I sigh to myself, my eye following the smart-ink fractal patterns winding their way up Sparrow's thighs. I manage to pull my eyes up to her face after a moment. "What does it even matter? You gave them to me, after all."

  Dressed in shorts and a sports bra, she's keeping it casual this morning. And it's distracting me. We've had a night's sleep and a bath, so we're feeling better. But come on; I'm injured, and she's still giving me a hard time? Sparrow sighs as she pours a cup of tea into a mug. "I'm only saying; we agreed you were just holding them for me. If I recall, there was something about me not 'bribing a Code Enforcement officer?'" She turns her head towards me and raises an eyebrow.

  Laying on the pad in her bedspace, I prop my head up with one hand. "Really? You're gonna play that card, Ms. Gaian League?" I'm wearing a tank top and loose pants. It feels strange to know I won't be putting on the uniform again, but at least I'm comfy.

  "Hey, don't change the subject. You're the one who forgot the coffee," she warns, hiding her smirk by taking a sip.

  I roll my eyes, throwing the blanket down. "I apologize for being so forgetful, while I was scheming how to spring you from the brig. Besides, you said you got them from an old friend; I believe your exact words were 'they didn't cost you a thing'."

  She puts a hand on her hip, sipping the tea. "I said it was a trade from an old friend, an expensive trade. One now sitting in your quarters in Ursa Miner station."

  I shake my head. "Look at it this way, maybe some poor long-haul freighter who takes those quarters will find them and it'll make his year."

  She does chuckle at that and lays her hand on my shoulder. One the good side. My rib is wrapped, I've popped some pain meds, and I feel a little better. The low gravity helps. She's careful to avoid my nose. I set it, so it should heal straight, but there's only so much I can do about the swelling. I probably wasn't going to be winning any beauty contests even before, but now? Let's say I look like I got in a bar fight. And lost.

  The silence plays out before I speak. "Let's talk about the future. I've never been to Io. All I know is that it's got the shipyards and drydock. What's it like on the station?"

  She smiles. "Oh, Argus station is very industrial-chic. It has a great underground punk scene. Obviously, big navy presence, so it gets rowdy. Also, there's some pretty good distilleries, and the lager they brew is the best in the Jovian," she says with a chuckle. "The sailors always have money to spend, so there's a robust economy and entertainment industry."

  I nod at that. "I wouldn't complain, as long as they have some sweet cocktails too."

  "Oh sure, I'll mix you a puckered Uranus," she teases, making me snort.

  Ow. Damn nose. "And your Mom? Lucy? She lives on the station?"

  She nods. "In the civilian district. Mom's got a nice little place near the recyclers. She runs a hydroponics setup these days. Sometimes does some mechanical work on the side with her old skills, mostly off the books. The Navy used to hire her as a contractor to fix some of their older gear, but since the refits, that doesn't happen as much."

  I nod. "Is she getting by ok?"

  "Oh yeah, she's a planner." Maybe she feels the tension in me. "Don't worry, Melody. She's going to love you."

  I feel my belly flip. "Yeah? Seems like a hard sell. 'Hey mom, here's my new girlfriend. She's a disgraced former cop with PTSD; she's homeless and jobless and she blew up Europa, what's for dinner?'"

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  Her arms squeeze me tighter. "I'll probably say something like, hey mom, here's my new partner. She saved me and a lot of other people. She's a private investigator looking for work. And what's for dinner?"

  We laugh together, even though it makes me wince. I just enjoy the warmth of her. "She runs a hydroponics setup?"

  "Yeah, there's a bay, sorta run like a community garden. She has a quarter of it all for herself, but a bunch of other people grow things too."

  I try to picture that. "Like what, fruit and vegetables?"

  "Mostly vegetables, lots of spices, sometimes flowers if there's a demand for it, set up in racks," she says, motioning with her hands.

  I ponder that for a moment. "Anyone grow coffee beans?"

