Gazillionaire Deluxe

Part 43

Feel that?

What?

Cash flowing back in. Like blood flowing back into a numb limb. It's all tingly.

You have blood?

Guys? We've got problems.

Or...one problem. But it's a big one.

When you say "quite a bit"...

I'd say we have another four weeks to pull this off. At most.

The crunch is on, kiddies. If we screw this up now, everything you've accomplished was for nothing. Also, Puffer's gonna be eating out of dustbins, Mr. Roke will probably shoot himself, I'll have to become a male prostitute _{no doubt a highly successful one}, and Kukubia's economy will be in the claws of the most twisted, backstabbing son of a bitch in Gogg.

No pressure!

What exactly makes you think I'll shoot myself?

Come on, man. World weary fifty-something? No family? Nothing to gauge his life by but his financial situation, which just went to shit? Textbook suicide case.

...

Don't worry. I will keep your obituary. You will not go unremembered.

And who says I'm not already eating out of dustbins?

okay on that one i will admit fault

Ah. Such a shame that dear grandfather should pass on. He was always so...sprightly.

Still, I'm sure he'd be satisfied to see his legacy in good hands.

Hmm?

And of course, at his age, you're liable to slip away at any time. Dying in one's sleep is the best one can hope for, is it not? So peaceful. Serene.

Nobody would think to question it.

Nobody, Mr. Miester.

NO.

I-I mean...

_Nobody.

I will not be bested by those vermin.

No.

I am going to crush them.

Yes.

Whatever it takes.

Yes.

And I disagree with your assessment.

Assessment?

"Nobody would think to question it"? Oh, I think they would. Small questions, perhaps, but small questions inevitably lead to bigger ones.

You must understand. I admired my grandfather a great deal. Regardless of how it benefitted me, I cannot allow this act to go unpunished.

You.

Murdering.

Bastard.

W...what?

Contact the Galaxy Police. I intend to report a homicide.

Leave the eyebrows.

Tark'la? Look at this.

Yeah?

The magenta line. It's going up. It's been going up for the past nine weeks. That's a lot of momentum.

Hell of a lot.

We're allowed to invest 50% of our money per week. So here's what we're doing. We're going to Loro. We're selling our goods. We're picking up our passengers. And then before we do anything else, before we pay taxes or refuel or buy anything at all, we're sinking everything we can into the Loro exchange. And you're not allowed to disagree. Okay?

Uh...okay.

You feeling alright?

Don't mind me. I'm just on fire.

Sirs? I might advise you to brace yourselves, sirs.

Why?

A Bobble Warp has manifested in close proximity to our ship, sirs. I shall have to take immediate and dramatic evasive manoeuvres to avoid damage, sirs.

Oh lord. Can it wait until I get a bucket?

That depends on where the nearest bucket is, sir.

Never near enough.

Hey, uh. You think we should warn the others about this?

I suppose so, sir. I'd imagine their scanners have detected it already, but it never hurts to be safe.