The Great Space Tax Swindle – Welcome to Phobos

“Welcome space travellers, last time we joined Meghan Gell and her daughter Ayla, everything went a little bit Pirates of the Caribbean in their story The Flying Dump (Sorry the Sparrow) Do have a read at the link there. Now, it’s time to head to the Martian moon Phobos for another exciting tale.”
I used the following prompts:
Ragtag Daily Prompt – Rise
Pensitivity’s Three Things Challenge — Crash, Burn, Fizzle
Fandango’s One Word Challenge — Slimy
Word of the Day Challenge — Wrong

Space Taxed

Awakening from Cryo-stasis resembles hot coffee being injected into your veins. Uncomfortable and yet exhilarating, Meghan Gell thought. She emerged from the steam wearing her lavender day suit and entered the living quarters aboard her starship Raven.

“Ah, good morning, dear lady. Did you sleep well?” said the AI in its charming English accent.

“Like a block of ice as usual.”

“Jolly good. We are approaching Star-City Phobos, as requested,”

“Thanks, Raven.”

“You’re welcome. I will land at the market as usual.”

Meghan approached a large aluminium machine in the kitchen. The ‘food fabricator.’ She selected breakfast from her dwindling supply of edible synthetics. The machine whirred as it began fabricating two helpings of orange juice, toast and scrambled eggs for breakfast.

“Good morning, Mummy! Are we at Phobos?” asked ten-year-old Ayla Gell, tying a fawn-brown pigtail. She looked fresh from her stasis as she turned a cartwheel in her pink day suit.

Meghan hugged her. “Good morning, my little acorn. We sure are.”

“Yay, can I get a Galaxian Charm Bracelet now? You did promise.” The little girl looked hopeful. The bracelet was like a smartphone with each charm activating a holographic application. It had become the most desired gadget among children and teenagers across the Milky Way.

“Hmm, we’ll see. They were seven hundred Martian dollars (MD) last time. That’s painfully expensive.”

“My sensors indicate they are on sale at RedRock Tech for four hundred —”

“Shut up, Raven.” Meghan glared at the ship.

Ayla giggled, “So, can I?”

“We’ll see. Get ready for breakfast.”

Star-City Phobos was a misnomer. Phobos – the largest Martian moon, named after the Greek god of fear and panic, was only twenty-six kilometres across. The city was a giant space station resembling a doughnut anchored around the moon’s circumference. Fully silver and dotted with yellow lights from the windows it looked magnificent.

The Raven, a classic saucer-shaped craft, descended through the glittering starscape with the red globe of Mars to its starboard. A rectangular door materialized within the skin of the Star City. A Las Vegas-like sign flashed the words ‘Welcome to the Red Rock Martian Market. Make one stop for your universe of needs!’

The Raven flashed by, decelerated with a burst of blue thrusters, and entered the city.

“We have arrived at Star-City Phobos.”

“Thanks, Raven!” Ayla said, zipping her daysuit tight.

“You’re welcome, young lady. Don’t forget RedRock Tech for that bracelet,” if a ship’s AI could pull off a voice that sounded like it was winking, the Raven succeeded.

“Shut up, Raven!” Meghan led her daughter to the teleporter room bearing a large brown sack. There, surrounded by spacesuit charging pods, empty aside from her Lavender and white spacesuit, was a green disc on the floor.

“My apologies. Shall I send you down?”

“Please.” Meghan felt the disc hover as the room fluoresced magenta. The two ladies dematerialised and passed through the hull. The disc lowered them to the dull steel floor of the enormous hanger in the shadow of the starship.

Ayla followed the progress of ships from agile fighters to monumental freighters flying in organized lines throughout the booming space. She watched them landing and disembarking on their galactic journeys. Then there were the clouds of drones collecting and shuttling cargo throughout the space city, an awe-inspiring sight.

‘Welcome to Phobos, Event Horizon sale happening in the RedRock Tech store,’ announced the cheery PA system.

