Shoshone Station: The Galactic Consortium season 2

Episode Six: Africa #20

Jake drove. Mike sat next to him and talked. Every now and then, Jake checked the rearview to make sure Mom and his sisters were still following. The miles slid by. Before he knew it, they were pulling into the ground station under Shoshone.

"We won't be able to do this every time," Mom had warned yesterday. She meant it in part for Jake, that they wouldn't be able to see him off every time he returned to work. But mostly it was for the others. The money he'd brought home had been nearly three weeks' work. It had helped his mom catch up all their bills, plus enough for this splurge. Even with Jake working, they were not rich, not by a long shot. Still, this was enough.

"That pole it?" Mike was asking, pointing at the station as it came into view. "I thought it was a cable."

"It is a cable," Jake said. "But a very thick one, and it's pulled tight. So it looks like a pole."

They climbed out and waited for the women, who were in short-term parking. They got a meal inside while they waited for the next elevator. At the top, Jake led them around the bottom court, pointing out sites and sharing trivia like he was an expert, even though he'd barely had time to explore on his last two trips through.

While they were drinking juice smoothies and resting along the rim of the station, staring down at the earth, Jake got a system message. Moments later, Chatura was projected holographically in front of them. "Just landed on Vienna Station," he said. "I will catch my hopper in an hour."

"How long to Bamako?" Jake asked. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Mike staring at Chatura's form, apparently in awe that Jake was actually talking to an alien.

"Another hour after that."

"You'll beat me by a long stretch then," Jake said. "My flight leaves in a half an hour, but it will be six before I arrive."

"Still better than poor Abioya. He found a waystation in Niger that has an OL to Bamako. Still, it's nearly eight hours by bus, a two-hour flight to the station, and then an hour back down to the surface."

"You talked to him?"

"He was in network range for a few minutes. Now, it won't be until he's at the waystation."

"Are you an alien?" Mike blurted out.

Chatura laughed. "No, are you?"

Mike laughed in turn.

"I told you about Chatura," Jake chided him. "He's Hanuman. Chatura, this is Mike. Hanuman are—"

"Simian," Chatura finished for him.

Mike's eyes grew even wider. "What's that mean?"

"We share almost all the same genetics as you," Chatura said. "Except for that ghastly mutation that makes the rest of you bald all over." He shivered. Mike giggled.

Jake heard the loudspeaker in the background announce the arrival of the main elevator. "I've got to catch this up to spaceport," he said to Chatura. "I'll see you in about eight hours or so."

"And we'll wait for Abioya together," Chatura said. "See you then." He flickered and vanished.

Mom and the kids followed Jake as far as the spaceport. "They say there's a great lounge with a transparent ceiling," he told her. "You can see the stars and everything. If you want to treat the kids before heading home."

"Thanks," she said. "And Jake, I'm proud of you."

He blushed. "Mom." On impulse, he hugged her. "I ran away, just like Dad." He grabbed her shoulders and added, before she could misread him, "But I came back, Mom. I promise. I will keep coming back. For you. For the kids."

She blinked back tears. "I know. That's why I'm proud."

And then they were announcing boarding on his flight. He gave each of his siblings a quick hug, slung his bag, and headed into the spaceport.