Been There, Done That Read online

  “You are welcome to discuss anything about me you know to be public knowledge with Mssr. Broutin. I once offered to do business with the man, but the opportunity never materialized. He’s a French official and his visit may be business or political. It’s even remotely possible it is simply personal. He hasn’t made his purpose clear. He does know others on Home. I will trust to your discretion as my employee. Bill me what it is worth to you after you are done.”

  Eric sucked in a deep breath of apprehension when he read that. It didn’t seem a trap to him, April wouldn’t set him up, but it was a dangerous license. Both April and Jeff spoke to him like an adult. Jeff in particular expected him to be able to do what he said he could do, right and on time. It was a matter of pride not to fail him. But this took it to a different level. He’d done so much courier work for them and for Heather when she was visiting from the Moon. He knew who visited them, who they were close enough with to invite to dinner, including important people like Jon or Mr. Muños. He was aware of who they did business with to need parts or packages delivered back and forth both ways. Eric even knew the details of very personal things like who sent flowers or candy to them or their guests. He was pretty sure a lot of those things were not public knowledge. Certainly, even if single items were innocent, the sum of them all wasn’t anything to reveal. He’d better be very careful to know where that line was because he wanted to stay on their good side. Better that he convey any tales the other way, and report on Broutin to April, Eric decided.

  * * *

  “Hello neighbor,” Diana said from the screen. She had a devilish look that worried April. Her sense of humor was… well developed. Diana was her literal next door neighbor back in Hawaii, if the current revolution didn’t seize their properties. She’d been April’s house guest for a few days on Home, and then when she met Heather’s mom, Sylvia, she’d been invited to use Barak’s old room. April wasn’t sure what Diana’s relationship was to anyone. It was confusing.

  “You’re back on Home,” April noted after double checking the net icon. She was pretty sure those tomato plants behind Diana were Sylvia’s window garden.

  “Yes, and Sylvia too, we had fun on New Las Vegas and I wanted you to know we’re back. I’m returning your bodyguard, and he still has some tread on the tires. That place is a hoot. It’s been years since I’ve been to the original in Nevada. It was toned down quite a bit already because of the government prudes, and the business from the coast is gone now, since you bombarded the snot out of California. I hear it’s pretty much a ghost town now.”

  “Don’t take that as criticism,” Diana said, at her hurt look. “I know they shot first. I remember all the video you showed me. I spoke with some friends of Nick on New Las Vegas and got encouraging news. They said the crazier elements of the rebellion have been kept from nationalizing everything and trying to kick out anyone without Hawaiian ancestry.”

  “They’d have incited a new rebellion,” April predicted. “How many pure blooded Hawaiians remain? I’d be surprised if they could find ten thousand who could prove it, and they’re going to give everybody else the boot?”

  Diana got a sour look. “Even if they wanted to do DNA testing I doubt they could sort them from the Tongans and Samoans. They knocked that idea down and a few other pieces of radical stupidity. They had a group demanding all the hotels along Waikiki be torn down as they grow old and worn and the appearance of the area restored to nature. They had to be content with new zoning that will make replacements fewer, smaller, and more aesthetic, with public corridors in between, and restored public access to the beaches.

  “The North Americans have announced they are withdrawing their military as a cost cutting measure. The Hawaiians put up a fence and refused to allow services and deliveries for the bases, or liberty off base. They would have had to supply everything by air or ship like it was an uninhabited island. They already have enough problems with Texas to think about taking the island back by force. They’d need more than a hundred and fifty marines to do it this time.

  “The other good news is, it looks like we not only get to keep our houses, but there’s hope they may rationalize the property taxes down to something sane.”

  “Why would Nick’s friends be on New Las Vegas?” April asked, happy to hear about her house, but more concerned about what Diana was up to, being chummy with revolutionaries. That bland innocent look didn’t fool her. She didn’t just happen to bump into them. “Don’t you mean his co-conspirators? Not just social friends.”

