Muse Silver-Green

I waited for the others to speak.

"Charlotte isn't going to eat you and isn't a cultist." Holbrook guided Mason inside. "Don't be weird."

"She is on the suspect list for a reason," Mason said.

"Oh, I threatened to shave her head. Death threats are unimaginative and mean."

Holbrook and Mason entered the cargo bay of the living spaceship unaccompanied. A force field and straps secured their luggage.

Charlotte spoke through additional speakers. "Welcome on board. I hope you rescue those teens and find out who murdered Quin. I hated her for not paying for the 3D food printers required by law to be installed inside all living spaceships. She was a terrible employer. Her scam was that she wasn't the CEO of a corporation but a bunch of micro-charities to manipulate non-profit and small business exemptions with a tip payment and volunteer system."

"That isn't fully legal," Mason said.

"Nothing Quin did was legal. Just because a business is listed as a non-profit doesn't mean it's a true charity," Charlotte said. "I heard she robbed Kay, and that is why she hated Quin. She also helped cause an injury to one of her son's classmates, and she was furious about the lawsuits he caused when he went behind her back and lowered the safety regulations. He worked for her all through college. Even Quin wasn't dumb enough to do that."

Mason spoke. "I didn't realize that Rob's mother didn't like him."

"They were too much alike. She was cheap as well. Quin traveled inside me for a year, and she didn't pay me my full food allowance."

"I love your honesty," Mason said to Charlotte.

"Couldn't stand Quin. Vash was adorable, though, and I'm sad no one rescued her. If I stayed, she'd be alive." Charlotte sniffled.

"I noticed the lack of photos pre-surgery for her and Shanna," Mason said.

Charlotte snorted through sobs. "Nothing that poor girl did was good enough. Her mom mocked her weight and forced plastic surgery on her, which was paid for with stolen funds from her corporate orphanages and educational charities. Shanna and Dina were forced to go through perfection surgeries as well, but Quin owned the old king. Dina tried to escape with her children, but she was a victim of her mother."

"My files inform me that you sued Quin."

"No, Quin took me to court when I complained, but I won back pay and court fees. Afterward, she hired creepy shuttles." Charlotte moved through Zander's shuttle bay and out into space. "You'll need a harness if we're at top speed."

"This might seem off-topic, but my report says that you transported August Even-Core's body."

Charlotte spoke to Mason. "My documents state August has a connection to you. Yes, but I wasn't working for Quin then, but for her father-in-law as the royal ambulance. August passed away inside me. The Salamanders liked to marry into royal families."

"Could you tell me about his electrocution?" Mason asked.

Charlotte snorted, but it wasn't a laugh and more like an angry bull. "Another Quin whopper. He died of a fentanyl overdose."

"I wish I had a copy of the record," Mason said.

"Since he is dead, it's no longer private. I'll send it to your email."

Mason's phone buzzed, and he checked over the email and record. "Wow, you kept everything."

"I'm a data hoarder," Charlotte said.

"But I wish you answered my emails."

"I don't handle my work email. But I'll text you my phone number and personal email. Oh, where was I? As you can see if you read the report, he failed three drug tests a few weeks before his first OD."

"Why is this important?" Holbrook asked.

"Wow, it's a restricted file and can't be altered." Mason glanced at the embedded art and the document seal, and it seemed authentic. He pulled out his magnifying glass and spoke again. "I have seen dozens of forgeries in the last few months, but this contains the hidden image of a tree and an eye that most of them missed." He read over the report again. "August claimed he accidentally ate food meant for my mother. Mom was originally going to go with Quin." Mason put his magnifying glass away and saved a copy of the file to his drive.

"He was probably trying to explain why he failed the test. August was lethargic and beady-eyed for months," Charlotte said.

"Why claim that it was an accident?" He asked.

"Quin used to be close to your mother and August. Insurance covered his hospital bills if it were an accident," Charlotte said.

Mason tucked his phone away. "I have more questions to ask. Can you program other computers? Like, could you override Quin's living spaceship navigation?"

"Overriding a living spaceship as rickety as Quin's is child's play because some ships never pay for their firewall upgrades."

"But could the virus be sent from another ship?" He asked.

Her speakers crackled a bit. "Hacking other lifeforms is morally wrong, and Vash was on board. Why would I hurt her? Programming is how we communicate with other ships, but I don't see how that is important. Most command-level officers have to take four programming courses unless they bought a commission from the exiled king."

"He knows the rules. He's accusing you!" Holbrook stood in Mason's face.

"No, I'm asking questions about what Charlotte knows."

"He's not trying to trap me," Charlotte said. "And if Mason catches who killed Vash, he'd have my gratitude. Her mom abandoned her inside me instead of inviting her for holidays, but I took Vash to Dina's instead. Dina paid me, even though she didn't have to. No one loved that girl as much as Shanna and her sister. During the journey, we'd watch old musicals, eat snacks, and have dance and tea parties."

