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put the com on her wrist, blinking as it wrapped tightly without her having to do anything. She flexed her glove and the com lit up, pointing in the direction she was to go to get to her quarters.
    She didn’t follow the directions. They were as the crow flies not as a biped could walk. She jogged to her quarters, grabbed her bag and was relieved when the extra suits were waiting in her delivery slot.
    With her bag ready, she looked at her quarters, waved at the picture of her family and headed out the door, unsure of when she would return.
     

Chapter Five
     
     
    “You are my pilot?” Yllin let Nearing take her bag and stow it.
    “I am a better pilot than I am a talent. I thought I might contribute to your little fund with a portion of my earnings from flying you around.”
    Yllin buckled into the flight harness and watched him do the preflight checks. “Are you serious?”
    “About flying you around? Yes.”
    “No, about contributing to the fund. I am grateful, but you don’t have any ties to Missambra.”
    She heard the hiss of atmospheric pressure building in the shuttle and he lifted off.
    “I have the ability to recognize a good cause when I hear one.” He winked, and they took off, avoiding all air traffic from the largest city on Ohkhan.
    All Citadel aircraft had to line up with the gap in the air routes and drop straight down as well as rise upward until they cleared the air traffic lanes. It was the part of shuttle flight that had given Yllin the most trouble.
    She sat back and gave him a dark look through her lashes. “I met your mother.”
    “I should have warned you, but I figured she would tell you. She is one for full disclosure.”
    “Thank you for my com unit.”
    He grumbled. “Too much disclosure.”
    “She was very nice. Apparently, I am getting dropped at some kind of archaeological dig.”
    “Yes. The data is on your com unit. It can give you mission information as well as act as a communication’s device.”
    “Fancy.”
    “It is the most upgraded model available. After experiencing your flight skills on a riot runner, I want you as safe as possible.”
    She grinned and settled in as they flew toward the jump site. Yllin checked her wrist display and brought up her assignment specs. The projection made her whistle as she was able to enlarge and shrink all information depending on what was selected.
    Yllin’s assignment was the underground city of Webar. The team that was digging there had suffered lost staff members and two deaths as a result of sprung traps. She was there to minimize future losses, and the amount she was being paid was staggering.
    “Can I find out what my current Citadel account is showing?”
    “Certainly. Go to the main menu and check on financial information. Your other accounts should also be linked there. By the way, this system is on a genetic lock. It only works because you are using it. If I grabbed your wrist and tried to work out information, I would be out of luck.”
    She checked the financial information and stared. “If I do this one job for two weeks, I am out of debt with the Citadel.”
    “Good for you.” He nodded and checked on the jump location. “Brace for jump.”
    She exhaled, inhaled and by the time she exhaled again, they were in a new star system and on their way to the next jump point.
    “How long until the next jump?”
    He checked the instruments. “Four hours.”
    “I will make some tea.”
     
    Watching Nearing fly off left a lump in her throat. She was basically alone on Webar with the team watching her hopefully.
    She flared her nostrils and dragged in a breath. “Where would you like me to start?”
    The leader of the expedition opened a map, and she analyzed it carefully. “Can I make any modifications to this?”
    He blinked at her with all four of the eyes in his slick yellow forehead. “Can you create your markings in a contrasting colour?”
    She nodded and sent out a pulse, getting back what she had sensed the