  “They intend to allow casinos for the first time in Hawaii, at least a limited number on the big island, to suck in some tourist money,” Diana said. “They are looking to target both Australian and Asian tourists. They will have a lot in common with the folks at NLV. They were studying them and hiring away some expertise.”

  “I’m surprised they didn’t go check out Camelot. Jeff has been trying steadily to diversify, but their casino has been the backbone of their economy since the Chinese pulled out. It caters to high-rolling Chinese too. Even Heather hasn’t shut it down, and it’s under her sovereignty. She’s personally death on obsessive gamblers, and all the troubles they create, if you get to know her.” April scrunched up her eyebrows thinking, and frowned.

  “And NLV is under North American law, so I’m even more surprised those rebels would risk visiting their jurisdiction. I assume they lifted from someplace else, but still. There might be arrest warrants out for them.”

  “Things have changed at NLV,” Diana assured her. “There are only three resident North American officials. All the physical security and entry control is contracted out to private security now. Only one North American is technically law enforcement, but he isn’t hands on with the day to day and just rubber stamps what the casinos agree to. The other two are revenue bean counters, and supposedly they could order the other guy to arrest anybody they accused of withholding taxes. So right now the security guys aren’t interested in keeping anybody out based on their politics. If you’ve got money to bet you’re welcome.

  “North America’s only interest in New Las Vegas right now seems to be skimming off whatever easy cut of the winnings are theirs. They don’t withhold for non-citizens, so that’s dried up to almost nothing. There’s no government money coming in the hab, just taxes out. The currency controls and bank regulations aren’t good for business, and nobody wants to do business in USNA dollars. They may just go the way of the Hawaiians,” Diana predicted.

  April looked alarmed. “You’re going to make them think we’re exporting revolution!”

  “No, no, no… maybe the Hawaiians are exporting a little, but I’m not even a Home citizen. Come to that… I haven’t declared I’m a Hawaiian citizen either. If I have a few friends from Home, that’s my concern. Gunny dropped a few USNA dollars he had laying around losing value at the tables, and Sylvia played a bit too. I know you keep things pretty close to your breast, Kido,” Diana said, holding her hands in close like she had a hand of cards, “and you seem to have sources. So it might not surprise you to know Eduardo went ahead to get things set up, and we joined him for a little vacation.”

  “Muños?” April asked. That did surprise her and she couldn’t keep a poker face. All her ‘sources’ had failed to tell her he’d gone off to New Las Vegas. He hardly ever left Home. She knew Diana had gone out with both Gunny and Eduardo. Silly her, she’d worried that might drive a wedge between Diana and Sylvia, because she’d seen Sylvia with Eduardo too, a few times at the Fox and Hare, and she liked both of them. She was holding her breath worried Sylvia would give Diana the boot if she horned in on Eduardo. Finally the obvious hit April between the eyes like a mule kick.

  “Yeah,” Diana went on, seemingly oblivious to the fact April hadn’t had a clue before, “we all get along just fine,” Diana said, meshing her fingers together to show how well. “So we all got a big suite together at the SpaceX place, The Aurum Orbit. It had a hot tub that was damn near big enough to do laps, and it was
at a half G like your place. I really like that, because you uh, sleep so well.”

  “Sounds delightful but expensive,” April said, composed again.

  “Honey, Eduardo pulled the same thing you did at your nightclub. He’s an owner and they all hopped to as soon as we came in and treated us like royalty. It was all comped to us before we ever played.”

  April had no idea before what sort of business Eduardo dabbled in. She was learning all sorts of things today. “Well, I’m glad you had a good time. You do buy the round-trip ticket I hope, in case the house prevails?” she joked.