"Stop interrogating my friend," Holbrook said.

"Mason's the one who proved Vash's murder was connected to Deb, isn't he?" Charlotte asked.

"Yes, he is." Holbrook's hand touched Mason's arm as she guided him past the bathroom and shower area into the kitchenette.

"I'm not trying to trap Charlotte, but she is a witness and a former suspect. Charlotte, Shanna, and your father are no longer suspects. However, I might have to investigate you. I'm not kidding. You're cute enough to be a siren."

Charlotte and Holbrook laughed.

Mason continued speaking to Charlotte. "Did Vash cheat in school?" Mason asked.

"Not exactly. Her mom bribed the school because she wanted the appearance that lack of individualism worked best for business and everyone was destined to be who they are," Charlotte said. "I don't want to talk anymore. I'm sad."

"We'll talk later about Vash. I knew this would happen." Holbrook showed him a vending machine-sized food printer on the other side with a row of cabinets. Advertisements promising tasty food lied about what treats awaited them. Flavored sludge dripped into a bowl, but Mason didn't feel like eating mock soups and puddings. Used glasses, spoons, and bowls were discarded in the sterilization section to be cleaned and reused again.

Normal 3D printed food always tastes unnatural and has limited textures, but Harpy technology allows our food to taste and have the mouthfeel of the food the people I observe eat. Kay Salamander Poe's grandmother invented the technology and sold it to our planet for a premium, but it's too expensive for mass production.

Only select jobs have access to magical food printers. Charlotte's food printer was the average kind that printed disgusting but inexpensive food.

Her interiors were cream-colored except for black velvet seats with matching harnesses. On top of the main cabin were uncomfortable coffin-sized bed pods.

Mason examined them, opened the sliding doors, and peered into the compartment. His fingers pressed into the inch-thick bubble-gum pink mattress. He fidgeted with a switch, and the glittery inner walls played a zombie movie.

Holbrook switched it off. "That creepy movie is perfect for the pods. I'd rather sleep in a cell or a cage."

"Yes, but the zombies are the good guys, and it's a romance."

"Did we watch the same movie?" Holbrook asked.

Charlotte giggled.

Holbrook guided Mason to the large seats. "Charlotte's seats are super comfortable, and we should talk to each other, so we can compare notes. She has an Enchanted Mode."

Mason played with a large dial, and cinnamon-scented sanitation spray spritzed the mattress.

Charlotte's speakers pointed toward Holbrook. "I hated the burgers I ordered. They were too rare and gross. The blood tasted rusty, clogged up my tummy tanks, and left me starving. Please make me carrot bread."

"Of course." Holbrook ran to the cabinet and baked the bread in a tiny oven, and she placed them on the glowing floor tile.

Bits of the treat disappeared until the food vanished, and I tasted them with the use of my 3D food printer, and they were delicious.

Charlotte spoke. "Sadness makes me need more fuel. Now that was yummy, but I'm still hungry." Two glowing arms stretched from the walls into the small cargo hold and came back with bread, cheese, and 3D printed soup. Her arms dropped the food on a glowing tile, and the food disappeared. She left the bowl. "I'll order myself a pizza tomorrow when we land, but please toss me a salad for dinner...." Charlotte paused. "If you are going to play your guitar, do so in the cargo hold."

"How did you know I brought an extra guitar?" Holbrook asked.

"You usually bring three," Charlotte said.

Holbrook grinned to herself. "Don't worry. I won't practice out here. And I need to lift weights as well, and I don't want my grunts to disturb you."

Holbrook walked back hours later with a huge tray of tomato soup and dragon salad. "I hope you're hungry."

The soup smelled fantastic.

I first signed up to be a Muse to taste food from other cultures, and it is one of my favorite parts of my job.

Mason, his brother, and I used to eat snacks as they took turns performing plays they wrote. Birdie was more gifted, but Mason put more effort into his plays, rewriting them until no one realized his rough drafts were rather terrible. His finished plays were magical.

I focused back on what they were doing.

"I make most of the liquid faux food edible because I had to travel for years with my father and my mother." She stopped speaking for a moment. "I planned to invite my real ex to save the twins, but that was before he lost—"

Charlotte cut her off. "Zander was great at faking that he was interested in you. Sorry if I sounded mean."

"Yes, you did," Holbrook said. "Zander is suffering, and he needs our compassion."

"I can be a better boyfriend than Zander." Mason winked at her.

"Charlotte, I've been in prison garb all week, and Mason still hit on me. He is smooth. He'll ignore a siren for me, smooth." She smiled. "Before Zander's life fell apart, he couldn't make up his mind about which woman he wanted. Even being part of a fake love triangle isn't fun. More like truly devastating. I found out he dated me because the cult asked him to."

"To make you feel less awkward, I found out my ex-girlfriend stayed with me because the other guy turned her down, and she sobbed on my shoulder. We dated for over a year, and she treated me like I was nothing. My ex was depressed that he didn't want to cheat on his wife with her. She was shocked when I dumped her and wasn't supportive of her feelings. Because only her feelings mattered."