“That’s where we need to go!” Ayla instructed with a shiver. A Grey Alien glided past, his large black eyes causing her skin to prickle as they seemed to bore into her skull. Worse, his long bony fingers were creepy.

“Let’s go have a —”

“I’m afraid your mother has business to attend to before shopping, little girl.”

“Oh, really?” Meghan narrowed her eyes toward the human in the sharp black jumpsuit. She already despised him.

“Ms Meghan Gell?”

“That’s me. You are?”

“Morgn Thadd, Martian States Government Tax Office.” He engaged a holographic ID card. His credentials spun within the blue light for a second, before he terminated and pocketed the device.

“What do you want?” Meghan changed hands with her sack, knowing she didn’t want to hear the answer.

“You travelled 720 lightyears in the past year. That equates to 720000MD Space Tax to be paid immediately.”

“We only went to Ganymede, not Orion’s belt!” Ayla said.

“Smart kid.”

“She’s right too, you’re getting nothing.”

“You’ll be sentenced to a life of hard Labour within the Chloride mines of Mars if you refuse to pay. As a result, your daughter will be orphaned.” Thadd threatened with infuriating smugness.

Meghan rolled the tension from her neck then engaged her wrist communicator, “Raven, tell this officious twit how far we travelled please.”

“Certainly. I piloted this ship a whisker over 143 million miles this year. Quite short of the 588 trillion miles of a lightyear. That translates to just 1430MD which has already been paid to the tax office.”

“Your ship lies!” the taxman tightened his tie. “I demand payment at —”

“Oh, shut up!” Meghan glanced at the starship towering over her. “The Raven flew itself to Ganymede, it knows precisely how we travelled. Now sling your warp drive or I’ll have Raven teleport you to Pluto!”

Ayla chuckled and gave a cheeky wave. “Bye-bye!”

“You’ll see me again. Mark my words!” he yelled. Then with a final glare, he stepped onto the travelator and disappeared into the concourse,

“He’s a slimy space-leech isn’t he, Mummy?”

“That’s being mean to space leeches. He’s just a rotten thief.” Meghan took her hand. “Let’s go sell our gemstone haul, then see about some shopping, shall we?”

Ayla nodded her eyes on another advert for the RedRock Tech shop. “Are we going too —”

“Maybe,” Meghan hid a grin as she hefted her sack and stepped onto the travelator. Like those at airports, it carried her and Ayla through the hangar to a central convergence. There a person could take a lift to various floors, or as Meghan did, step onto another travelator to enter the Phobos Central Station.

The Station was a white and silver travelway. It boasted superfast superconductor trains that circled the city. One such sleek bullet-shaped train was in the station now, its undercarriage glowed blue as it hovered over the platform.

Meghan led Ayla through crowds of travelers both human and alien. She took a standard glass escalator to rise into the Market District. The air became thick with enticing and sometimes repulsive cooking smells as the escalator disgorged its passengers on the wide street-like floor.

Even after a life in space, Meghan was still stunned by the view of space through the glass walls on both sides of the market. Velvety sparkling skies pin-pricked with planets. Mars looming red and mysterious. There were dozens of satellites, thousands of starships, and even more drones orbiting the city out there.

“RedRock is beyond the market, Mummy.” Ayla pointed through throngs of shoppers. There was a clear divide of wealth on show here. The proper shops and restaurants were stunning glass buildings on raised mezzanines. Each gained by escalators along the sides of the bustling market squashed beneath and between them. The market was a maze of dingy steel stalls with dirty-coloured mylar roofs. Amid those, dodgy characters were hawking their cheap and often knockoff intergalactic rubbish.

“I know.” Meghan boarded a travelator heading the other way.

A man in a black jumpsuit stepped on some way behind.

Larger cubic buildings occupied the space here. This was the central business district. All the banks, lawyers and most importantly for Meghan the Gemstone Exchange were found here.

The building was unmissable with its large neon blue diamond. A pair of door guards bearing black HK Carbox laser submachine guns told of the riches within. If they were intimidating, the laser turrets in the alcove were terrifying.