  “None of us are obsessive like your sweetie Heather worries about. Gunny lost the most and that was just a few dollars North American he didn’t want to keep holding anyway. You might as well lose Monopoly money. The fun thing was Sylvia. She was supposedly there for unveiling one of those huge glass panels she does. They put it up a ways inside the main entry so traffic has to flow around it. Eduardo was there but three other guys running the casino were there too, all dressed up and making an event of it. The camera crew arranged everybody to each side facing the camera, real dramatic like, but with a clear shot of the panel when the cloth dropped away.

  “Everybody shook hands all around and they had a couple servers pouring champagne off to the side to cap it off, but first the CFO had a flunky standing to the side with a velvet chip tray. Instead of chips it had twenty Solars laid in a chip groove and he made show of presenting her fee to Sylvia. I don’t think she wanted it to be so public what they paid her to sculpt it. She looked a bit put out at them doing that, so she didn’t take the tray or scoop up the coins. She just picked up the end one, balanced it on her thumb like she was going to flip it in the air, and asked him, “Double or nothing?”

  April couldn’t help but smile. She well knew the exact challenging tone Sylvia would take if she were irritated.

  “That fellow might work for a gambling house, but he was no sport himself,” Diana said. “He looked like his knees were going to give out to take a straight up twenty Solar bet with no house odds working for them. He declined with an awkward refusal. He stuttered, and didn’t even look at his partners to see if they were game. That’s the kind of story people will tell years later, and it won’t ever serve him well to have it remembered.”

  “Except a few bean counters who will nod solemnly in agreement,” April said.

  “Lord yes, they are all of a kind aren’t they?” Diana agreed. “Eduardo just smiled. He might have gone for it. With the newsies standing right there, with the camera running, it would have been worth it as advertising even if she won.”

  “If things back home are stable, do you think you’ll be going back to Hawaii?” April wondered.

  “Not yet,” Diana said, with a dismissive wave. “I just consider what Nick told me an insider’s progress report. It’s not a done deal and I want to see some solid public statements and published policies before I’d go back for any stretch of time. Besides, I’m still having fun here, and I haven’t gone to the Moon. I absolutely want to do that soon, for sure before I go back to Hawaii.”

  April nodded. “I may be there in a few days if you go. I might see you. I have an old acquaintance visiting, who I met at Sylvia’s years ago. I’m going to take him to the club tonight and when he goes on to the Moon I may go along. I’m surprised you haven’t heard from him, being with Sylvia. I’d have thought he’d want to visit her too.

  “I’m glad to hear that about Hawaii. I’d like to feel free to visit my house for a few weeks,” April said. “I’ve never had a chance to take Jeff or Heather there and there are all sorts of things on the island I never got to see.”

  Diana nodded. “It’s a vacation home to you. Mine might become that to me if I ever buy a place of my own here. However, anything bigger than a broom closet is just so expensive that I don’t see it happening. Not unless I start buying lotto tickets and hit the big one.”

  “I’d think you’d do better to sell them,” April quipped, with a smile.

  Diana’s mouth dropped open and she stared goggled eyed at April for a good ten seconds before she snapped it shut. “It’s like when your buddy Zack rented me the pistol! There’s no law against it, is there?”

  “Indeed, there is no law against almost anything you want to do,” April agreed. “Just don’t forget to give me a cut for the idea. It’s the right thing to do.”

  “Done!” Diana agreed. “Your beau Jeffery said he gives that kid, Eric a half percent for the bit idea. I’ll go one better and give you a full percent. I don’t want to be seen as cheap. Thank you!”

  “You’re welcome, but I have to say, it’s probably as hard as starting any other business, and once you start it you’ll have to deal with competitors undoubtedly. You’ll have to finance it and promote it and find people to sell your chances and pay for art and printing and stuff. Also, there are only a few thousand people on Home as a market,” April warned her.

  “That’s all detail,” Diana said, with a dismissive wave. “I’ve seen how a couple of my husbands did startups. I can do a business plan and I’ll remember a lot of the pitfalls they demonstrated too. As far as market size, why limit myself to Home?”

  April didn’t have a good answer for that. It was her turn to be surprised.

