Celestial Galaxies

Chapter 4

I almost spit my drink all over my steering board. Choking and coughing I got up and tried to shield the cube from view, but it was too late.

"That is the Anthalos Key", Eenya gasped, her irisless eyes oogly and wide, "Where did you find that?"

I still had trouble breathing. "How did you get in here?", I wanted to know when I could speak again. I hated how raspy my voice was, it reduced my confidence to fight, instantly.

Eenya pointed in a vague direction behind her: "Through the door. I even knocked."

She focused on the cube again. She looked almost hypnotised, stepping closer and reaching out to touch it, but I quickly swatted her hand away.

"Don't touch that", I said scoldingly at her surprised expression. Her lips were pressed together in agony, but she retreated.

"What do you want?", I asked sharply, separating the cube from Eenya's view.

My mind worked through the last seconds again. How did she recognise it and how did she know it's name? Was it common knowledge for her terrestrial culture?

"I just... I, uhm, I wanted to check in if you wanted to take a deal I made a few weeks back for the upcoming vegetable season on Iakka. Also you left a note to talk?"

I raised an eyebrow: "Are you getting charitable now? How sweet. I'm touched."

I needed to keep her distracted from the Key, win some time to think. Getting back to the note was off limits, I would not let my guilt spill when she had just invaded my privacy so rudely.

Eenya sighed annoyedly. She mirrored my stance, crossing her shiny scaled arms in front of her chest.

"You know", she meant sourly, "I am trying to help you after the gala job. Yes I admit it, I got the deal because you applied later than me, but is that really my fault? Also, I came to you directly instead of posting this other offer for everyone right away, because I know you're the next best around here."

I didn't even try to let the half-compliment sink in, my anger was still too fresh. The blue skinned terrestrial loosened her pose and turned towards the door.

"When I have jobs to trade I'm known for, I can't afford any random deliverer as my replacement. I have a reputation for reliability."

She passed through the empty doorframe, about to leave my ship down the open passenger ramp, saying: "Send me a message if you still want that job."

"How do you know it's called the Anthalos Key?"

Eenya halted shortly before her head whipped around and she hurried back towards me. Her whole body had suddenly changed and she gestured me to be quiet.

"You can't just scream that around in the galaxy like that!", she scolded me with a hushed voice, as if she was the owner of the key, "You could get everyone in this station killed! Also, who knows who is spying around here."

I was surprised at her extreme reaction. It made me curious.

I turned and picked the cube from the steering board behind me. "What do you know about it?"

Eenya's eyes fixed on the cube I held casually in my hand. She straightened again and inched closer, carefully lowering her voice even more, as if she expected Hunters to jump out of my kitchen drawers.