Hard Luck Hank Screw the Galaxy(80)

“Hank, it says here you pay taxes, too.”

“Really?” I hadn’t seen that. In fact, I hadn’t really been able to understand much of the receipts at all. But there it was.

“They just gave me a hammer and told me to say I work on the ventilation. Where can I get some receipts?” Calliman asked.

“They’re not just blowing around on the street,” I said sagely. “You need to talk to the right people.”

Calliman laid the documents out in interconnecting pyramids to try and understand them.

“You could hide so much money, Hank. Millions.”

I smiled proudly.

“Hey, can I give you some money to hold? Just until the cops leave.”

“Me too.”

“I don’t think that’s something I want to get into. Besides, there’s plenty of moneylenders here. I’m sure they could do it.”

“But they’re going to want big bucks. And then there’s the juice they’ll add on top. I’ll pay you,” the guard added quickly.

“Let me think about it,” I said, delicately gathering my papers. “But if you tele me tomorrow, I might be able to give you the names of some bookkeepers who can help you out. I got to ask them if they want the business first.”

They all thanked me.

After I returned my receipts to their protective folder, I finished my drink and headed for the train. At first I thought I had spent more time inside than I’d realized. I looked up and the latticework lights were definitely dimming, signaling it was Belvaille’s version of nighttime.

Around me, people were all looking up as well. Was it a power problem? We’ve had issues with the lights in the past. We’ve had whole sections go out completely but never the entire latticework.

People were exiting the casino and buildings all up the block, staring at the roof of our city. The lights were gradually getting darker and darker and darker.

Then they were gone. They never turned off the lights completely. Ever.

With the constant light of Belvaille, we couldn’t see stars. Couldn’t see past our own little environment. But with the latticework off, everything was clear.

But instead of a galaxy of stars, what we saw was far more startling.

There were countless bright lights. Reds, yellows, greens, blues that glowed crisp and unwavering in our view. They belonged to hundreds of ships that were now floating around Belvaille.

The Navy, it seemed, had arrived.



I got back to my place as quickly as possible.

“Wake up!” I yelled to Delovoa, who was asleep on my floor, a huge white metal robot standing over him.

Delovoa grumbled and murmured but didn’t stir.

I pulled the scientist to his feet, risking getting mashed by ZR3.

“You’re leaving. Now.”

“What?” he stammered.

I dragged him through the house and outside. When we exited, Delovoa looked up to the sky.

“So it’s real,” he said vaguely.

It was dark outside. Very dark. This was the best and only chance I was going to have of moving these two. A moment later, ZR3 pounded out after us. I think it took the front door with it.

We only saw a few people on the way, but visibility was so low I couldn’t make out who it was. And while I could only indistinctly see them, the gleaming white tower of ZR3 was likely more visible. Still, I couldn’t worry about that now.

It took us more than an hour to reach the secret apartment—one of the units not shown on the most recent map. It was just three large rooms. It had once been an electrical substation, though all those components were long gone and now it was merely vacant.

The door didn’t even have any locks or codes on it.

“Stay here and don’t move,” I said once we were inside.

This building was perfect for them. ZR3 could easily fit now that all the generators had been removed, and no one would think of checking this structure as it was labeled with all kinds of hazardous warnings. I had already stocked it with supplies and sundries for Delovoa to occupy himself with. That was before he had pirated my own apartment.

“Hank,” Delovoa began feebly, “what’s going to happen to me?”

Standing there in the makeshift residence, a tremendously illegal alien in tow, an armada surrounding us, no way to escape, it was a valid question.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen to me, Delovoa,” I answered honestly. “I’ll do my best.”

When I got back home I was on needles waiting for the Navy to come in any moment. I had both guns in my hands. After about six hours, I felt I was being a little self-important. Presumably the Navy would land first. Maybe do some setting up. With a flotilla that size, it could be a while.