Meghan approached with a smile at the two white-suited men.

Neither reciprocated as they watched through dark glasses. “Miners license and starship registration please?” said one raising his gun.

“Good morning to you too.” Meghan took out her Holodrive palm computer and caused two holographic cards to appear in space above the screen.

“Thank you, hold still.” The guard ran a scanner over her body and her sack.

‘ID confirmed as Ms Meghan Gell – No weapons present,’ intoned the robotic voice of the machine.

“Thank you, Ms Gell. You may enter,” He turned his attention to Ayla, “You too, little one.”

Ayla smiled, “Thank you, sir.”

Meghan led her into a bright foyer with a stunning hologram of the Milky Way occupying the centre of the room. Cases glittering with enormous gemstones lined the walls. Each glowing to entice buyers to part with eye-watering amounts of money.

The follower couldn’t enter, had Meghan looked she would have seen him lean against the wall of the Solar Solution Lawyers across the street. He took out a communicator and updated his employer.

“Ms Gell, come this way.” beckoned a gentleman with neat salt-and-pepper hair and a beard to match. His name tag identified him as ‘Doctor Cyon Lunara – Gemmologist’. “Your sack indicates a fruitful expedition — was it?”

Meghan felt the weight of her sack and smiled at Ayla, “We did well this time.”

“Excellent,” he led them into a science laboratory bearing a device with a conveyor belt. Loaded with a spectroscope, and refractometer among tools it would automatically examine and value a customer’s products. “What are we dealing with today and where did you mine it from?”

“We got Olivine, Sapphires and Rubies – all meteoritic and found on Ganymede,” Ayla told him in an important voice.

“A fine selection, thank you, young lady,” Lunara noted the details on a holographic keyboard and screen. “Let’s have a look.”

Meghan opened her sack and fed the stones onto the conveyor. The machine deposited them in value order upon trays before the gemmologist.

Lunara watched the screen, smiling and nodding. He’d select the odd to examine with his diamond-studded Lupe, mutter for a moment, then return it to a tray.

“How much did we make?” Ayla asked when the machine fell silent.

“Quite the businesswoman, isn’t she?” Lunara said to Meghan while typing.

“This little acorn is going to own Mars one day!” Meghan said with pride.

“Well then, Madam President of Mars, rounding up to the nearest dollar. I can pay you 175000 Martian Dollars. Is that acceptable?”

Ayla looked at her mum, received a nod, and smiled, “Deal!”

Lunara reached across the workstation and shook her hand. “Splendid — Cash or Galactic Bank Debit?”

“Cash! I want to buy a Galaxian Charm Bracelet and ice cream!” Ayla said with a big grin.

Lunara chuckled. “Well, that’ll buy you a whole ice cream parlour, young lady. My son has one of those bracelets, it’s rather good.” 

See, Mummy. I told you they were good!

“Indeed,” Meghan hid a groan as she worked her Holodrive and displayed her bank card, “We’ll take the debit option.”

“A wise choice.” Lunara scanned her card, “That’s all done for you.” He grinned at Ayla. “You know RedRock has a sale …”

“We know!” Meghan rolled her eyes.

Ayla giggled.

“Whoops, seems mummy is tired of certain bracelets,” Lunara gave a wink.

“Yes, I don’t think she wants me to have one,” Ayla replied with a pout.

“Oh well, you keep being a good girl and you never know. Anyway, thank you for coming. We’ll see you next time.” Lunara escorted them from the building with a cheery wave.

“Right, now we can go shopping,” Meghan said, making use of the travelator to return to the market.

The man in black stepped aboard to follow them, a few people behind.

Meghan and Ayla rode right into the market. It was a muggy zone thanks to pyres of steam and acrid smoke pouring from food stalls. A feeling worsened by the claustrophobia of narrow passages crammed with shopper hurrying to satiate their hunger.

