Child of Hades

20. A happy family (Lié)

Rutha nagged me relentlessly to train with real weapons. After a few months, I finally gave in and took him to my most-trusted weapon dealer. 

KM-13 surprisingly was acting acceptably cool with Rutha. He showed him the most commonly used weapons: Small machine guns and Assault-guns, loaded with plasma or electric volts. Guns from Chaus were usually made from synthetic plastic that matched in material with most clothes so they would not be detected by simple scanners. Lukrains and other non-criminals used metallic weapons for the most part because they were cheaper and less effort to make. 

I allowed Rutha to pick a small handgun for himself, just in case. I had expected KM-13 to be less enthusiastic to talk with a little boy but the two were chit-chatting as if he was human. After almost a decade of working with KM-13 I felt safe enough to leave him alone with Rutha for a few minutes as I went to the bathroom. When I came back KM-13 was playing wrestling with the little one, many times pretending to let him win. The kid looked happy.

I gave KM-13 a look while I took out my techdevice, he nodded. KM-13 played with the kid for a few hours while I engaged myself with business opportunities. First I checked the stock markets on my techdevice to keep myself up to date. Then I chatted with former partners and contractors of mine, looking for a safe but profitable job, heist or some cheap drugs that I could buy and resell.

My eyes got tired of looking at a holographic screen so I stood up and gave KM-13 another look. Rutha was sitting on his shoulders, but KM-13 let him down. He tickled him and continued the playfight for a few more seconds before his expression changed to being serious. "Big momma is waiting."

"She is not my mother.", Rutha giggled as he replied.

"No surprises there.", KM-13 said and laughed. "Actually, Rutha, take a moment to shoot at those holograms over there, I have to talk to... Lié."

KM-13 and I closed up a space in his ship. He looked strangely nervous as he started talking: "So what are your plans for the little one?"

"I will drop him off on a safe planet once he's a little bigger", I said without hesitation. The plan was set in stone and I was not going to argue about it. Rutha was a boy, not a business opportunity.

"Hmm. Sounds like a good plan.", KM-13 was being sincere, he hesitated and then continued: "I can help you for the time being. It can't be easy being a single mother."

I gave him a death stare, he seemed to enjoy it. Me? A single mother?

"I will need a lot of money to pay for his further education so he can have a life on one of those boring-ass safe planets."

KM-13 nodded. "We will think of something."

We re-opened the walls. I noticed that Rutha's aim was not half-bad. 

A few months after receiving a hand-gun Rutha informed me that it was his 15th birthday so I took him to Lukra for a little celebration. KM-13 had sent an avatar for Rutha as a birthday gift, so we were both wearing avatars. My little annoyance ran around the beach as if he had never seen the ocean. I settled down at a cafe nearby, enjoying covfefe while I watched. The twinkly drink caused a familiar bubbling sensation in my mouth. Rutha eventually joined me. I ordered his first covfefe for him. After a few zips, he decided that he liked it a lot. Then he talked to me about the last rock-music virtual experience that I let him go to.

When he was done drinking covfefe, I asked: "Are you ready for your birthday present?"

"You got me a birthday present?", his eyes lightened up, surprised.

"Not exactly. Follow me." I got up and left the cafe. Using easy-rent Floaters, I took Rutha to the nearest ship store. He started jumping up and down in excitement once he saw the store and realized what was happening. I couldn't help but smile.

"Pick one of the add-on ships. I already installed a charging station to Hubris."

The saleshologram helped Rutha go through each model several times. Finally, he picked an add-on made of M-glass, fast and reliable. Not inexpensive, but it was his birthday after all. The little annoyance thanked me many times in a public display of affection that made me feel very uncomfortable. 

The first place Rutha flew to with his new ship was KM-13's ship. Being alone had never bothered me before. Weirdly, when Rutha left I felt a little pull.