Episode 142, Tutor
30 Dec 2024Ryuko Ntsikana
Tutor
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Galileo sat in the orbital station’s pilot lounge, scrolling through his budget on his tablet. He had enough credits to keep flying for at least a year, but if he wanted to rise any further, he needed new sources of income. That odd couple aboard the fleet carrier had mentioned rescue services. He knew as little about that as he did about trading—or pretty much anything beyond chasing low-tier pirates.
A sudden shadow loomed over his tablet, jerking him from his thoughts.
“Benny, you dang near scared the hair off my head!” Galileo exclaimed, looking up.
A broad grin stretched across the older man’s grease-stained face as he plopped into the lounge chair across from him. The coveralls he wore were a patchwork of oil stains, a testament to years spent elbow-deep in ship maintenance.
“Talk about surprises, son,” Benny said, leaning back in the chair. “How in the world did you get that ride out there?”
Galileo shrugged, a sly smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Sharking system security bounties out in the resource extraction sites.”
Benny let out a hearty chuckle. “Well, I’ll be. Here I thought you’d been sold off or booked passage somewhere far away after losing your last ship. Damn shame what happened to her. She was a pretty one.”
Galileo nodded, his expression softening. “You and your maintenance crew took good care of her.”
“You thinking of sticking around?” Benny asked, his grin widening. “Wouldn’t mind getting under the hull of one of the latest off the assembly lines. Heck, we just got the maintenance schematics for that model a couple of relative days ago. Yours is the first we’ve seen here.”
“I figured she’d turn a few heads when I brought her in to dock,” Galileo replied, smirking.
“That she did,” Benny said, chuckling. “Everyone on my crew’s found an excuse to pass by the hangar display window just to have a peek at her.”
Galileo laughed, shaking his head. “Guess they cut me loose too soon.”
“Worked out better for you than for them,” Benny said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Bean counters never did have a mind for the realities of the business.”
“Well, if they change their minds, it’s too late for them now. Should’ve struck while the iron was hot.”
“With a ship like that, you don’t need their types,” Benny said, leaning back in his chair. “She’s got too much potential to hire out to anyone other than yourself. You thinking of taking her out to do a little exploring, trading, or mining? I hear she’s great at all of it.”
“Honestly, Benny? I don’t know much about anything other than what I’ve already been doing.”
Benny gave him a knowing look. “What you need is an android—and not one of those cheap models in the concourse. You need one of the high-end types, the kind that can store everything about anything you want to know and tutor you on how to make the most of that ship.”
Galileo shrugged, a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. “Seriously, I don’t even know about those. The ship’s AI is good, but I don’t even know how to use it to its fullest.”
Benny leaned forward, slapping Galileo on the knee as he stood up. “Come on, son. If you’ve got a million-two in your account, I know just where to find the latest and best models. We’ll get you one, link it with your ship, and you’ll be squared away. Let’s go.”
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Galileo expected a seedy, lowest-level hack establishment tucked near the waste processing centers, but instead, Benny led him to a high-end venue, secreted away from the common riffraff. There were no flashy holographic advertisements or glowing signage to guide the way. The hatchway looked like any other—dark and unassuming. You’d never know it was anything special unless the door opened for you.
On the other side stood two heavily armored, multi-armed androids. These weren’t the run-of-the-mill units—they were the type whose programming included every known method throughout history to break someone who didn’t belong. Their cold, glowing optics scanned Galileo and Benny as they passed without a word.
Beyond the metal titans, a second hatch opened into a pristine interior. Galileo’s first thought was how sharply the contrast hit him. Inside, the missing holographic glitz was on full display: softly glowing signs, ambient lighting, and an atmosphere thick with wealth and exclusivity. Tables and booths held well-dressed patrons, each attended by human or android servants catering to their every desire. Off to one side, another hatch promised privacy for more discreet transactions.
No one gave Galileo or Benny a second glance as the older man led him to a quiet corner. There, a holographic panel lit up, shifting its display to showcase an android vendor.
“I’ve got a client for your warez,” Benny said casually.
A scanner activated, glowing faintly at the base of the holographic frame. The android image nodded slightly, its synthesized voice smooth and neutral. “Please designate their desired model.”
Benny gestured at Galileo, then crossed his arms. “Let’s see… He needs one that can link up with his ship and run him through all the new systems. Also, it needs to tutor him on alternate career options.”
“Model of ship?”
Benny grinned. “New Cobra Mark V, with all the bells and whistles.”
“Sex preference?”
Benny glanced sidelong at Galileo, his grin widening. “Well?”
Galileo rolled his eyes, shifting uncomfortably. “Hell, Benny, I don’t need sex. I need something to help me make the most out of what I’ve got.”
Benny chuckled. “Relax, son. They don’t mean that. It’s about appearance. But hey, if you change your mind later and have the credits…” He trailed off with a teasing smirk.
“Let’s stick with making credits first,” Galileo said, shaking his head. “If I need something more down the line, I’ll at least have the money to buy it.”
Benny turned back to the hologram. “No sexual preference. Education first.”
“Understood. Delivery to the ship, or pick up here?”
Benny studied the hologram for a moment before replying. “Let’s not keep the man waiting. Oh, and keep it within the one-point-two-million range. That’s what I told him you’d charge.”
“Please wait,” the android responded.
As they stood there, Galileo’s mind spun, overwhelmed by the surreal experience. He tapped Benny on the shoulder. “How in the blue sunbeams are you walking around here like you own the place? No one’s given us a second look, and we both look like we just crawled out of a power housing.”
Benny flashed a sly smile, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Like the old saying goes: never make the cook, medic, or payroll officer mad—or your ship mechanic.”
“A Sirius Cybernetics Gen-5 Personal Assistant Droid with memory augmentation and enhanced learning algorithms is being prepared,” the hologram announced. “Please present payment.”
Benny whistled as he stepped aside, motioning for Galileo to approach. Galileo pulled a data card from his flight suit and held it up to the scanner.
“Payment accepted. One million two credits transferred. Your android assistant will be waiting for you at the entry. Thank you for your business.”
Benny flipped a mock salute at the hologram and clapped Galileo on the shoulder. “Come on, let’s get your droid back to your ship and hooked up. You can give me a tour of the girl while we’re at it.”