Angel looked at the mass of stars outside the oval window of the small starship Kittyhawk. She listened to the hum of all the workings of the ship. It had been almost two months since they had almost caught Madrid Kensington. Angel and Rack got torn open for letting him escape. The firm they worked for only got ten percent of the bounty, leaving the rest to split fifty-fifty between them, so Angel wondered why their boss was so mad. He would get his money.
    Madrid however was proving to be more elusive. He was jumping from station, to station to avoid being caught again. Angel had been working an idea in her head, someone had called in a tip about Madrid. The caller said he had a thing for a dancer at a small club called The Wash. The dancers name was Nebula Star. Angel knew her. They were close to Beta Prime anyway, so Angel decided to pitch her idea. “Rack, I think we should try Beta Prime again.”
    “Why?” He said looking at her.
    “Well, the woman that called in the tip said she knew that Madrid would be back. I want to talk to her.” Angel was planning the trip for her own reasons, but she would also be able to get a lot of work done too.
    “Do you think it will help? He’s been spotted on LEX fourteen recently.”
    An idea struck her, she would be able to take this trip alone. “Well, maybe we can get two birds with one stone.”
    “How’s that?”
    “I can take the speeder shuttle and you can take Kittyhawk to LEX fourteen. We can double our prospects of catching him.”
    “Is that so?” Rack was teasing her now, Angel had a bad feeling that Rack’s attachment to her was more that just partners. Angel hadn’t told him she filed to switch partners at the end of the year. That was only five months away. She didn’t want an attachment to anyone.
    Angel remained serious. “If you find him, you can catch him easily, if I find him I can call you. You’re only going to be an hour away.”
    “Okay, you’re the boss.” There was that tone again.

    The next morning, according to the clock anyway, the endless pattern of stars was still in a black sky. Below Angel could see Beta Prime. The beeping of the fueling mechanism pulled her away from the window. She took the hose out of the small speeder shuttle’s, which was called Little Wing, she replaced it back on it’s hook by the reserve fuel tanks. With the press of a button on a small remote the hatch opened and Angel got inside. It had been a while since she flew alone, but getting away from Rack for a while would be a relief.
    She settled herself in and started putting the seat strap in, one V shaped strap with the main buckle attached went over her shoulders. She then attached the four straight straps, two on each side, and pulled up the one that went between her legs and cinched them all tight. Rack was standing by holding onto a garment bag with an expensive men’s suit inside. He climbed up the boarding ladder and put it into a compartment behind the seat for her. “What exactly do you need the suit for?” Rack asked resting his elbows on the padded rim of the ship.
    “Disguise. I need to look like a big spender don’t I?” Angel couldn’t help but smile.
    “Well, you be careful out there.”
    “I will.” Angel pulled her medium length walnut colored hair back into a ponytail. She took the flight helmet off it’s hook above her head and pushed it on. She stuck her fingers inside to adjust her ears, and tuck some flyaway strands inside the helmet. She attached the oxygen mask and nodded to Rack. She was ready.
He went down the boarding ladder and after stepping firmly on the ground removed it and hung it on it’s place on the wall. He then walked out of the cramped bay area and back into the cockpit. He pressed the intercom button and waited for it to link to Angel’s frequency. The familiar buzz let him know he was connected. “You hear me Space Angel?”
    “Loud and clear Big Rack.”
    Rack chuckled. They had given each other those names this first time Rack flew Little Wing a long time ago. “Okay, I’m opening the bay doors.” He could feel the ship jerking. He watched the red light on the screen. It finally turned green “Bay doors opened. Releasing shuttle.” With the press of another button another red light. The green light, “Okay, you ready Space Angel?”
    “Go ahead Big Rack.”
    “Starting conveyor.” Rack flipped a red switch in the control panel above his head. This was the part that was most dangerous, Angle had to keep the shuttle from leaning even a fraction off the conveyor. Rack wasn’t worried. Angel was a good pilot.
    “I’m off the ship, shuttle is working, all systems green, Little Wing is on the wind.” Angel’s metallic voice said through the intercom speaker. “Clear to close bay doors.”
    Rack pressed yet another button, and kept the ship steady while the doors closed. After getting the green light he peered out the window hoping to catch a glance of the small ship, but she was already gone. “Be careful babe.” Rack said aloud, even though he knew she couldn’t hear him. The two ships were now headed off in opposite directions, Rack and Kittyhawk heading for LEX fourteen, Angel and Little Wing heading to Beta Prime.

    Angel came to port very shortly, she rented a docking space and with suit in tow she went to find a hotel. She found a room at the Glittering Spaces Boarding House and Inn. She decided to take a shower since the place was so clean.
    She decided to talk to the person who had phoned in the tip first. The club wouldn’t be open until later in the night anyway. She typed in the date of the call on a small police issue computer she had borrowed for this mission. She found the name and address of the caller. She printed out the address via the built in printer. It was low quality, but it served it’s purpose.
