Read Lana's Comet (Outer Settlement Agency) for Free Online

to excel at something. Not anymore. Calorietabs have largely gone to private entities. There are a few dozen rover and shuttle companies. All they have left is terraforming. But really, how much further out can we go? We have all the inhabitable planets and moons in the system. So what do they do in the next fifty years? Hmmm?”
    “The plan was always to branch out.”
    “Not feasible, at least not in our lifetimes. We’ll never get further than here. We’re stuck in a Milky Way that we can’t afford to further explore. The Andromeda Galaxy is a dream. You know that. It’s too much money and too much risk. So what do they do when there aren’t problems that need solving?”
    “You make new ones. I need details. Tell me everything.”
    “I’ve already told you enough to get me killed. Look, no one knows I have this information. It’s the only reason they let me go. I can’t even believe I told you this.”
    “Relax I—”
    “Relax? They’ll kill me. The plan was to release this info knowing I’ll have protection. I know you don’t think much of me, but if this gets out before—”
    “You have no idea what I think of you. Did you save any proof of this?”
    She shook, then nodded her head. “Kinda. On a Meash filecore normally reserved for personal data. If I can get into the system I can bring it out, but I’d be traced.”
    “Data and security. That’s why you’re here?”
    “I can protect myself fine. But as an OSA agent, my family will also be safe. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder. I can accomplish what needs to be done and still have the job of my dreams. After saving the worlds. How’s your wound?”
    “Fine. Don’t change the subject.”
    “Back to me being a bad recruit?”
    “You come to us as a doctor in good standing. That’s why you’re not being pulled for the psych portion.” He took out his omnitablet and sent the files to her account. “Officially, you’re meant to review these case studies and submit findings per instruction.”
    “And unofficially?”
    “Whatever you’re not telling me, Lana Kagen, keep investigating. If I can get you access to a secure connection, could you get into those Meash Corp documents?”
    “Only Meash Two, but that’s all I’d need. That and a datacell to store the info. With Meash, they monitor every download. They’d have destroyed me before I left the facility.”
    “Give me twenty.”
    “Twenty what?”
    “Laps.”
    “Are you serious right now?”
    “Do it,” he screamed and waited for her to turn away.
    Holy hell .
    Confusion clouded her eyes, but if even a little of what she said was true, he couldn’t let on that something was wrong. A sudden shift in behavior wouldn’t go unnoticed if they were being watched. And OSA had eyes everywhere.
    Then again, so did Meash Corp.
    He waited until she was on the other side of the gym then walked to his office, back stiff and grimacing. His clogged, clone brain struggled to find a way out of this – one that kept them both breathing.
    In the safety of his chambers, he paced, stopping only to check on Lana’s progress through the window.
    Foolish, brave, beautiful thing.
    The datacell he kept in a bottom drawer was their best hope. It was his private one, with images of home and youth.
    And Grandma, his mute Kin ancestor.
    He considered erasing the images, but that he couldn’t stand the thought of. Something inside didn’t so much mind Lana seeing them. Maybe they might bring her a sense of security. If she got caught with this, they’d both be toast. The benefit couldn’t be overlooked either. If he could trust her with this, she ought to know she could trust him with anything. That settled that.
    Cyprus returned to the gym to find Lana with her back bent, but not heaving. His instincts told him to run to her...and to keep away. He opted for something in between and crossed the floor with measured steps.
    He scowled and shoved his finger in her