Lost Past (34 page)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Nevertheless, he had to deal with Jason.
 
Jason voluntarily landed on this moon to help him.
 
He was a drug dealer, an addict, and he didn’t recycle, but he took a risk to save
Gjeye
.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
They finished the work on the runway just before the sun set.
 
Jason was never again as talkative.
 
Gjeye
sometimes felt Jason was uncomfortable with him.
 
But
Gjeye
understood; drug addiction undoubtedly made Jason have strange mood swings.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Gjeye
was starting to recover from the budding and could work longer hours.
 
Jason frequently went back to his ship to get some of the drug he was carrying.
 
He said it helped him work better, particularly since they were taking so few
rests
.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The moon was getting so cold it was dangerous to delay.
 
If they weren't careful, they wouldn’t be able to work outside anymore.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Just before they separated to play their respective roles in their joint rescue, Jason gave something to
Gjeye
.
 
"It's part of my cargo, but I won't miss this little bit.
 
Consider it a parting gift."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
It took all of
Gjeye's
control to accept the gift graciously.
 
He didn’t wish to offend the
obviously well meaning gesture of the human, but he strongly objected to drugs.
 
He heard of what they did to humans.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
"Thank you," he said.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The escape from the moon went exactly as planned and the uncoupling device worked allowing them to separate and continue alone.
 
The two ships took off and both headed for New California for repairs.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Gjeye
was worried about the possibilities of smuggling, so he steeled himself to actually dispose of something without putting it in the recycler.
 
He didn't know the English words, so the label "Gourmet Coffee" meant absolutely nothing to him.