    At the hotel’s front desk Angel arranged for a rental car to be brought over. It was a later model, she was trying not to stand out. Which is also why she was wearing some plain street clothes instead of her bulletproof body suit. But, she was wearing a bullet proof shirt under the plain shirt she had on.
After her car arrived she was off. She was driving into one of the poorer sections of town, which made her uneasy. Her family hadn’t been rich when they lived here, but they lived in one of the better districts. She came to the apartment building where the woman lived. Angel got out and went inside. The security bar on the door was broken, and slid back out of it’s post with ease. Angel climbed three flights of stairs, the elevator was broken. But she wouldn’t have ridden it anyway. Angel made her way three doors down to apartment 1C. She knocked.
    After only a few seconds, a noticeably pregnant girl answered the door. “Can I help you?”
    Angel showed the woman her badge. “I need to ask you some questions.” The young woman stepped aside and let Angel in. She cleaned off a section of a dirty couch for Angel to sit down. The young woman ran a hand through her messy red curls. “I’m sorry it’s so dirty, I wasn’t expecting company.”
    Angel sat down and took out a small notebook so she could take notes. “It’s okay. Now for the record, your first and last name?”
    The young woman sat down in a chair diagonally from Angel. “Gianna Epple.”
    Angel wrote it down. “Okay, now Miss Epple, when was the last time you saw Madrid Kensington?”
    “I saw him lust a few days ago.”
    Angel’s eyes widened. “Really, where?”
    “He was coming out of a store, a place called Hooper’s. I waitress at the diner across the street from there. I don‘t drink for the moment.” Gianna patted her growing tummy.
    Angel had unexpectedly hit pay dirt. “Is this the most recent time you saw him?”
    Gianna took a deep breath. “It was the first time in a few weeks. He comes here to go to The Wash so he can fuck a dancer that works there.”
    Angel felt heat rise up her chest. She cleared her throat. “Thank you for your time Miss Epple.” Angel wrote down a name and telephone number of a woman she knew from the Department of Family Welfare. She tore it out and handed it to Gianna. “Here, take this.”
    Gianna hesitated before taking the paper. “What is this?”
    “It’s a number for a woman I know from the precinct where I work. You should giver her a call, she can help you and your baby.” Angel stood up and walked to the door. Before leaving she thanked Gianna again for her time. Out side the door she put her hand on her forehead, she was sweating. She took a breath before starting back down the stairs.
    When she was outside Angel stopped a man walking down the street and got directions to Hooper’s. Turned out it was a liquor store. She thanked the man and got back into her rental. She pulled out the computer which she had stashed under the seat. She typed in the man’s directions and got a map. She headed off in the direction of the store.
    She pulled into the Hooper’s parking lot, which was only four spaces. One already taken by a grey car, the owner’s most likely. Before going inside she used the computers built in printer to print a picture of Madrid. One of the pictures Rack had taken at their last encounter with Madrid. She took her badge and using the magnet built in to back of her badge case, stuck it on her shirt. The magnet clung to a piece of metal inside her bulletproof shirt inserted for just this purpose. The badge would make anyone think twice about bothering her. And she’d get no nonsense from the owner.
    She got out, and upon opening the door, a bell on a string announced her entrance. A man who had been bent down behind the counter stood up. He was a middle aged man, with a lit cigarette clenched between his lips. He looked Angel over before speaking. “What can I do for you officer?”
    Angel walked up to the counter. “It’s Bounty Hunter.” She put the picture down on the counter. “And I’m looking for this man. Have you seen him?”
    The man shook his head, but his eyes told a different story. “Sorry, can’t help you.” The man slid the picture away from him.
    “That’s funny, because I have an eyewitness that tells me otherwise.”
    “They must be lying. Because I haven’t seen him.”
    Angel took her cell phone out of her pocket. She tapped it on her chin and looked out the storefront window. There was in fact, a diner across the street just as Gianna had said. Angel spoke in a condescending tone. “You know, I could give the records office a call and have them come down here and inspect your cash flow. If they add up the numbers as to the amount of money you have, and find that it doesn’t match the amount of alcohol you’ve sold they’ll want to know where the extra money came from. And you and I both know what the sentence is for drug trafficking, don’t we?” The man’s expression changed and Angel slid the picture back over to him. “You want to take a second look?”
    The man scratched his head and looked at the picture even though he knew he didn’t need to. “Now that you mention it ma’am, he was in here a little while ago. He bought a bottle of cherry vodka. Snapper’s it was, good brand.”
    “Did he tell you where he was going? Do or say anything suspicious?”
    “I asked what the special occasion was, flavored vodka is expensive for this neck of the woods you know, he said he had a special lady to ask something. Said she was a waitress at a dance club or something like that.”
