Higgs & Soap: Galaxy Delivery

Chapter 11

The docking doors closed shut and the air pumps started filling the bay with oxygen as the bulky, battered old blue transport ship powered down. Six muscular men, each with a single line of hair running diagonally across their heads, immediately stood up and tried to force the cargo door open. A warning message told them to wait until docking bay pressure was at least survivable, and they stood staring at each other in confusion.

The communications screen in the cockpit flashed red and one of them hit it. A message played.

"Get card or you'll be killed dead. See tall hair man and cat lady? Kill them dead. See Grey Dragons? Kill them dead. See duty free alcohol? Buy twelve bottles for boss. Go do."

***

"Shouldn't we be arranging accommodation?"

"Nah, trust me Soap, we'll be out of here within eight hours."

They were wandering the aisles of the Fresh Enough supermarket on the shopping level, carrying a basket each, looking for snacks.

"I dropped a mention of Swift Fred/Rick's name on a certain SubNet 'business' forum I frequent. Used a random alias."

"What's your alias?"

"Turpentine Moss."

"I like it!"

"Anyway, I said an item of great personal value had been bequeathed to another family member and that I would like it back. Mentioned his name, said I'd heard he was the best sneak thief around, and told interested parties to private message me. With a compliment like that, he's bound to get in touch soon."

"So now we wait?"

"No, now we shop!"

Soap grinned as she looked around the shelves. "Ooh, Chewna-Chunx!" She reached up and grabbed a small round tin with a smiling fish on the side, alongside the slogan: "There's something fishy going on in here!" Then she took five more. "They've got an offer on."

Higgs screwed up his face. "Those things stink out the common area and your bedroom for days!"

"Then stop coming into my bedroom."

"Not likely."

"Thought as much."

A shop robot appeared behind them. It was a large squat box on wheels with a square head and mechanical arms that unfolded upwards until it was nearly as tall as the top shelf. As they walked down the aisle, it replaced the cans Soap had taken.

She spied a bulky silver plastic packet and picked it up. "Some Nom-Noms Chicken-Likes?"

"Why not. When you're stranded in space you'll eat anything."

"Don't you know it."

The robot followed them and replaced the packet on the shelf.

Higgs grabbed a foot long, narrow green packet and squashed it along its length between his fingers. "Oh yeah, I love fresh apple."

The shelf stacking robot appeared at his shoulder, reached down into the box above its wheels and pulled out a new packet of apple which it used to fill the gap that Higgs had made.

Higgs stared at it for a moment. The robot stared back. Higgs sighed nonchalantly, stretched, then picked up the apple packet the robot had just placed. The robot performed the same manoeuvre as before, replacing the packet he had taken. This time Higgs grabbed the packet almost immediately. The robot replaced it even quicker. Higgs smile and hovered his hand over the shelf.