Second Chances

Electra Fornier Margolis had been fielding calls all morning. That wasn’t out of the ordinary for her office, but this time they were about her mother. That was out of the ordinary for several reasons. The first being that her mother was always so well behaved, Electra sometimes marveled that they were related. But this time? She had done something that had people upset.The second is that she had pulled it off so smoothly, and with help from her brother. Her brother was even less noticeable than her mother was; he never ventured into anything shady.Yet, they had marched into the most prestigious ship yard office and walked away with the premier ship the company had ever offered, paid in full and then within a few hours sailed away as if they hadn’t a care in the world. The family that had placed the order was furious, the Garrett ship yard was furious and half the board had been on the wall screen with her demanding answers. She was beginning to understand why her mother had done it the way she had.The board didn’t want to stick their necks out more than they had. Victoria simply wouldn’t take no for an answer where it came to the Blood Star refugees. So, instead of going through the normal channels she had gone around them. Then stomped on them, kicked them out of the way and then walked away with as much dignity as she always used. The salesman, being kind to a frail old lady without her marbles, was going to be fired and ruined for his part. What he was supposed to do and preserve decorum was debatable. She had to speak to her brother, that was all there was to it. Finally the wall screen lit up and her brother came on the channel. “Electra, you look as lovely as ever.” She patted her hair without thinking as she studied him. “You look like a butler. Why would you dress that way?” He laughed and did a slight bow, “All the better to usher around senile old ‘biddies’. I think that’s what he called her.” She frowned, “He called our mother a what?” He took a breath and tried to grow serious. “He said something about her being a senile old biddy.” Electra humphed and sat down abruptly. It was one thing for her to wonder if her mother was losing her marbles, but for a stranger to do so? That was a bird of another feather. “So, after she destroyed his career, what is she doing now?” Electra really was curious. Reginald Fornier brushed some lint off his shoulder and casually answered in a low breath, “I think she’s going to get the Royal Perxian of the Arpex system and drop her off at the return point for the Mendelson shuttle running supplies to the Blood Star system. At least when they get done loading up all the provisions she ordered at the Arbolla system. Do you know how much food it takes to feed almost eight thousand people for almost three months?” Everything suddenly made sense for Electra. Her mother hadn’t given up the dream her husband Hans had before his death. In fact, she was simply carrying out his last scheme. To save humans, and to give them a chance in a place that was more suited for them. If Perxian was involved, their fourth world in her solar system was probably going to be in the mix someplace. “Do you think we can have the space station above Arbollah Three done in five months?” Her brother made the connection immediately. “Yes, but we also better have a drop off station above the fourth planet done too. I”ll get the funds right on it; the construction teams are in place now.” Money always has a way of helping things happen a bit faster than normal. “I am trying to imagine the two of them in the “Madam Vicky” all by themselves with the entire crew trying to rattle around that huge ship without any other passengers.” Electra gasped, “You know how she hates being called ‘Vicky’, you didn’t have the ship really named that did you?” Her brother grinned,“Nobody will have the nerve to tell her. I’m safe.”