Page 42 of Caught By Menace

“Arctis?”

“It’s one of the guard ships that flies with us. After the last Grab, a bride got away from her husband and was taken by a land corps soldier. It became this huge mess.

They deployed the SRU team from theValiant.”

“SRU team?”

“They’re an elite group of soldiers who deal with so-called ‘special’ circumstances. Terrorist threats, hostage negotiations, escorts and other high-risk things like that.”

“Oh.” Naya breathed a little easier. “I thought maybe you meant they were secret police.”

“No. The men on the SRU teams are good, upstanding men.” She hesitated. “There is a unit that’s sort of like the secret police but they’re called the Shadow Force. I can’t imagine you’d ever come into contact with them, so I wouldn’t worry about it. They don’t go after citizens like the secret police on Calyx. They’re focused solely on the Splinter movement and terrorism.”

“Good to know.” Naya scooped up another forkful of her breakfast. “Being arrested three times in Connor’s Run was enough for me.”

Hallie’s gaze snapped to her face. She smiled sadly. “You can add me to that club.”

Before Naya could ask her why she’d been pinched, Hallie scooted back in her chair and stood. “Let me get you some of our pamphlets. We’re having a new wives meeting later this week but you may as well take the information with you today.”

Naya watched Hallie leave and tucked right back in to her breakfast. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d eaten something so good. When Hallie returned, she slid a thin stack of pamphlets onto the table and sat down.

“Each pamphlet will give you information you’ll need to make your transition to this new life successfully. The first one is about navigating the ship and using all the different devices in your home. The second is about your rights aboard the ship and in this new society. The procedure for filing for a separation is in there. The blue one outlines your access to medical care and explains the most common medications and procedures. The green one is all about shopping in the retail section as well as understanding the monetary system here. It’s credits, by the way.”

“Credits?”

Hallie nodded. “You’ll get the hang of it.” She lifted her wrist. “The chip they gave you is your method of payment. It’s attached to Menace’s bank account. The money is deducted automatically.”

“That would have been handy back on Calyx,” Naya murmured. “I wouldn’t have had to chase down so many people who owed me money.”

“You were in business?”

“I owned a pawnshop.”

“How cool is that?” Hallie seemed impressed. “You’re going to be a great addition to our wives club.”

“I am?” Naya sipped her tea. “I’m not so sure about joining a social club.”

“Oh, you have to!” Hallie practically pleaded with her. “It’s so nice to get together with other women from our planet. We’re so outnumbered by men here. Plus we’re doing good work.”

“How so?”

“We’ve created a domestic violence resource center. Next month, they’re opening a new counseling division in the med bay for couples who need a little help adjusting or communicating. We’re getting a distance learning program so those of us who want to finish our educations can do so. Some of the mothers in the group have started a playgroup and even have a babysitting pool that they use to give one another a day or night off every week.”

Naya wasn’t so sure about that babysitting stuff but she thought the idea of counseling was probably a good one. Finishing school had always been a dream. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to come to one meeting.”

Hallie beamed. “You’ll love it—and I make cookies!”

Naya laughed. “I’m sure you do.”

Hallie held her mug in both hands and sat back in her chair. “What can I say? I’m a happy little homemaker. We all fill different roles in life. Who knows? Maybe you’ll open the first wife-owned business on the ship.”

Finished with her breakfast, Naya reached for the pamphlets. “Is that even possible?”

Hallie shrugged. “I don’t see why not. There are vacant storefronts in the market. You wouldn’t be able to run a pawnshop. I’m not sure the concept would work here. They don’t do debt or credit here.”

“I wasn’t really thrilled with running a pawnshop in the first place,” Naya admitted. “It was just the easiest business for me to get into at the time. The only way to make a business work is to find a need that isn’t being filled in the current market.”

“You mean like having access to comforts from home or clothes that fit and aren’t ugly as homemade sin?” Hallie pinched the front of her boxy dress. “If you saw what kinds of alterations I have to make just get my clothes to fit!”

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