  "Oh? You think you can just buy a new can and pay me off, Melody?" She slides down onto the pad with me, holding her drink carefully.

  I scoff, pulling her close. "Who says I'm paying you off? Maybe I'm buying some all for me."

  I do get a giggle from her. "Good luck. Coffee is a high value good. It's worth its weight in... name a precious metal. And usually there's reservations in advance for each harvest."

  "Seriously? I'm surprised the bay doesn't just grow coffee then."

  She takes a sip of tea and sticks her tongue out. "Well, when you don’t have any basil or pepper or garlic for your food, you’ll learn you can’t live off of coffee alone, Melody.”

  There are a few more moments of silence. "You know, I can rent quarters on the station. I mean, I don't want to impose, a stranger at your mom's place, with no notice-"

  She flounces down, slapping the blanket. "You're not a stranger, and believe me, my mom will let you know loudly and often if you're imposing. She very much speaks her mind. Kinda like this other woman I really like."

  I smile, biting my bottom lip. "Sounds like we'll get along well."

  Sparrow does give me a grin at that. "Just don't try to kiss her ass. You won't get anywhere brown-nosing her."

  My eyes wide, and I hold my hand to my head. "Sparrow, I'm sorry, have you met me?”

  She laughs, leaning against me. "Yeah, and with your attitude, you’ll fit right in on Io.”

  "Good to know. It should help making some connections,” I murmur, finger tracing the tattoo on her arm. “I mean, calling myself a private investigator is one thing. But I don't really have any contacts outside of Luna."

  I get a shrug from her there. "Well, I know a few people who can point you in the right direction."

  I sigh, thinking as I lay back. "I'll have to get my own gear; nothing assigned to me. No CE Key. I looked into the licensing, though. That part's a cakewalk. I have the necessary weapons qualifications and Codes certifications already; it's like they make it easy for former cops."

  Sparrow tosses her head. "You realize most of them probably are former and washed-out cops?"

  I blink. "Yeah, guess I never thought of it that way. Well, I've submitted my application, and I paid the fee. Assuming I pass the background check, I should get the approval in a few days."

  She nuzzles against my shoulder in silence. "You nervous?"

  I swallow. "A little. I won't have the law enforcement authority I had. I won't be able to call in backup. The stakes will be higher, and I'll have no support if I get in over my head."

  I feel Sparrow take my hand and squeeze. "You have your partner supporting you."

  I smile at that. "Yeah, I guess when you put it like that? I'm not really all that nervous. At least about the job."

  She groans. "Stop worrying, mom's an easy sell. Be glad you don't have to impress my dad, he would have picked you to pieces."

  I chuckle at that. "I'm sorry I don't get to meet him," I say softly.

  "He would have loved you... eventually," she admits. "He was a man with high expectations."

  I shrug, looking up at the navigation console. "Well, if nothing else, I could have impressed him with my piloting skills."

  Sparrow laughs long and hard. "Melody, this was his ship. He would have given me away before he gave the Chimera away, even for a joyride."

  I wrap my arms around her and squeeze. "Oof. Well, I suppose I'm lucky... I get to ride both," I tease, before she smacks me with her pillow, and we devolve into laughter.

  We trail off slowly, just enjoying ourselves. There's a moment of silence as we lay back on the soft pad. In the reduced gravity, it seems almost feather-soft, and I curl around her. I feel her heartbeat against me, my nose pressed against her hair. Just breathing together, savoring the closeness and the warmth.

  Finally, she closes her eyes, parting her lips. "You didn’t even take your crappy instant crystals."

  I throw up my hands, scoffing. "You wanna go back to Ursa Miner and pick them up?"

  She smiles at that. "Cartwright would probably arrest me. Maybe both of us."

  I ponder for a moment, my fingers tracing the serpentine whirls of the smart-ink and following the patterns up her shoulders. "You think he would ship them to us?"