The trip from Jebidiah to Jericho Station wasn’t too long. Jax and the others occupied their time watching various old-time vids, and until they ran out of beer, getting drunk. Despite the overall failure of the job, doing the right thing and surviving more than one Imperial entanglement were enough to keep their collective spirits up. It helped that all the room swapping and awkwardness of their earlier trip was over, so everyone could get a better night’s sleep.
Jericho station was a very different design from Kelso. Where Kelso was basically a cigar stuck through a donut, Jericho was three times the size and basically a dumbbell, two spheres nearly half a kilometer in diameter connected by a kilometer long and three-hundred-meter-wide central span.
The Osprey had been given docking clearance in what Kori told them was the low-rent docking area in Sphere One. Her boss, she further explained, would be docking in the other sphere in less than an hour. Jax and Steve promised to have Marshall ship the rest of her luggage from Kelso.
As the group descended the boarding ramp, Jax looked at Kori, duffel bag slung over her shoulder. “Don’t be a stranger.”
Steve hugged her and said, “My brother is gonna be pissed.” He looked sidelong at Jax. “I’m gonna send him his way.” He hitched a thumb.
Kori nodded, smiling. “I commed Marshall last night and let him know.” She looked at Jax. “He’s still pissed and definitely has plans for you when you all get to Kelso, though.” Jax shuddered. She turned to Naomi. “It was nice to meet you, Naomi. I hope you and Jax figure out a business arrangement.”
The Japanese woman grinned. “Oh, that’s all settled.”
“It is?” Jax turned. Naomi just smiled.
“Well, I gotta jet. Stay safe. I’m pretty sure you,” pointing at Jax, “haven’t seen the last of the Crimson Orchid. Hopefully that Ichiko guy doesn’t remember the rest of our names.”
* * *
Naomi wanted to do some digging from a computer network that wasn’t Kelso, so while she and Rudy worked, Jax and Steve went off in search of dinner and supplies.
The two men were finishing a pre-taking-dinner-back-to-Naomi beer when Jax’s gPhone buzzed. He took it out and when he saw the screen made a face, holding the device out for Steve to see the screen. NO-IDENT blinked across the screen. “Crimson Orchid?” Jax guessed.
Steve nodded slowly. “Or someone trying to sell you real estate on New Terra.”
Jax pressed the ACCEPT icon. “Hello, Mr. Caruso. Oh, and you, too, Mr. Delphino.” His grin was not friendly. So much for the not remembering the last names of the others, thing. It was Ichiko. “I just wanted you to know that you’ve made very powerful enemies in the Crimson Orchid.”
Jax shrugged. “Well, you were planning to kill us instead of paying the remaining thirty percent on the job, so you know, I kinda see us as even.”
“Oh, no,” the older man said, his smile very much unfriendly. “We are anything but. I only just avoided the authorities on Themura. Many of my lieutenants did not. No, Mr. Caruso, we are not even.”
This time it was Steve who replied. “Yeah, well, sounds like you’re not in much of a position to do anything about it.” He offered his fist to Jax outside the view of the phone’s camera pickup. Jax bumped his own fist against it.
“For now, yes. I just thought you should know that our dealings are not concluded.” Again, the older man smiled a wicked smile. “Remember, we know where you live.”
Jax’s face went flat. “You do, and you should remember how easy it was to get the Imps on your ass.” He winked. “Something to think about.” He ended the call.
Steve looked at him. “You’re an idiot.”
“So, a second chance is out of the question?” Jax asked as he finished his beer. He flagged down their server. “We’re ready to go if our food is.”
She nodded. “I’ll go get it.”
Steve hadn’t moved, but when Jax looked back to him, he smiled. “Not a chance in hell. What was it Naomi said? This,” he pointed at himself, then Jax, then himself again, “is never gonna happen.” He paused. “Well, again.” He slapped Jax’s knee. “I’ll wait outside.” He stood and headed for the door.
Jax laughed, watching someone he hoped was his friend walk out. “Probably a smart choice.” The server brought the to-go order and checked Jax out.
He thumbed his gPhone. “Naomi, we’re on our way back. Have Rudy and Skip get ready for departure.”
“Roger that, partner,” the woman replied. Jax made a face but said nothing. She added, “Let’s go home.”
The end.