“Here we are, ladies. Genuine Solar Rayban Sun Visors – only 25MD a pair. White would suit you, pink for the young lady,” said a dealer revealing rows of glasses inside his jumpsuit jacket. He retrieved a small pink pair and reached for Ayla. 

Meghan slapped his hand away, “We’ll pass, thanks. These are obviously knock-off rubbish.”

“How rude! They’re quite real. I merely sell at a massive discount, that’s all.”

“Really.” Ayla pointed to a sign beside the escalator to the Orion’s Belt, Galaxy High Fashions Store. “They’re 300MD a pair — on sale. I’m ten and I know that means yours are fake or you stole them. Shall we call the space police, Mummy?”

The dealer baulked and disappeared into the crowd.

Meghan gave her daughter a proud high-five. “Nice one, little acorn. That sorted him!”

“Sure did,” Ayla said standing tall as she looked around her.

The follower ducked away avoiding the girl’s gaze.

As midday approached, Meghan bought Airy-0 Crater Farms Angus beef burgers from one stall and Lunar Luxury fruit salad from another.

“I wish we could eat food this good on The Raven,” Ayla said once they were sat by a bandstand. Today it was occupied by a group of guitarists kept in tune by a lively air-drummer.

“Me too, but this is fresh food farmed on Mars and Earth’s Moon. It would go mouldy before we woke from stasis within the Jovian system.” Meghan took a big bite of her burger, she smiled at a man in a black jumpsuit. He averted his gaze and ducked into a clothes stall. She’d seen him close by a couple of times today.

“I know, Mummy. At least we can get better food synthetics for the fabricator while we’re here.”

“That we can do,” Meghan found a list of options from the Space Travellers supermarket on her Holodrive. “What shall we get?”

“Just get more ice cream in all the flavours.”

“Sure, we need more than ice cream to live on, though.”

“Umm,” Ayla scrolled the options, most of which were sold as full meals. She added a few choices. “What’s beef wellington?”

“My father used to love that. It’s a nice cut of beef wrapped in flaky pastry. Let’s get some and see what it’s like, yeah?”

“Thanks, Mummy. Urgh, you added mac n cheese again!”

“I did, I know it’s not so nice but it at least is quick and nutritious,” Meghan added a large selection of foods, to last for several months. She chose drink options, snacks and sundries, then finished her order. Once the supermarket received payment, it would deliver everything in powder form straight to the Raven.

With the fruit salad finished Meghan led the way again. She passed the same man in the black jumpsuit. A look in a clothes stall’s mirror revealed him still in pursuit.

“What’s happening, Mummy? You keep looking behind you.”

 “We have a tail. He might not be dangerous but if I tell you to run, sprint for the Space Police building, okay? You know where that is?”

“I will and it’s right at the end of the market by the big toy store.” 

“Perfect, thank you.” Meghan gave her a side hug. She found a stall selling artificial flowers and bought a bouquet of sweet-smelling lilies.

“Is he still following?” Ayla glanced around as they took an escalator to a mezzanine boasting a hardware store and the Otepa coffee shop. Meghan never went there, they used Martian coffee beans which were excruciatingly bitter. The price was just as painful, making it a place to be avoided.

“He stopped by that Betelgeuse Curry stall. He’ll hide there until we return, I’d bet.” Meghan entered a pretty garden between the stores. Box hedges, silver birches, and perma-blossom cherry trees, all created a natural and pleasant area to rest. All the flora was artificial but provided some semblance of life on Earth. 

The garden centred upon a gleaming ten-foot-tall silver stele, surrounded by vases of blooming flowers. This was a memorial to Space Police officers killed in the line of Duty.

Meghan approached and knelt on the plinth while sniffing back tears.

“There’s daddy,” Ayla pointed to the words, ‘Randi Gell 1985 – 2025’ 

Just days after Ayla’s fifth birthday, Randi was killed when an escaping Euphor weed drugs runner deployed mines that destroyed his police Rapier starship. He died instantly in the implosion along with his five police crew mates.

