They call me Lucky Boy because when I play poker, I’m the man to beat. A reputation like that has legs and so I get invitations to games, big and small, all across the planet. But I was born up here, in orbit, and that’s where I’ll stay. So the players come to me, up the gravity well, to visit Jah Nation. We sit in the Garden surrounded by the hydroponics tanks, and we play cards, and I win. *** I headed back to my place from the latest game, money in my pocket; money that would buy a whole range of nice things from dirt-side. Although I could have a cabin I prefer a lean-to out here, where there’s room to breathe. Marcus was waiting for me, looking worried. If something rattles him it’s time for everyone else to turn and run. Run real quick. Except I was a Face, with a reputation for cool, and that nailed me to the spot. He jerked his thumb towards the plastic sheet that served me as a door. “You got company. Two dudes from dirt-side. Trouble.” I gave him an easy grin. “Noted. You got my back?” He raised his club. “Always.” It was carved from ‘oak’; ancient, from when there were still trees aboard. It was his badge as Enforcer but still capable of busting heads if need be. I nodded and went inside. The lamp was on. Two men were standing there, both pale-faced and wearing clean overalls, straight out of the packet. The smaller dude looked anxious but the other guy was bad news. There was an air of violence about him, like death only happened to other people.
52 Timeless Tales 2