"Isabo Kelly - Last Call on Eldora Station" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kelly Isabo)

Last Call on Eldora Station
Isobo Kelly




Katie flopped onto the bar stool and scowled down at the shifting hologram decorating the barтАЩs counter
top. A Tancan whiskey appeared under her nose. She would have smiled if sheтАЩd had the energy.
тАЬThanks, Nick.тАЭ

She dropped her head back on her shoulders to look into the bartenderтАЩs eyes. Purple eyes. Stunning
against his pale skin and black hair. She raised the glass in a silent salute then downed the whiskey in one
gulp, squeezing her eyes shut against the sting in her throat. When the sting subsided and warmth settled
in her belly, she opened her eyes and sighed.

тАЬTough day?тАЭ NickтАЩs slow, sympathetic grin added to the glow in her gut. He took the empty glass from
her lax fingers. тАЬWant another?тАЭ

She shook her head. тАЬThe commander wants me back on duty in an hour.тАЭ

NickтАЩs easy grin dissolved into a scowl. тАЬYouтАЩve been on duty for the last twenty hours.тАЭ

Katie raised her eyebrows surprised he knew her schedule. тАЬDonтАЩt remind me. IтАЩm so beat my eyes
wonтАЩt stay open. But he wants the main power grid re-routed through another alternate series after that
last station-wide failure. Seems to think if we re-route enough systems weтАЩll solve the problems.тАЭ She
shook her head in disgust then rolled her neck trying to work out a kink. тАЬWeтАЩre not тАШfixingтАЩ anything.
Just putting a bandage on it, hoping for the best. Damn stationтАЩs falling to bits, and Commander
WhitneyтАЩs too cheap to requisition the parts we need to fix things.тАЭ

Nick picked up a glass and started drying it with an ever-present towel. She loved the quaint habit. He
didnтАЩt have to hand-dry anything. ThatтАЩs what the drying tubes were for. But he insisted that being a
publican on a space station didnтАЩt make him any less a proper publican and publicanтАЩs dried glasses while
talking to their clientele. She relaxed as she watched him, soothed by his habit as much as he was.

He set the glass down with a click. тАЬYou could probably use a cup of coffee.тАЭ

She watched him move off down the bar, continued watching him as he poured her coffee and brought it
back to her. Watching Nick was becoming a hobby, the only hobby she had time for these days. But it
was a nice past time. He looked almost as good walking away as he looked walking back to her.

тАЬYou know what really gets to me?тАЭ He pressed his palms into the bar, leaning toward her as he spoke.
She sipped at the hot, black coffee and shook her head, fascinated by the genuine anger in his eyes. тАЬThe
fact that thereтАЩre civilians aboard this station. ItтАЩs supposed to be a home to people, a mini-society. And
Commander Whitney plays with it like itтАЩs a toy, heedless of the consequences if it breaks.тАЭ

She set her mug back on the bar. тАЬHeтАЩs proud of his efficiency record. If he comes in under budget
again this quarter, he gets a promotion and a hefty financial reward.тАЭ

тАЬItтАЩs nothing but greed. And itтАЩs dangerous.тАЭ He slammed his fist onto the counter top, making her mug
jump. The small handful of people in the pub looked up from their drinks. Nick grimaced and went back