Parador (Juggernaut #2)

Twenty Nine

When Jayce saw Tila and Malachi come closer he waved them over to two empty seats nearby. Ellie sat on Jayce's right and patted the chair next to her. Jayce, trying and failing to project an air of effortless cool, rested his feet on the table when Tila had sat down, and leaned his chair back on two legs.

'Ellie's been telling us all about the Juggernaut. Everyone wants to meet you,' said Jayce.

'They do?' said Malachi.

'They just want the novelty of talking to someone like us, Mal,' Tila said.

'What do you mean, 'like us'?' said Ellie.

'Poor outsiders.'

'Be nice,' murmured Malachi as he drew up his own chair.

'Where have you been?' said Jayce.

'Enjoying the feel of a real shower. I forgot how good they were,' said Malachi, sighing.

'We have showers,' said Ellie.

'You do?' asked one of Jayce's friends, mouth agape. She radiated excitement.

'Yes,' said Tila. 'We don't have the water to waste like you do though.'

'It's not as clean as yours,' said Malachi.

'Or as hot,' added Ellie.

'We have to be careful with how much we use because of the farms,' Malachi explained. He took a cautious sip from the small glass in front of him. 'Hey, this is good!'

'Your showers are better though,' Tila finally admitted, then asked 'Who are you?'

'Hi! I'm Christine. It is SO exciting to meet you!'

'Is it?' said Tila flatly. Malachi hid his grin behind his glass. Sometimes Tila was simply impossible to impress.

'Absolutely! We've never met anyone from the Juggernaut before. Mehmet said you weren't allowed to leave but I said it's because you weren't allowed to apply for a planetary landing permits.'

'Same difference!' shrugged the man Tila assumed must be Mehmet. She couldn't help but notice that his arms seemed to fill half the table. Even Malachi looked small next to him. If he stood up he would be about half a head taller than any of them. It was a wonder he fit in his chair.

'That's Mehmet,' said Ellie, 'and this is Coral.'

Coral said nothing but waved shyly at them. At least Tila assumed she was waving. The girl's fingertips trembled briefly above the table edge then vanished into her lap. When Tila made eye contact Corral looked away at once, and long black hair, perfectly straight, fell over one shoulder.

'And I'm Jayce,' said Jayce with his trademark grin. 'Pleased to meet you all again.'

'Yes, we know Jayce,' said Tila evenly.

Ellie grinned happily at the friendly banter. 'Isn't this place amazing?' she said to Malachi.

Malachi nodded his approval as he looked around at the gardens stretching away from their little shaded area beside the impressive brick building. He took another sip. 'It's nice!' he said.

'Tila, do you like it?' said Jayce.

'You said your father's company owns it?' said Tila, ignoring the question.

'Yeah.'

'Do the corporations own everything on Parador?'

'Almost everything,' said Christine. 'Why?'

'It's not right, is it?' said Tila.

Jayce and his friends exchanged puzzled looks. 'Why not?' he said.