"Oh great!" Ajax growled, looking at the clock.

    "Woke up on the wrong side of the bed?" Sylvie smirked, seeing he was awake.

    "No, we're supposed to meet that smuggler today! Why didn't you wake me up?"

    "Because I thought you needed some rest," Sylvie replied, crossing her arms.

    "Thanks but I can take care of myself," Ajax told her in a tone of annoyance and gestured for Sylvie to come with him.

    "Where are we going now?" Sylvie groaned, slumping her shoulders.

    "To hire a smuggler to get us off this moon."

    "Speaking of which, why are we leaving this moon? Adelar and Haloami-"

    "I left them a note and we're leaving here so I can sign up for the next speederbike race on planet Japeron."

    "This isn't another city planet is it?" Sylvie asked flatley.

    "It is, but it's not like this place. Japeron is much cleaner than this scumbucket."

    Well that lightens things up, Sylvie thought sarcastically as they left the house.

    "But how come I have to go?" she complained.

    "Because Haloami left you as my responsibility."

    "Really? Any other reason?" she pried.

    "You are completely helpless on your own and if you die Adelar and Haloami will kill me," Ajax responded without hesitation. "And you are being very annoying so do me a favor and shut up."

    Sylvie scoffed.

    From then on, not one word was exchanged between the two until they made it to the Hummer Station. Sylvie tried desperately to find an excuse for not going in but as careless as Ajax was, he was clever. He walked up to the bartender and demanded to see a man named, "Leory Gunnger."

    The bartender pointed to a table in a far corner where a man with blue skin and yellow hair sat with his feet on the table. Ajax nodded an acknowledgement and lead Sylvie to the table. Sylvie coughed when a large cloud of cigarette smoke blew into her face and her lungs felt sick. The sooner we're out of here the better, she thought, cupping her nose with her hands.

    'Leory Gunnger,' straightened up as the two teens approached and glared at them with this brass colored eyes. "Can I help you?" he asked in a gruff tone. Despite his alien appearance, his voice sounded like any average adult male.

    "We need a smuggler to get us off this place, and I hear you're the only one who's good enough to do it," Ajax stated while sitting in the chair across from him.

    "Smugglin' two humans off this place? Well, that'll be tough, and it'll cost you."

    "I've got 20,000."

    The smuggler laughed, "You? A young human such as yourself, have 20,000 credits? You're bluffing."

    "I'm not bluffing." Ajax started cooly, "Who would give up a chance to have all that money? If you think we're lying, I'll go find another smuggler and he can have the 20,000. It'll be your loss."

    Leory began scratching his beard, considering the boy's offer.

    "I haven't got all day, what's your decision?" Ajax interrupted, glancing over his shoulder.

    "You have yourself a deal. Meet me in docking bay 123 and don't forget the cash."

    Ajax nodded standing up. Sylvie had a headstart for the door and Ajax jogged a few paces to catch up with her.

    "How can you trust him?" Sylvie asked, looking up.

    "If there is one weakness in scum it is their greed. No one would want to give up a fortune; and if he doesn't communicate, I'll fry him. Besides, I've done this before and it never failed."

    Sylvie sighed heavily, "But there's always a first time for everything. 20,000? There's no way you have that kind of money."

    Ajax grinned and handed her the wallet, "Whoever's wallet this is is rich. And he had about a million on this card."

    "How do you know?"

    "Jinx hacked it before he left ahead to Japeron. All we have to do is go to the bank, get the credits and we'll be on our way."

    "If you say so," Sylvie breathed, her eyes scanning the ground. Now I have no choice but to go with him. Why is he so confident? I'm terrified. What if things go wrong and one of us is killed? There's no way that man is going to believe what Ajax said. I barely believe what he says. Why is he so risky and reckless? I wish to be back home where boys aren't wandering about planets with weapons and don't drink. I wish I could be safe in my room with my sewing machine and making clothes that suit me, not this space junk. I want these scars on my back to disappear and my life to go back to normal.