Space For Hire (Seven For Space) Read Free Page B

take some time off from whatever case you're on to escort me there?"
    "I'm booked on the President Reagan back to Bubble City tonight, "I told her.
    She smiled and sat down across the aisle from me. "But the Reagan doesn't leave for several hours. I've often taken it and, if anything, it's usually late in launching. You'll have just oodles of time to take me to my unit!"
    "Why do you need an escort?" I was staring at her nipples. One of them had winked at me; she was wearing sex-o-tract on them, which created that effect. Winking nipples attract Earthmales nine times out of ten. She was playing all her cards face up.
    "A certain dangerous individual has threatened to kill me when I get off this ship," she said.
    "What certain dangerous individual?"
    "His name is Thiam Ghong. From one of the dogstar planets. I found him attractive and we bedmated for a halfyear. Then I left him for a trisex pairing with an onion smuggler from Neptune. That was just before my affair with a spongeweed salesman from Ursa Major."
    "Wow!" I said. "You do get around, lady."
    She frowned. "I'm sexually potent if that's what you mean. But aren't most young Earthgirls these days?"
    I grinned as her left nipple winked at me. "You got me there, sister," I admitted. "So what about his Ghong character?"
    She sniffed, wrinkling her freckled nose. "He's just a sore loser. Thiam found out I was returning to Earth on the Agnew and has threatened to kill me when we land. Out of, I suppose, jealous rage. With you along he won't try anything."
    "What about later?" I asked her. "What about after I'm gone?"
    "I'll carry a body weapon. I have one in my unit. They won't allow them aboard ship. Captain Shirley's very firm about body weapons."
    "I know," I said, patting my empty shoulder clip. "My .38's in cold storage."
    "Will you help me, Mr. Space?" She had eyeglow on her pupils, and they gleamed like twin stars. To match the diamonds in her hair. She was some patootie.
    "That's the second time in the last twenty-four hours I've been asked that question by a female in trouble," I said. "But, what the hell, I can never turn down a winking nipple."
    She laughed musically, and plumped herself in my lap. "My name is Nicole," she said. "And I wish to seduce you."
    Our lips locked in a deep tongue that was hot enough to take paint off an Earth wall. The two Martians were still madly rubbing probes, so they didn't notice us.
    Frankly, beyond this stage of the trip, I didn't notice them either.
    * * *
     
    We had no trouble at touchdown. I got my .38 back and told Nicole to wait in the ship while I scouted the outside terrain. She'd given me a complete description of Ghong, but I didn't really need it. A dogstar male is a cinch to spot in a crowd. You don't miss characters who are nine feet tall with furry orange ears.
    "Okay, it's all clear," I assured the girl. "But stick close to me. If he
    shows, I'll deal with him." She gave me a sensual smile, pressing her body against mine. "I'm sure you can deal with anything, Mr. Space."
    I flagged an aircab and we got inside."Call me Sam," I said.
    "But that's what I was going to ask you to call me," she pouted.
    "You said your name was Nicole." I arched a puzzled eyebrow.
    "But my middle name is Samantha, and all my pals call me Sam."
    "I'm not your pal, sister. To me, you're Nicole. That's French, isn't it?"
    "My mother was born in Paris. I spent most of my childhood there. My father was from the New West Coast of America. He's from Santa Fe."
    "That's nice," I said, nodding. This kind of small talk kept us occupied until we reached her life unit, facing Cen Park South. We tubed up and she palmed the door, with me covering her with my .38 in case the dogstar gent showed. I was ready for him.
    What I wasn't ready for was the quick body strip she performed once we were inside. Before I could gulp twice, she was down to her natural lushly-pink self. It all happened so fast I forgot to check the unit. With all that creamy Earth