"She was cold." Holbrook smiled at him and relaxed. "You're cute, but you chose to work with the idiots on The Flying Clutch. Are you deranged? You wouldn't need the money with how many times your plays are performed."

I hoped he wasn't blowing it.

"Well, my mother joined after several attempts on my life. I originally applied to work for your father, but my mother received that commission, which is why she didn't tell me."

"But why take a temp job with the Flying Clutch if it's not a punishment, or you aren't paying for a commission?" Holbrook grinned.

"Shanna wanted me to locate her sister, Vash, after I contacted her about a personal matter. We never believed her sister actually died. I knew she was on one of the twenty Space Corp ships, but it took me fifteen months to narrow it down."

"What did Shanna pay you?" Holbrook asked.

"Nothing, she's a friend. She didn't pay. Babette Nickel is Vash Salamander."

"No, you're joking," Holbrook said. "Oh, wow. Nickel must hate herself because she mocks Vash."

"There is more, and I'll tell you, but I have to keep specific people from knowing this information, including Nickel. Some things are between the three of us."

"Four of us," Charlotte said before I could. "She can't be alive. I want to hug her with my glowing arms." Arms made out of light reached around Holbrook and hugged her.

"You cannot, and I'll explain after Deb's arrest."

"She isn't Deb." Charlotte's arms disappeared.

"She could be, but there are some other suspects. After my investigation, I'll tell you everything, but you purposefully ignored my emails," Mason said.

"I told you I don't handle my work emails. Nickel and former dragon commander, Stew Gray-Bolt, block communications that come from The Flying Clutch's server. I received a couple of threats," Charlotte said.

"So, two people who are suspected of Quin's killing were allowed access to your emails. That sounds suspicious." Holbrook used a pipe to practice lifts while she spoke.

"Yes, it does," Mason said. "Nickel was never officially a suspect, but a brash teenager might have wrecked the ship during a fight. Act normally around her. We think that my mother and Zander are supplying her with information."

"Nickel's ex-boyfriend still talks to her, and he could be accidentally tipping her off as well. Frank feels terrible about how he treated her. Pretend it's the first time you know the information when you meet him." Holbrook stared at Mason. "Shanna sort of looks like you in the eyes. Even though she is half-pixie or harpy, she still has a strong resemblance to you. The agents joke about your anime eyes behind your back."

"Please, don't joke about it," he said.

Charlotte sped along.

"You should talk to your mom. Shanna might be your cousin," Holbrook said. "Was your mom always babying you? She had a list of rules about how to handle washing your clothes."

"Mom feels guilty. My grandparents raised me. Technically, she lived with us, but Mom worked a lot. She always had my back when I needed it."

"As you know, my dad is biologically my uncle. I have been raised on ships my entire life except for vacations. We didn't go to the pleasure planets. We visited my mom's family. They taught me how to garden and cook, but it took me years to learn. I'm stubborn. Weapons, I learned quickly. Mom left, and it's been hard on Dad."

"Your bio mom?" he asked.

"I don't know if she is alive," Holbrook said. "But my family has always been weird."

"You mean strange, like my grandma teaching me how to fire my first laser gun during bingo." Mason read over a technical guide and checked his weapon.

"Kind of. My best friend Gloria's grandfather taught me how to use them. He was a suspect in Quin's murder, but he had an alibi. She built factories on their land and forced them off their planet. He threatened her on social media posts."

Afterward, Mason and Holbrook watched the zombie movie that Charlotte loved.

"I guess it is a love story, but I never noticed it before." He grinned at Holbrook. "I think it's my new favorite love story."

"Ooh, he likes you." Charlotte made kiss-kiss noises.

"Stop it," Holbrook said. "Don't be obnoxious."

"Strap in. We have cultists chasing us," Charlotte said.

Mason and Holbrook slept in their chairs during the high speeds, awoke, and prepared to disembark Charlotte.

Both examined their checklist and each weapon before disembarking.

Mason practiced his voice. He called the only ship he had clearance for. "One of their guards is a rat and told Agency-14 about the plan. No, they didn't get the information from Zander, but the rat gave it to an agent called Rock-Heart. Never trust traitors."

After a few minutes of listening, he hung up and called more people. "The guards meant to protect the king's family are compromised."

When Mason and Holbrook disembarked Charlotte, he was dressed in a black suit, and she wore a yellow sundress with pockets.

She grasped her fingers around his arm, and they disembarked. The resort's spaceport was a three-football field-sized parking lot for spaceships and shuttles. Dragons flew above their heads with their passengers harnessed in.

As they exited the resort's spaceport, laser guns whizzed by their heads.

Fear raced through my veins. I'm not supposed to lose Mason again, but maybe I only delayed his death, and my entire planet might be ruled by Deb. All creativity will be changed forever, with only the wealthiest being able to create art and fiction.