Page 2 of Accounting for Taste

“It is ongoing.If someone needs your particular skills, they will file a bid.”

They walked past six med beds, each with an attendant and a flat human, all with some kind of implant.All of the people had a grey cast.That wasn’t good.

“Your people do not easily accept cranial implants.You are the first to have survived the process.”

“You are experimenting on corpses.”

She smiled brightly.“Yes.The recently ceased.”

“Right.Well, that makes a clean break for me, I suppose.”

“You retained cognition and speech, so you are a definite success.Oh, you mean your ceasing.Yes, that was fortunate for us.Last-minute headwounds are rare for pickups.You were not even cold before they got you up to us.”

Reem nodded.“Sure, that is what the video records show.”

“I am so happy you can link through the secured systems.It is a triumph of the software.”

“I am unsure as to the details of the software acquisition, but I am happy with it as well.”She was getting videos and downloads as they walked through the med bay and up to the eating space.

The medic assigned to her got a tray of food, which included some ration cubes.“Here.Try these.I will get you something to drink.”

Reem took the tray and found an empty table, sat down, and started sniffing the food before picking up the tiny fork and tasting.

Some of the foods tasted familiar, others were jarring.She memorized what she didn’t like and consumed what she could with one of the watery teas that were offered.

The medic checked a tablet.“Oh, your auction has begun.Three worlds are bidding for your skillset.”

“Are they all compatible environments?”

“Yes.One is offering set living quarters along with a meal plan and a work schedule with days off.The others are listing your bond, and that is all.”

“Do I get to choose?”

“No.The bond house will select the one that is the greatest benefit to you.”

“Do any of the worlds offer medical care?”

“All of them, but some are more expensive than others.”

“What is the work position of the planet where the employee package is listed?”

“Wenavik.The meal plan and living quarters are deducted from your wages.”

“Okay.The others?”

“You choose the accommodation level you like and pay accordingly.”

She nodded and linked to the tablet, going through the work requests.She could do any of them, but she was watching the details of the bid and the focus of the worlds.

The criteria were still that she had to be paid enough to get out of her bond in two and a half years, so as the number went up, her bond by the hour shot up.Eventually, it was Wenavik that won the auction.

Reem immediately downloaded everything about the world.She stroked her fingers along her bare skull and over the metal implant.Well, she was alive against all odds, so now she had to make the best of things.

Her bond was sold, and she had a place to live.That was about as good as she could get.

Six weeks of travel on a commercial delivery service, and Reem was at her new home.The other humans going to bonds had avoided her on the vessel, so Reem kept to her quarters and went through the files she could access easily.

Reem walked down the shuttle hall, went through the airlock, and walked into the customs hall of Wenavik.She walked to the customs offices and checked in.

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