  Diana just smiled, tickled she had flummoxed April in turn. “I’ve got to run. See you soon,” she promised.

  * * *

  “Mssr. Broutin, you have messages,” the front desk informed him at check-in. They gave them to him actually printed out, in an envelope, instead of just routing it to his room screen. It seemed a trifle old fashioned, but elegant. They did not seem concerned to read a credit card or get advance payment, so he didn’t mention it either. He really didn’t want to run to a bank first thing. He took the messages to his room rather than stand and open them right there.

  The room was snug, but no worse than he’d experienced on Earth. One night he’d been stuck at the airport in Amsterdam and rented a sleeping cube half this size. It still had a private bath and he’d forgone that luxury traveling in his youth and staying at hostels.

  Their attempts to be quaint hadn’t extended to having somebody carry his bag. Pierre tossed it on the bed and used it as a prop under his knees to relax and open his messages. The first was as he expected, from April, inviting him to be her guest at the Fox and Hare at 1900 the next evening. She suggested he rest and take time to inspect the changes in Home since he’d visited. She strongly suggested buying a pair of spex and learning to use the 3D mapping and route overlay to get around the hab. Lastly she said she would make a young man available as a guide for him in the morning. He could help with whatever Pierre wished until they met for dinner. Well, that was nice. Cynic that he was, Pierre wondered how much of a babysitter or minder the fellow was intended to be?

  The second message was from an Eric Pennington. He revealed April had reserved his day for Pierre’s service and he’d be available with about a ten minute delay anytime he wished to call com code 1972. Pierre wondered if the com codes were sequential and reissued when dropped from service? Might that tell him something about Mr. Pennington? He used the room console to send a text message to the man asking him to be available in the lobby at 0700 and he could guide him to breakfast, then he confirmed dinner with April. He set his own phone as an alarm, trusting it better than his experience with hotel services, and hoped to get a few more hours sleep on top of what he got on the shuttle.

  Chapter 4

  April dropped a text message about the same time to Heather.

  “Have you received any messages from Pierre Broutin? He’s visiting Home and says he intends to go on to the Moon. He’s not just visiting Marseille. He mentioned Central specifically. What else would he do there but speak to you? You do remember him? He was at your mom’s place one night when I stayed over. He was worried your mom might not be able to ship a panel to an Earthie friend and was talking to her about it. I think he wanted to give her a hurry-u
p but knew better than to put it so bluntly. Knowing your mom she’d offer to cancel the commission and sell it on the public market if he tried that stuff on her. I intend to take him to dinner and perhaps he will reveal his intent further. He’s been very vague and made it sound more like a social visit so far.”

  Heather didn’t always respond quickly to a text. She was after all a busy executive and sovereign, but the screen quickly displayed “About that,” so April would know she was typing a longer reply right now.

  “Of course I remember him. I had a little envious crush on him and was taken with his accent and manners. He’d visited my mom a couple times before. I suspected his friend’s panel was more of an excuse to visit than a real concern. If you didn’t pick up on it, I think he was more interested in you than he’d ever admit. Nothing blatant, but he got that dreamy look guys get when they are fascinated. I was a little jealous. You were too young for him, but he might have been marking you as worth watching for the future. He gave you his cuff-links and I bet he doesn’t habitually pass out gold jewelry like party favors. If he has serious business, I can’t imagine anything is important enough to come from Earth, except the deal we did with Marseille to collect Helium 3 for them. Maybe we are wrong and it wasn’t directed from the mother country? Or perhaps they want to prod us to expand and supply more? We’ll just have to wait and see. I’d take him to dinner alone. He might speak more freely. If it seems worth your time and interest come with him or offer transport to Central.”

  April could readily agree with that.

  “I’ll do that. I did send Eric as a guide. I should have some sort of report from him without too much prompting. Eric isn’t stupid, and he looks so young Broutin might pump him a little more blatantly than an older man. He may reveal his core interests. I’ll keep you informed.” – Love, April