“That’s just his name etched where it makes us proud, little acorn,” Meghan put her lilies in a vacant vase and wiped her eyes. Then hugging her daughter, she added, “Daddy is always right here.” she touched her chest.

“In our hearts, so we can remember him forever,” Ayla traced her dad’s name with a finger. “We’ll always love you, daddy.”

“Exactly,” Meghan smiled and straightened herself. “Right, let’s go shopping!”

“Yay! Ayla danced a circle. “Are we starting at —”

“Redrock Tech? Maybe.” Meghan chuckled.

“Ee-yes!” Ayla ran for the escalator.

Meghan seized her collar, “Woah, don’t forget our mystery follower downstairs, please.”

“Oh,” Ayla nodded, “Sprint to the Space Police building if you tell me to run?”

“Thank you. Come on.” Meghan took her hand and led the way.

They gained the Red Rock Tech platform without confrontation. The follower was never far behind, but for now content just to watch.

Red Rock Tech was alone on its platform above the market. The enormous store was unmissable with the planet Mars surrounded by satellites glowing upon its steel pedestal.

“Good day, ladies. Upgrade your Holodrive for 350MD – a total bargain, don’t you think?” said a gold-faced droid with a robotic smile.

“Mummy, can’t afford it. She has to buy me a Galaxian Charm Bracelet,” Ayla replied with a hopeful look toward Meghan.

“Splendid! Go right in. Personal gadgets are to the far right. Galaxian Charm Bracelets are found in the second aisle past the virtual pilot headsets. I’d recommend the …”

“Thank you, we’ll find them from here,” Meghan said, not wishing Ayla to be excited by a far more expensive model.

Ayla was hopping about with excitement by the time she walked through the airlock-styled doors. Her mood soared as another family left with a crying boy.

“I hate you! You never buy me anything nice!” he screamed.

“Orpheus, knock that off now! You got a PlayStation Universe Holo Console three months ago – that cost 10ooMD you can’t have another 400MD for a Galaxian Charm bracelet today,” said his tired mother.

Ayla grinned his way and …

“Don’t say a word,” Meghan turned her away, “We Gell’s are polite and diplomatic, right?”

The little girl chuckled as she hopped along the red and grey metal-mesh chessboard floor. “Unless we’re dealing with the tax man!”

“Exactly!” 

“The new Hoover Bot 2050, comes complete with a droid interface. Now, as well as keeping your home or ship’s floors sparkling, it can clean and organise all surfaces, sort paperwork, and make your coffee just the way you like it,” explained a salesman working with a family.

“Meanwhile we humans will sit on our arses all day getting as fat as meteorites!” Meghan whispered.

Ayla giggled and then gasped. “Over here, mummy!” she ran into an aisle sparkling with various jewellery items which doubled as gadgets. Rings with holographic communication capabilities. Necklaces with galactic positioning systems. There were even tiaras for telepathic conversation. A gift from the greys who did this without technology. Meghan always hated the idea of having people poking around her mind, and so this was a gadget she’d never purchase.

“I see them!” Ayla increased her speed.

“Calm down please — bloody hell!” Meghan gasped at a set of earring headphones, No bigger than a pair of studs they cost 1500MD. Everything was too expensive these days.

“Look, mummy! The bracelets come in Pink, blue, silver, purple and —”

 A claxon sounded at Meghan’s wrist.

“Not now, Raven!” Ayla groaned, having recognised the warning signal from her starship.

“Sorry, darling. Go ahead, Raven,” Meghan said, initiating contact.

“My apologies for interrupting your very important shopping trip, ladies.” replied the ship’s austere voice.

“We just arrived at Red Rock and are —”

“Inches from the Galaxian Charm Bracelets. Yes, I can see you on the GPS, However, That repulsive Morgn Thadd returned. He’s impounding me with immediate effect.”

“Whatever for?” Meghan felt her eyebrows knit as rising fury pulsed within her veins.

“He’s demanding that ridiculous space tax fee. Worse, he’s pasting hideous ‘Impounded by order of the Space Tax office.’ stickers all over my bodywork!”

