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“It will be risky sneaking off the station. If Diadora gets suspicious, she’ll stop us from going anywhere.”

“There are always ships coming and going from the docking bay. We can get on one easily enough. We just need to make sure Diadora doesn’t spot what we’re doing.”

“If you come with me, you’ll be leaving everything behind.” Vegas entered her quarters, grabbed a bag from the closet, and filled it with a few essentials.

“It’s just stuff.” Heather watched her pack. “I can get more things when we land. We’ve both got money and know our way around a host of different alien customs and traditions. We’ll find a friendly place to settle, keep off the radar, and wait for Diadora to move onto her next target. She always has to have someone in the thumb screws.”

“You won’t miss working at My Single Alien?” Despite all the problems Diadora threw at her, Vegas knew she would. Her life revolved around this place. She loved making matches, loved figuring out what made an alien tick and seeing his eyes light up as he met his female. Next year, they were expanding into matching female aliens with human males, not that there were many fertile ones around. She’d been looking forward to that. All of that was gone. In front of her was nothing but a blank canvas full of the uncertainty of a life on the run. Some people might find that exciting. Vegas felt terrified and lost.

“We can set up a rival agency,” Heather said. “That would annoy Diadora.”

“She would hunt us down and crush us.” The thought of going into business was not without its appeal. Running a business as the boss, Vegas could handle that.

“We know what doesn’t work well at My Single Alien. We can create a better model. We undercut Diadora’s rates and use your reputation as an ace matchmaker to beat the pants off her.”

“It’s Diadora that doesn’t work here,” Vegas said.

“Apart from her, everyone else is brilliant. Maybe we can poach the staff. We can ruin her. Teach her not to mess with us.”

“You’re forgetting Poison Ivy. We don’t want to take her with us, do we?”

“She’s fine when you ignore the bitchiness. I’m sure she’s another one who needs to get laid more often,” Heather said.

“That’s your answer to everything. Get laid, and the world is a better place.”

“I know when I’ve had a hot time in the sheets, I’m happier for it. And we teach our aliens all about the serotonin and dopamine hits females get when they have awesome sex. It works the same for everyone.”

“Let’s focus on getting out of here. Then we can think long-term plans.”

Heather seemed lost in the idea of starting her own matchmaking service. “We should change the rules about mating with aliens for fun rather than for reproduction. There have been a few hot aliens come through here I wouldn’t have minded getting up close and personal with, you know, rubbing their horns and seeing what they do.”

“That’s not at all disturbing. That can be our first change.” Vegas grabbed Heather and hugged her. “Are you sure about this? I can’t stay here and be sold to Boros. I don’t want to leave without you, but I’ll understand if you decide to stay.”

“I’m right by your side,” Heather said. “Your job does not involve opening your legs for any alien who wants you.”

“No, we arrange that for other females.”

Heather thumped Vegas’s arm. “Only when they agree to it.”

“Naturally. Well, I am not opening my legs for that monster.” Vegas was delighted Heather was coming with her. She’d survive in space on her own, but having her best friend with her would make it so much easier.

“We need a suitable transport ship,” Heather said. “I can pull up the log sheets and see who is due for departure.”

“They need to be leaving soon.” Vegas stepped back from their hug. “There are plenty of planets we can go to. Let’s make sure we don’t pick a ship going back to Earth.”

Heather shook her head. “There’s no way I’m going back there. We’ll choose one with a warm climate and friendly aliens.”

“Make sure you put breathable air on that list.”

Heather smiled as she hurried to the screen fixed on the wall and opened the docking logs for the last two days. “As if I could forget that. I don’t want to walk around with an oxygen canister on my back.”

“It would also scream off-world tourist. We’d be too easy to spot.”

“We need to blend in,” Heather said as she scrolled through the log. “Maybe we should pick a planet with a large Earth ex-pat community.”

“Somewhere not too populated,” Vegas said. “Somewhere with the latest technology but not too busy. We need to disappear for a while without having to hide in a shack with no external comms.”

“You gather the rest of your things. By the time you’re ready to go, I’ll have lined up perfect transport out of here.”