    “Is that all you know?”
    The man leaned on the counter and tapped the ashes off his cigarette, he held it in his fingers and scratched his chin. “I remembered he paid cash, exact change, and this was between two of the bills when I counted the till at the end of the night.” The man looked under the counter and shuffled through some papers. Angel put her hand on her sidearm, just in case. The man produced a crumpled piece of paper and gave it to angel. She took it and read the scratchy handwriting. “Jak got arrested.”
    Angel wasn’t sure what this meant, but was going to take the note anyway. Angel looked up and thanked the man. She wrote a number on the white part of the paper with Madrid’s picture on it. And “Wanted, Reward” on the top. “Hang this up for me. That’s the number to the police hotline. Let us know if you see him again.” The man said he would and Angel left. She knew he wouldn’t hang it up, and suspected that Madrid bought more than just cherry vodka.
    When Angel got back in the car she took a plastic baggie out of the glove compartment. She dropped the crumpled paper in it and sealed it. She checked the time and drove off. The Wash was open by now, but she went back to the hotel first. She Put on the men’s suit and pulled her hair back into a low ponytail, the way most men she knew wore longer hair. She went out of the hotel and decided to walk to the club. It was only a short distance away, in fact she could see it’s flashing sign out of her hotel room window.
    Angel lost in her thoughts got to club sooner than she anticipated. She paused a moment outside the club to compose herself before going inside. Her palms were sweaty, and her mouth was really dry, her heart was also pounding so hard she feared it would break out of her chest. After a little while she finally got her emotions under control and went up to the door. She paused one more moment before pushing it open and stepping inside.
    The music was so loud she couldn’t hear anything else. The flashing lights cast a strange glow out on the crowd. Angel, disguised as a man, looked around the club. She didn’t see the dancer she was looking for, but with artificial fog blooming out of everywhere and the flashing lights it really was hard to be sure. She pushed her way through the throng of men and a few women to the window in the back of the club. She peered through the window, a chubby man was sitting there. “I want a private room.” Angel said loudly so the man could hear her.
    “What girl?” He shouted back.
    “Is Nebula Star working tonight?”
    The man took a clipboard off the wall and flipped through the pages. “Yeah, she just went on so it’ll be an hour wait.”
    “That’s okay.” Angel handed the mad a credit card. It was under the name Leslie Dawson, issued by the police force for things like this. But this was more of a personal visit, so she felt a little guilty for using it. The man scanned the card, waited for it to verify. A slip was printed, and Angel was asked to sign. She scribbled the fake name on the slip in such a way that it wouldn’t be easily read any how. The man handed her a key, and a ticket. “Can I get my card back?”
    The man chuckled and handed Angel the card. “Sorry about that sir,”
    “Don’t worry about it.” Angel waited by the special access door was opened for her and she went into the same hallway that she had chased Madrid down that short while ago. She looked at her ticket, room 34. She counted off the doors as she walked. Room 34 came into view. Using the key provided she unlocked the door. Angel was relieved to be so far away from the pounding music in the clubs main room. She could still hear the music but it was muffled. The only clear thing she could make out was the base pounding out. She still had a while to wait, it was going to be a long one.
After an long time the door knob finally turned. Angel sat up immediately. She watched the door open, and Nebula stepped into the room. She was wearing a paisley body suit, which clung to her every curve and dimple. She stood with her hand on the knob for a long time, staring at Angel. She softly closed the door and sighed. “You never could hide from me Angel. Why the disguise?”
    “It’s so no one else sees me. I knew you’d see through it Nebula.” Angel was standing now, and Nebula walked over to her, and without question embraced her. Angel took in the smell of her, how soft her body was under the rubber suit. “Nebula I’ve missed you so much.”
    “Angel, I thought I’d never see you again.” Nebula had the sound of tears in her voice, but she broke the embrace first to brush the tears away from her face. “You’ve come here to ask me about that guy haven’t you?”
    “Not today.” Angel took both Nebula’s hands in hers. Nebula’s hands still had those long fingers she’d always loved, except now they were tipped with manicured nails with glow-in-the-dark polish. “Nebula, I want to spend the night with you tonight, and talk about him in the morning.” She looked into Nebula’s eyes, hoping she wasn’t very angry. “If you don’t mind.”
    A smile broke across Nebula’s face. “Angel you are always welcome in my home, you never lost that privilege.”
    Angel didn’t realize she was holding her breath until she let it out with relief that Nebula wasn’t angry with her. “I thought you’d be mad at me.”
    Nebula looked down. “Angel this isn’t the time to talk about such things, I still have another hour before I get off work. Wait for me outside okay?”
    “Okay, Nebula.” Angel embraced her one more time. Nebula showed Angel out through the back door, so she wouldn’t have to walk through the club again. She gave her a key and pointed out her car, the black one with the pink convertible top. “Make herself at home.” Nebula said before shutting the door. And with that Angel was standing alone.