“The nerve of that guy,” Meghan seethed and turned a circle as if hoping to spot a solution.

“Now, you have to teleport him to Pluto, mummy,” Ayla said.

“Just his testicles. Come on.”

“But, Mummy …” Ayla gave the charm bracelets a longing look, then jogged after her.

“I know, I’m sorry.” Meghan selected the mailer on her Holodrive and fired off a couple of messages as she dashed from the tech store.

“Do come again,” remarked the droid.

“We’ll be right back!” Ayla promised with another look at Red Rocks doors. “At least, I hope we will.”

Meghan rode the escalator down to the market with her arms folded. She knew Thadd was a conman. His impoundment of the Raven, just made him insufferable.

Smoke and steam poured from a trio of woks worked by a small Chinese man. “Get your Borealis Shrimp curry and nano-naan 25MD,” he yelled while using bare hands to scoop something deep-fried from the boiling oil.

Meghan wafted away the smoke as she dashed passed and jinked around a group of greys discussing a glowing orb.

“This … would … suit … our … command … centre…” one said in their distinctive, creepy slow speech.

Ayla flinched away from them and squealed.

Meghan grabbed her hand and pulled her through a stall selling jumpsuits. She gained the next passage and headed for the travelator for the return journey to the hanger.

“Going somewhere?”  asked a familiar figure barring the way in his black jumpsuit.

“Get out of our way!” Meghan shrugged free of him.

“Can’t, sorry.” With an infuriating grin, he seized her arm.

“Let Mummy go!” Ayla stomped his foot as hard as she could.

He groaned in pain, “You little —”

Meghan tore free of his grip and cracked him with a tooth-rattling slap, “I hate resorting to violence, but don’t talk to her and don’t touch me again!”

“Whatever! Still grounded, aren’t yer,” he replied, massaging his reddening jaw.

“Not for long,” Meghan stepped aside and made to leave.

“Where’ you going?” he asked, revealing a laser pistol concealed in his belt.

“To free my ship. Now move!”

He shook his head, “Bank’s that way. You can’t make a  720000MD payment on your Holodrive.”

“I wouldn’t give you a single nebula nut!” Meghan took Ayla’s hand.

“Is there a problem?” asked a gentleman peering through his glasses at them.

“No, he’s just getting out of my way!” Meghan stepped around the thug and boarded the travelator.

Ayla blew him a raspberry as the conveyor drew her away, then hugged her mum, “This is getting scary.”

“I know, but we’ll be fine,” Meghan assured her while shelving her fears of losing the Raven, facing imprisonment in a Martian mine colony, and worse losing her daughter. She would do anything to ensure Ayla was safe and happy.

Meghan remained silent in thought until they reached the Superconductor Train concourse.

Two greys stood transfixed on the platform. Their eyes were full of sparkles and glowing like miniature galaxies as they gazed into each other’s souls.

“Even knowing they were sharing an intimate moment, Meghan couldn’t help wondering what exactly they were doing.

“Mummy, are we grabbing the Raven and flying away?” Ayla asked, unable to tear her eyes from the greys. “And — and what are they doing?”

“No and never mind.” Meghan made a path through throngs of passengers. The PA system told of a train due in the next few moments.

“But, Mummy …”

“This is our only home besides the Raven. The only place we can trade and buy supplies. We won’t be running away. Also whatever the greys are doing is unknown to me and none of our business, right?”

“Right,” Ayla grinned and focused ahead.

The hanger lift opened ahead, it disgorged a family and a man guiding a hovering freight trolley. Behind them, two figures stepped into view wearing those all too familiar black jumpsuits.

Morgn Thadd clocked Meghan and whispered something to the woman shadowing him.

Meghan glanced behind her and grimaced, “Damn! The other follower is behind us, we’re cornered!”

“Now what, mummy?”

“Let’s find out.” Meghan ducked around a group of people and their luggage, then circled back around to the lifts.

“Ms Gell, halt there please,” said Thadd looking smug.

