Niki's question was expected. Sitting in Wave Equation's cabin, docked with the Dragon's Egg transition "station," or "barge," or whatever you wanted to call the facility Blue Sun had conveniently donated to the population of the former Hale's Moon, nursing some 18 year old scotch, she knew things had not gone as I'd planned.
In fact, the complete loss of the Hale's Moon colony was something I'd never considered.
"Do what I always do: roll with it and improvise until I can get back to a plan," I replied with more confidence in my voice than I felt. While I had no doubt about picking up the pieces and getting on with things, the loss of the colony changed more contingencies than I was quite prepared to deal with.
The core rebound and subsequent structural collapse of the oblate spheroid formerly known as Hale's Moon had happened quickly. Too quickly. While most of the colonists, and transients, and bar patrons, had managed to get off before the rebound, many had been forced to leave with only the clothes on their backs. Some had scattered in their own boats or aboard impressed bulk haulers, freighters, or boats that had come to the rescue. A fair number had wound up on the hastily commissioned structure Blue Sun was now towing into orbit around a freshly released world. Some, it seemed, were looking to stay behind, or go back when the time came, to try and set up a rock mining operation in the debris field that had been their home. That might even work out for them: at least once the field got stable and whatever was going to settle back by natural gravity did its thing.
My communications installation on the surface? Gone. My techs had hastily pulled out what they could and slagged the rest, not trusting a simple Epic Catastrophe to do the job. The Mechanics on the KHI modular maintenance facility had their own problems. While it was in a stable orbit regardless of the gravity compression, there was no telling how much crap was going to get flung their way by the rebound. Since it wasn't intended to actually move as a unit, they'd quickly uncoupled the modules and pushed them out of harms way - trailing the Dragon's Egg station on their way to the new world.
That meant my operational base would be Saules Silencieuse or Wave Equation as needed. At least until we could get the KHI orbital back together and I could get my communications array's back in place.
My own operations were secondary though to the immediate needs of the colony. I was currently Mayor without a Town and, for the foreseeable future anyway, but they were still looking to me for some guidance. Once we reached the new colony, all bets were off. Without a town, they wouldn't need a Mayor, which meant I'd probably be out of a job. This wasn't my station, either, so I wasn't in a position to put down roots here. In fact, I had some nagging doubts about this entire situation. Nothing I could put my finger on yet, but it had me a bit on edge.
"Things will work out, Niki. They always do."
She laughed softly, finishing her scotch. "Seems to. For me though, with the rig stashed safe, it's back to coaching Lacrosse. You know where to find me if you need me."
I did. And suspected I would.
I wished I had it so simple.
There was too much happening at once, but I'd get a breather soon. A chance to step back and look a the big picture. A chance to refocus on the things I genuinely cared about. Like my girls.
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