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Klinn made himself look contrite, manipulating his handsome alien features until anyone looking could be convinced that making two-day deliveries was his sole objective in life. "Ah, well, you see, my lovely assistant and I got delayed at a station on the way here."
"Sounds like a you problem. This happened last time when you were three hours late."
"Now you can hardly blame me for that, Koza. There was a big lightning storm, remember? It scrambled communications and caused blips on this whole side of the moon."
"Two days late, and you wake me up to discuss an old storm? Again, unacceptable."
Whew. Klinn had his hands full. I fixed my face to look neutral and pleasant as I watched and listened.
Koza grumbled under his breath before annoyance made his voice rise. "Fine, show me what you've brought."
Klinn carefully unwrapped the replica vase, revealing its exquisite craftsmanship. "A masterpiece, wouldn't you agree?"
His client's eyes widened slightly as he examined the vase. He nodded in reluctant approval. "Not bad. Not bad at all. But two days late, and without prior notice? You know what I say to that?"
Klinn maintained his composure. "I do apologize, sir. It was an unacceptable and unforeseen circumstance, and I assure you it won't happen again."
"Hmph. Let me get the payment."
As hel closed the door, I couldn't help but feel a pang of irritation at his rudeness. I whispered to Klinn. "This is why I got tired of delivering pizzas. Some people have no manners."
"Can't win them all. But hey, at least we’re getting paid."
Koza opened the door again. He dropped the money at Klinn’s feet and took the vase. The client, now satisfied with the transaction, dismissed us with a curt nod. "Now leave me in peace."
Klinn and I made our way down the road to another residence. This client, an elderly Nurtarian female, was a little nicer, but still let Klinn know she wasn’t pleased with the late delivery of her replica of a small sculpture of a dragon.
"This never happens with my other delivery service. I'm not paying for the expedited delivery." She handed over the money, making a show of removing a fraction of the cost that went to delivering on time.
I raised my shoulders in a shrug after we left her house. "She paid for the sculpture at least."
As I strolled through the affluent alien neighborhood, I couldn't help but be captivated by the stark contrast between the opulent homes and the ancient beauty of a nearby moon crater.
The luxurious alien homes, with their sleek lines and futuristic designs, exuded an air of sophistication and prosperity. Each structure stood as a testament to the wealth and power of its occupants.
My thoughts returned to my current job. Klinn stood at the doorstep of another affluent house. The roof spire cast a long shadow over us. I lagged about five paces behind while I took note of what was in the neighborhood.
"You can help me sort through all this stuff." He removed the heavy backpack and set it on the ground. "I’m looking for one that’s flat and square-shaped."
I rummaged through the bag’s contents until I found a neatly wrapped package that matched the description. The shape of it resembled an art canvas. "You make one strange Santa." I handed it to him.
He glanced at the address on the delivery slip, double-checking that he had arrived at the correct location. Satisfied, he took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.
How many more of these deliveries would we need to make before we had enough fuel to make it to Xaxos? I considered the shelves of art replicas in the room back on the ship. This might take longer than I expected. My supervisor Agent Nash must be tearing his hair out looking for me.
As we waited for the client to answer the door, my mind wandered, contemplating the possibility of leaving. The thought of finding a place here with an open com link line, reaching out to my agency for help, and hiding until help arrived briefly enticed me.
Then came the wave of conflicting emotions.
This moon didn’t have a Wanderstar Fleet facility within close distance. I’d be on my own until help arrived. Then there was the little commitment I made to help Klinn. Despite my reservations and lingering doubts about him, he did show he could care about someone other than himself. I shook my head as memories of my reaction in the busy streets of Malecor Station came to mind. He helped calm me down. Running off now would go against my principles and the trust we began to build.
"I know it’s been a while since you commissioned the piece, but quality takes time."
I lowered my head, hiding my smirk as I stood on the walkway and listened as Klinn engaged in conversation with a client, his enthusiasm and charisma shining through. With that way of smoothing things over, he’d make a good negotiator or hell, even a security detail specialist since he knew so much about working his way into different systems.
Yet committing fraud was his old way. If he was innocent, what did he intend to do with his new life?
I leaped out of my thoughts as a sudden bark echoed through the air. I turned to see an alien dog with white feather-like fur tendrils charging toward me from next door.