“No, I have a right to access my ship.” Defiant, Meghan pressed the call button for the lift.

“Wrong. As of ten minutes ago, The Raven became the property of the Martian States Government. You therefore have no business within the hangers and risk arrest should you trespass there.”

“That’s pure bullshit. We’re going to our ship. Call the space police if you want, they can arrest you for being a conman!” Meghan seethed.

“Mummy, you used a bad word!” Ayla looked stunned.

“He’ll hear such bad words his ears will catch fire if he doesn’t disappear.”

Ayla furrowed her eyebrows, “Does that mean you are a witch?”

Morgn laughed, “No, she’s just a regular woman who needs to pay her taxes correctly.”

If he was looking to get a rise out of Megan, he failed. She took out her Holodrive and summoned the Tax office domain into the blue light above the screen. She logged into her accounts and expanded them. “Mr Thadd, for the last time; I pay my taxes by direct debit every month. As you can clearly see, I owe precisely nothing! Now, release my ship and take a hike to the nearest black hole!”

Thadd had a Holodrive of his own. He revealed a mirror image of the government tax domain. A debt collection order hovered there. It read:

‘The debt of 720000MD Space Tax is to be collected from Ms Meghan Gell on her return to StarCity Phobos. Her ship The Raven is to be impounded until payment is made in full. The Raven shall be seized as collateral if payment is not made within forty-eight hours.

Signed Plutonius Elbus Space Tax Office.’

“Your account is wrong. You owe the money. The bank is that way,” Thadd pointed toward the market.

Meghan felt a vein pulsing in her forehead. She raked a hand through her hair and took a calming breath. It was time to call his bluff, “That’s a forged debt collection order. Where is the proof we travelled 720 lightyears, huh? If it exists I demand you produce it.”

“Don’t have to,” Thadd looked smug,

“Wrong, you cannot legally collect a debt without concrete proof of its existence. In this case, that proof would consist of a travel report on the Raven, and a tax report showing my failings to pay my bills,” Meghan took a breath as she folded her arms, “You can’t produce either, can you?”

Thadd’s expression darkened, “The debt still stands and you will lose everything if you refuse to pay.”

“I’m not paying you a —”

“Oh yes, you are. You’re going to the bank, right now!”

“We’re going to the Raven!” Ayla stamped her foot, “Get out of our way!”

“Feisty, isn’t she?” Thadd grinned, “Off you go.”

Now Meghan grinned and pressed the lift button again, “Thank you.”

Thadd nodded to the woman who made to grab Ayla. “The Raven is impounded and Ayla is gone until you pay every —”

The female shuddered and collapsed at Thadd’s feet as Meghan took her daughter away.

Thadd gulped and made to run.

A large hand seized the scruff of his jumpsuit and pinned him to the wall beside the lift. “Good day, Mr Thadd. I’m Space Police Sergeant Edwin Kepler. Kindly present your government credentials, plea —”

The follower had charged in to defend his boss.

Kepler revealed a stun stick in his free hand and swung with venom. The device slammed into his face with a fizzle of electricity and sent him somersaulting into the wall with a crash. He landed with his legs splayed up the wall. A small burn flared upon his cheek.

“Ooh, that’s going to hurt!” Ayla said with a cheeky grimace.

“He deserved it,” Meghan said, “Thanks for answering my message, Edwin,”

“My pleasure, I’m glad you called me.” Kepler refocused on Thadd, banging his head against the wall in the process. “Credentials please.”

Thadd had gone an unhealthy shade of grey. “I, er-in my right pocket.”

The police sergeant took the holographic ID out and tossed it to Meghan. “Can you open that?”

“Of, course,” Meghan obliged. “I’m sure this and the debt collection order are phoney.”

Kepler nodded as he studied the gently spinning card within the green light above the device. “I worked with your husband Randi for twelve years. In that time I learned he and you, dear Meghan, were the most honest people within range of the sun’s rays. That —”

“My credentials are genuine. She owes the money!” Thadd said.

