Teaser Tuesday: Starhaven

I'm one of those writers who work on several different projects at a time. I plot my stories out, but I prefer to write a scene after it has percolated for a while in my brain. This story is actually now in revisions, so we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. It is set on a space station called Starhaven, in basically the same 'world' as my book Starlander's Myth. Kind of the early centuries of the Diaspora Worlds  universe.

No cover made yet. But here is a graphic I might use.

Rue grinned, her heart pounding. "I have lunch soon. Just two ships to check in.” She forced herself to work on her com, checking in the cargo the ship wanted to leave on the dock, and alerting the dock inspectors so they could access the load for customs. The second ship only wanted fuel and she calculated the mix they required and filled them. Then she spotted a familiar head of thick white hair on her security com. 
“Veras. Isn’t that your father?”

“Hot balls,” Veras cursed. “What is he doing here?”

Rue shrugged.“He has always had a few boundary issues with you.”

Veras took a deep breath. “You're right. I’m going to do the mature thing and hide behind that storage unit. I don't want our lunch turned into a lecture.” 
A unit of supply cabinets was free standing toward the back of the room. Veras squatted down behind it just as Rue let his father into the room.

“Rue,” barked Junas McClay. Rue looked at the man who had never liked her, feeling that useless, helpless feeling of wanting approval.

“You saw my son last night.”

“Yes sir, we had dinner at the Bread Bowl.”

“I don’t want to deal with you again.”

Rue bit her lip. “I understand, sir. We...we just wanted to say goodbye. He is leaving tomorrow, we will probably never see each other again.”

“I hope not. I could make things very uncomfortable for you. Get you fired from this job, for instance.”

Rue sighed. “I know you could, sir. And I hope you won’t. Quite a bit has happened and changed since Veras and I were together. I have an infant daughter to support, now. And I recently got my one year sober light tat.”

“You have  a daughter?” It somewhat pleased Rue that Junas sounded surprised.

“Her name is Garnet. She only has me.”

“It’s not my son’s child?”

“No. Here is a picture of her. Her father was dark skinned.”
Veras’ father scowled at the picture of Garnet, who looked so much like Rue except her coloring.

“I just don’t want you complicating things. Or doing all those intoxicants with him.”

“No sir. I don’t do those anymore. And Veras leaves tomorrow, anyway.”

“Yes, well see that you don’t do anything to cock that up. After seeing that he would never be suited to my business, I have high expectations for him as a medic.”

Rue couldn’t help but smile, through tears pricked her eyes. “Oh, he’ll be  a marvelous medic. I’m so happy for him.” She ducked his head so Mr. McClay wouldn’t see her watery eyes.

After a pause while Rue typed furiously on the keyboard, though there was no pressing task, Mr. McClay spoke. “Well, perhaps I misjudged you somewhat. Not about the drugs, those were completely unacceptable. But you do seem to care for my son. Perhaps you could come to dinner sometime. Bring your daughter.”

Rue couldn’t speak for a moment as emotion tightened her throat. “Oh...thank you, sir. The offer is more than kind. But I am in a somewhat difficult transition right now. I have to find decent housing for Garnet and I. I’m in an uncomfortable living situation at the moment. I think it would be better to make a...clean break. Veras has a whole new life awaiting him. I have Garnet. Neither one of us needs to cling to the past. But thank you.”

“I see. Well, no hard feelings, then. I won’t talk to your employers.” He frowned  at the window showing the space dock. “What in Hades is that?”

Rue glanced at the window, then keyed frantically on her com. “They’re here. We have been expecting them. Oh I’m so glad I got to see them! I took a picture, too. Those are the Jovian antenna ships. The ones that collect power—”

“ —Ahh, I have heard. But they are so tiny. And colorful.”

“They are small crew ships. Those are the Jovian flag colors. That transport is headed to Level One. Way too big for my dock, though I would love to have that fuel count on my log.”

They watched the transport of primary colored ships until they were nearly out of sight.

“Well, good day.” With a nod Mr. McClay left and Rue closed down the com for lunch break. 
Veras came out of hiding and rubbed her back gently. “Well, that was surprising.” 
“Yeah. I think he almost doesn’t hate me.”