Shoshone Station: The Galactic Consortium season 2

Episode Four: Meteor #7

Zeta watched Maka and Anjia coming down the passageway toward her. They seemed so natural and comfortable together. Zeta almost feared he would invite her along for supper, and Zeta would, once again, spend the evening with everyone assuming those two were a couple and Zeta was the hanger-on, not the other way around.

"Zeta," Maka called. He let go of Anjia's arms and swept Zeta into a hug. He kissed her forehead, and for a second, all the doubts went away.

"Anjia, honey, we are going to grab supper at Shamu's and then take in the dance performance. Care to join us?"

Zeta hid a groan.

"Sorry, I've a date. Can't waste every evening with someone who's taken," Anjia joked.

"A shame. We enjoy your company, don't we, honey?"

"Yeah," Zeta lied. "It's too bad."

Maka let her go and gave Anjia a parting kiss on the cheek.

"Maybe next evening, you should go on a date with her," Zeta groused as Anjia departed.

Maka gave her an indignant look. "It's only business. You shouldn't be jealous, silly." He pressed his lips to her forehead.

She pushed out of his grasp. "I'm not jealous. I know how it is."

"How is it then?" he shot back, patronizing.

"I'm business too."

"And what does that mean?"

"You know. It's no different. The affection you show her, or anyone else, and the affection you show me. It's all business."

"It is not," he insisted. "Look." He made a gesture as if to cut something. "I'm off work. If I wanted to, I could go back to my hotel and rest. But I don't want to. I want to spend time with you, my little Zeta."

"I'm an ambassador," Zeta said. "My connections."

"Have gotten me what?" he retorted. "Did Lannister and I make a deal on some stalls in the marketplace? Or did I buy them openly?"

Only because Lannister didn't reserve any for himself.

"And Anjia, I couldn't have contacted her myself? Trust me, it's my client's wealth, not your name that brought her to the table. You are imagining things."

Am I?

He gathered her in his arms. "Little one, it's you I want to spend my evenings with. Don't throw this egg of ours away over a silly suspicion."

She sighed and let herself be swayed. After all, what else did she have waiting—an empty apartment?