“Oh, shut up.” Kepler gave a warning glare.

“Yeah, shut up!” Ayla added with delight in her voice.

Kepler gave her a fond smile, “I held you two days after you were born, young Ayla. I told your mum and dad then, that you would grow into a special lady. Now, I can see you are a credit to your parents. Randi is surely smiling down from his star right now.”

“Thank you, Sergeant Kepler.” Ayla blushed under his gaze.

“Aww, that was sweet of you. Meghan felt her eyes brimming from the sergeant’s kind words. “What about the debt?”

“I’ve already checked with the Space Tax Office. Your account is always paid up monthly as agreed. There are no outstanding payments to be made and no debt collection warrant has ever been issued against you.”

Meghan felt herself deflating as the anxiety left her. “Thank you.”

“This scumbag is under arrest for impersonating a government official, creating false documents to extort money, and for threatening my two favourite ladies.” Kepler raised a signalling hand. “These three are going to have a long stay within a Martian penal colony.”

Three officers wearing police-issue jumpsuits and hats materialized, arrested Thad and his cohorts, and dragged them away.

“Thank you so much.” Meghan took a chance to hug him.

“My pleasure. We should go and check the status of your starship.” Kepler called the lift and held Ayla’s hand for the ride to the hanger. “Just in case the conman had sabotaged anything.”

“Ahh, sweet freedom. May I say it’s a relief to have those stickers removed from my bodywork,” said the Raven.

“Glad you feel better,” Meghan replied, standing in the starship’s living quarters. “Can you run a full diagnostics check? We must be sure those criminals haven’t damaged anything.”

“Running diagnostics now. I refused to let those filthy individuals board me, so they didn’t touch much.”

“Thank you, Raven.”

“I can confirm all systems, and structures are nominal and travel-ready.”

Sergeant Kepler released a breath, “That’s fantastic. You’re all safe and clear to travel again. Incidentally, where will you go next”

“Well, we have a lot of success on Ganymede so we’ll likely mine there again. We might stop by Europa for a change though.” Meghan said with a glance at her star map.

“I wish you a safe and prosperous journey.” Kepler turned to leave, “Will you join me for dinner before you disembark? My wife would love to see you both again.”

Meghan looked at Ayla and received a small nod. “We’d be delighted.”

“Excellent, I’ll make arrangements. Shall we say 6 PM at the Green Man restaurant?”

“That’ll be perfect,” Meghan remembered many romantic evenings there with Randi before Ayla was born. It would be nice to dine there again.

Kepler nodded his approval. “Then I will see you both there,” he stepped toward the teleporter room, “Oh, I almost forgot; Ayla, I was told those criminals committed another crime against you today.”

“Did they?” Ayla was sitting at the table with a glass of fabricated orange juice and a RedRock Tech flyer. She gave him a confused look, “What did they do?”

Keppler put a box on the table, “I understand they ruined your shopping trip, didn’t they?”

“Yes, they made us worry all day too.” Ayla’s smile vanished, “We didn’t get to do most of the shopping.”

“I know. Anyway, maybe this’ll help make that right,” Kepler slid the box toward her.

Ayla took and rattled the container, “Can I open it?”

Meghan nodded, “Go on.”

Ayla used a fingernail to split the tape and tore into the box. She gave an excited squeal as she revealed a Galaxian Charm Bracelet in its velvet container. “Thank you, thank you, thank you, Sergeant Keppler. It’s even in my favourite purple colour!”

“My pleasure!” he said, accepting a big hug. “I’ll leave you to have fun.”

“See you at the restaurant later, Edwin.” Meghan saw him out and then collapsed in a chair with a coffee. Although exhausted from the tough day, she delighted in watching Ayla play with her new bracelet.

She found herself smiling knowing the taxman was on his way to a Martian prison, the Raven was fine and most of all her daughter was happy. What more could a mother in space want?

Until the sun rises upon The Raven again, this is the conclusion.

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Thanks for reading my friends.

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