21: Hanging Out

All was quiet at the front desk of the Cosy Arms.  Sally and Veraa were chatting behind the counter, something about artificial sweeteners.  Veraa saw me coming and grinned.

“Hey, you.”

“G’day, Veraa,” I winked.  “Sally.”

Sally smiled.  “Hi.  I never caught your name.”

“Sam.”

“Come on around the counter.”

I chuckled.  “You sure?”

“Yeah, come on.  Veraa’s finishing in about half an hour, you might as well wait here.”

I walked around the back.  There wasn’t much on the desk, just a terminal, a stack of disposable paper keycards, and some stationary.

“Veraa tells me you used to be a soldier or something,” said Sally.  “You’re Australian, right?”

“Yeah, I am.  I was a Naval officer.”

“But not now?”

“Got tired of it, left once my contract finished.  Started doing odd jobs for people, and mineral prospecting on the side.  That’s where I just came from, I was looking for gold and copper on Earth II.”

“Wouldn’t it be all radioactive or something?” asked Veraa.

I shrugged.  “Maybe.  Depends how deep it is.  The irradiated soil is only about twenty feet deep at the very worst, so if you can dig past that you’re fine.  I had drilling equipment and stuff, portable lab for testing samples.  I was working for a mining company, so I had some decent gear, but I had to give it back when I finished.”

Sally looked impressed.  “So what do you have planned now?”

“Well, I’m going back to Earth II in a couple of days, to follow up on a few things.  Just a short trip, with a back-up crew.  The local wildlife isn’t so friendly, y’know,” I laughed.  “And then I’ll probably head back toward the Core, find some work there.”

“Ever consider signing up with the Navy again?”

“Considered it, but it would just be more of the same.  They have an annoying habit of offering me the exact same job I was doing before, but if I went back I would want something different.  You?”

Sally shrugged.  “I’ve considered joining the Confederate fleet.  I couldn’t be a Marine, though.  Veraa, on the other hand, seems like a bit of a fighter.”

Veraa chuckled.  “Yeah, I could see myself as a Marine.  I like a challenge.”