that space salvage, too?” Megan asked.

Boo shrugged. “That’s a gray area, I think. The First Fleet had no way of knowing SACOM weapons were on the Xetian ships, so they didn’t knowingly abandon it. They could make a good case that it’s all stolen property. That’s why I’m keeping it out of sight until I decide what to do with it.”

“Let’s get to work on this food synthesizer, and then we’ll fly to town,” Nolan said.

“I know this cozy bar on Cable Street—I think we’ll stop in there for a drink or two while we’re in town,” Boo said. Turning to Nolan, she added, “And you’re buying.”

* * * *

The Griffin landed on a pad near the edge of the spaceport, such as it was. Centralis wasn’t a major port, and it didn’t get a lot of space traffic. Most of the pads were a mixture of gravel and sand rolled flat. Or, perhaps the sand had simply blown in and covered the gravel. As the ramp touched down, it kicked up a small cloud of fine sand, which swirled and tumbled in the air before settling again. Nolan hobbled down the ramp with Megan by his side. Boo followed.

At the gatehouse, Nolan paid the landing and pad fees, and then the group began walking up Prospect Drive.

By the time they reached town, Nolan was struggling for air. His ribs insisted he only take shallow breaths, so he was panting quickly, trying to keep up with his body’s needs. Megan helped him down onto a bench in the shade of a tree and then sat beside him.

“You two wait here while I get the nutrient canisters,” Boo said.

The pair watched as she crossed the street and walked past a few stores before turning into the building on the corner. Megan shaded her eyes and read the sign out loud, “Dan’s Emporium. If we have it, you need it.”

Nolan began to laugh, which quickly became a groan and a cringe. “How long will these ribs keep hurting?” he asked through gritted teeth. “Shouldn’t they be healed by now?”

“I’d say you can look forward to another six weeks of pain,” Megan replied.

“Are you kidding me?”

“Nolan, you have broken bones. They take time to knit. Just take it easy and let your body heal,” she said.

Boo walked out of Dan’s carrying a large bag that was heavy, judging by the way she was carrying it.

“Why didn’t we get these on our way back to the ship?” Nolan asked.

“Because Dan closes shop at five, and I have no intention of going back to the ship that early,” Boo said.

“Do you want me to carry that?” Nolan asked, holding out a hand.

Megan laughed as she stood and took the bag from Boo. “What did I just say about taking it easy?”

He sighed.

“Follow me,” Boo said. “Cable Street is this way.” She turned and walked briskly away. Megan helped Nolan up from the bench, and then they followed after Boo.

Pax had not been inhabited nearly as long as Caldon, yet this city looked older. While most of Dawson’s buildings were made of plasticrete, a synthetic polymer-based replacement for concrete, the buildings here were mainly brick and wood frame structures. Grime that would have rinsed off plasticrete with the rain clung to Centralis’ buildings like a second coat of paint.

“Look at the windowpanes,” Megan said. “They’re wavy.”

They stopped, and Nolan ran his fingers over a pane. “They’re glass,” he said. “Most worlds have been using clear polymer for centuries.”

“Well, they have a lot of sand, so they make good use of it,” Megan said. “Come on, she’s getting away.”

They hurried after Boo, catching her two blocks up just as she turned and headed purposefully up a side street. Nolan was panting as he struggled to keep up. Occasionally, he would grimace when he took too deep a breath and his ribs seared with pain. Boo turned another corner onto another grimy street.

“Can we slow down a bit, Boo?” Megan asked.

“No need. We’re here,” she said as she stopped in front of a dark, dingy building. Dark green paint was peeling off the trim and door. A sign above the door read
Cosmos
. She turned the knob, gave the door a swift kick, and then pushed. “The door sticks. You have to kick it in just the right spot to jar it open,” she said.

The trio stepped inside. To Nolan’s dismay, the inside was as grubby as the outside, only darker. As his eyes adjusted, he saw that the place was crowded. Most of the tables were taken. Boo led the way to an empty table to one side of the room and sat. She waved for the barman’s attention even before Megan and Nolan were seated.

“You must come here often,” Nolan said.

“Used to. It’s been over a year, now. It feels good to be back, though.”

The barman approached the group. “Well, now, look who’s back. My dear, sweet Bethany. Where have you been?” he asked.

Nolan gave Boo a puzzled look. “Bethany?”

She glared and pointed a finger at Nolan that conveyed, without doubt, an unspoken threat. “Boo,” she said. Turning back to the barman, she said, “Hello, Devin. I’ve been staying close to my place. You know how it is.”

He nodded. “Tell me about it! When business is bad, you can’t afford to go away for a bit. When business is good, you don’t dare take the time. It’s either the lack of money, or the promise of it that keeps you working.”

“That’s the truth,” she said.

“That’s what killed our marriage,” Devin said. He smiled, but a hint of sadness showed in his eyes.

“That’s the truth, too,” Boo said.

“So, you two were married?” Megan said.

“Technically, we still are,” Boo said.

“Who are your friends?” Devin asked.

“This is Megan, and this is—”

“Jonas,” interrupted Nolan.

“Jonas,” Boo finished, raising her eyebrows at Nolan.

“Nice to meet you both,” Devin said. Turning back to Boo, he asked, “So, which is it with you? Has good business or bad kept you away?”

Boo smiled. “It’s been good. I have suppliers coming in every week. I’m constantly buying, selling, and trading. In between, I’m sorting and refurbishing. How’s things been here?” she asked.

“Up and down. Up, at the moment. I’ve been doing a brisk trade for the past few months,” he said.

Boo turned to her two companions. “Devin brews his own beer. That’s what brings the customers in. You have to try it.”

“Will that be three mugs, then?” Devin asked.

Boo looked questioningly at her companions.

Megan nodded. “Yes, please. Three mugs of your home brew.”

“I’ll be right back,” Devin said as he turned and hurried back to the bar.

Boo turned to Nolan. “Jonas?” She looked as though the name had left a bad taste in her mouth.

He leaned closer. In a low voice, he said, “I should have told you, I’m not using my real name at the moment. I’m Captain Jonas Grumby.”

Boo roared with laughter. Everyone stopped talking and looked her way. “Well, Skipper, if you offer to take me on a three-hour tour, I’ll pass.”

Megan giggled.

Nolan looked at Megan, and then at Boo. “What?”

“Who came up with that name?” Boo asked.

“I did,” Megan said. “I love old Earth television shows. I also love a good joke.”

“What’s the joke?” Nolan asked.

“That’s pretty damn funny,” Boo said.

“What’s funny about it?” Nolan asked.

“I thought so,” Megan said.