Higgs & Soap: Galaxy Delivery

Chapter 6

Lunch finished, Higgs and Soap walked back towards the main city centre and hopped in an auto-drive. After their experience on the train earlier, they both agreed that travelling alone would be safer. That, and their cheap return was no longer valid.

"Spaceport Cargo Departure please."

"DESTINATION CONFIRMED. JOURNEY TIME: 12 ADJUSTED MINUTES," said the car AI.

A small green "cash" icon appeared on Higgs' HUD with the text "Williams City auto-drive: Two passengers – Spaceport Cargo – 64 credits" floating above it. He paid, sighing heavily, and the door slid closed. The vehicle raised itself off the ground by a few inches, revealing two spherical wheels, one either end. When a gap appeared, the vehicle pulled out sideways into the stream of traffic, then shot forward.

"The costs for this job just keep going up and up all the time. Can't wait to explain all the expenses to the customer when we get to Varda City One."

"I'M SORRY SIR, THAT IS NOT IN MY LIST OF DESTINATIONS."

"Uh, ignore me. That was six hundred credits to Bert for the reboot plus one free delivery of anything, to keep him happy. Money going down the drain. Apart from lunch though. That was worth it."

"Yeah, that's what I call proper food," said Soap, patting her stomach. "But I can't wait to get off-planet. We've attracted too much attention down here. There's too many people. I much prefer space – no-one can creep up on you out there."

*ding*

"Need something off-planet

Finding it difficult to plan it

Forget going to the effort

Of doing your own transport

Go with a company

With fast times, for delivery

The company you have chosen

To deliver your goods, that's Tosen!"

*ding*

"What the foob was that?"

"DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT."

"I'm not worried about it, I just want to know what it was?"

"ISN'T IT OBVIOUS?"

"Apart from terrible, not really."

"IT IS AN ADVERTISEMENT!"

"I know that. What I meant was, why is it playing here?"

"WILLIAMS CITY AUTO-DRIVE SELL CONTEXT SENSITIVE IN-RIDE ADVERTISING TO HELP KEEP OUR FARES THE CHEAPEST."

"Cheap? 64 credits is cheap?"

"WELL WHY DIDN'T YOU TAKE THE MAGLEV TRAIN?"

Higgs muttered something unintelligible.

"He's afraid of heights," said Soap.

"I am now."

They sat opposite each other in the lozenge shaped compartment as the driverless vehicle sped up on reaching the elevated expressway exit. Soap pulled the data card out from the breast pocket of her uniform.

"So what do you know about our customer?" She flicked the card in an arc and Higgs caught it.

"I thought you preferred not to know about the business side of things?"