Shoshone Station: The Galactic Consortium season 2

Episode Three: The Egg #16

"You two doing anything exciting with the rest of your holiday?" Jack asked as he, Zeta and Maka made ready to leave Lannister's Thanksgiving party.

Maka answered before Zeta could. "I've some business to attend. It might be a holiday on your planet, but to my interests on Shin it's just another day and they will want a report."

"What sort of business?" Jack asked. "If you don't mind me asking."

"Not at all," Maka said. "I'm to look at a couple of hotels, still mothballed. I've a client that might be interested in bankrolling a couple, as an investment. Especially as it seems we are moving close to having these diplomatic relations worked out. Thanks in part to the hard work of you two." He leaned over and kissed Zeta's forehead as she said. "You would be welcome to come along if you wish. The hotels on the rim of sixteen below have views rivaled only by bottom court itself. I've merely to select the proper one, with the best angles."

Jack gave Zeta a curious, almost protective look and then shook his head. "Thanks, but no. Zeta, I will see you at work tomorrow."

Zeta smiled and nodded. Maka put his arm around her and led her away. Jack's look could have spoken of jealousy, if Zeta had been the kind of women that inspired such emotions in men, which she was not. Maka's ardor, Jack's protectiveness, she could almost imagine herself the heroine in some romantic story, at least for the time being. Reality would intrude soon enough, it always did.

They reached a lift and went down. "It was good of you to set this up," Maka commented.

And reality intrudes. Zeta nodded. "It was nothing." And it truly was nothing. All she did was to message one of the stations real estate coordinators and let them know that Maka wanted to look at the hotels. She had not done anything that anyone on the station couldn't have done. If the fact that she was part of the diplomatic core in her professional life influenced the woman, it was not Zeta's doing.

And it makes Maka's job easier. Which means we have more time to spend together before he has to go back to Shin, right? Perfectly innocent.

The woman, Anjia, was a tall curvaceous woman with long dark hair. She was a beautiful woman, with olive skin that glowed and a walk that was all grace and sex.

Zeta introduced the two. They sized each other up and were off, Zeta walking behind forgotten as they talked business. Maka was putting on all his charms. Zeta fought down her jealousy, reminded herself that Maka was only showing her so much interest because of business. But that only led her to darker thoughts about how he treated her with the same charm and what was that but business?

She let herself sink into morbid thoughts as they continued their back and forth. He'd cheat with her. Why not? Zeta had no interest in a physical relationship and didn't all men want that at some point? He'd cheat. She'd leave him. Jack's protectiveness would turn out to be of the brotherly sort. And she'd back to her collection of Chiya-batu plate books and childish dreams.