    She walked over to Nebula’s car, it was small. But big enough for two. Angel unlocked the passenger side door and got in. She started it. It would be warm when Nebula came out. Even after another hour, it was another thirty minutes before the club’s back door opened and Nebula came out. She trotted up to the door and yanked it open she put her purse in Angel’s lap. Angel burst out laughing. Nebula looked at her confused. “What?”
    Angel kept laughing a few more moments. “You always put your purse in my lap, it’s almost like nothing has changed!”
    Nebula put the car in reverse and backed out of her spot. She drove out onto the road and didn’t look at Angel. A tension hung in the air, neither of them spoke the entire duration of the short drive to Nebula’s apartment.
    When they pulled into Nebula’s assigned parking spot, she finally spoke. “A lot of things have changed Angel. You hurt me deeply.”
    Angel felt ashamed, and put her head down so Nebula couldn’t see her. “I know, not a day has gone by that I don’t feel the sting of leaving you behind. I’ve slept through many lonely nights without you.”
    Nebula put her hand under Angels chin, she forced her head up and looked into her eyes. “I can’t begin to describe the pain I felt when I came home to an empty apartment. I deserved more than a note.” Nebula dropped her hand and got out of the car. Angel followed carrying Nebula’s purse. When they got to the door Angel opened up the purse and sifted for the keys. She found the mass of key chains and when she pulled the keys into the light one in particular held her captive. It was a wooden stick, with the name “Angel” carved into it in beautiful cursive writing. She stared at for a moment and she felt tears well up in her eyes.
Nebula gently took the keys out of Angel’s hand and opened the door. When she stepped inside Angel was bombarded with smells and sounds, they all reminded her of when she and Nebula were living here together as lovers. She couldn’t hold her tears back any longer. She fell to her knees and cried burying her face in her hands.
    Nebula came over to her quickly, she shut the door before sitting down by Angel. “Angel, I knew you still loved me.” Nebula pulled her into her chest and rubbed her arm while she cried. After Angel’s sobbing stopped, Nebula started talking. “Angel, I was in pain for a long time when you left. I thought I’d never see you again. But when you came in the club a few months ago, I was so shocked I almost fell off the stage. I didn’t expect to see you.”
    Angel sat up and wiped her eyes and nose on her shoulder. “Nebula, you were right. I should have talked to you before I ran off like that. It was wrong of me to leave you like that. I just want you to know that I am truly, truly sorry for doing it.”
    Nebula smiled. “Angel, I forgave you for it a long time ago.”
    Angel was so relieved to hear that. She felt like a heavy burden had been lifted off her shoulders. She had such a feeling of relief that she became tired. Nebula helped her stand up, and waked her into the bedroom. She helped Angel get undressed and get into bed. Angel lay with her head on a soft fluffy pillow watching Nebula take off her clothes. She never understood why men wanted to watch women strip, watching Nebula take her clothes off this way was so much more beautiful.
    The last thing Nebula did was take her long hair out of the ponytail and let it fall dawn her back. She walked over and Angel realized she’d had almost forgotten how beautiful Nebula was. She climbed in the bed next to Angel, and put her arm around Angel’s waist. Angel turned over on her back, and looked at Nebula. “I missed you.”
    Nebula smiled, “I have missed you terribly.” Nebula leaned in and kissed her. The sweetness of it sent sparks throughout Angel’s body. It was so intense Angel gasped. Nebula’s hand started to rub her stomach, and it awoke feelings in Angel that she hadn’t felt in a long time.

    Angel woke up to the sound of the television playing in the other room. She stretched her arms and legs, it was the best night’s sleep she’d had in a long time. Much better than sleeping uncomfortably in the same room with Rack, even though they slept in separate bunks. She sat up and looked around the room. She remembered everything so clearly, how life with Nebula had been so much nicer. She got out of bed and picked up a robe that was flung over a treadmill that was now an expensive garment hanger. She knew Nebula wouldn’t mind.
She went into the living room and Nebula was sitting on a couch, wearing a baggy shirt and sweat pants. “Good morning.” Angel said, in a much better mood than last night. She sat down next to Nebula, Nebula handed her a pen and paper. “What’s this for?”
    “I want to help you catch Madrid, the paper is for taking notes. Because I have a plan.”
    Angel was impressed, “Okay Nebula, what’s your plan?” Angel readied her pen.
    “Well, Madrid always comes to the club the first Tuesday of the month. After I heard he left the station I didn’t think that he’d ever come back. But he did.” Nebula paused to scratched her nose. “He always asks for me, and I hate him, I hate him touching me and I want him to go away forever.”
    Angel reached over and put her arm around Nebula. “If we catch him, he’ll be going away for a long time. I promise.”
    “I think the best way to do it, is to use me as bait. I could invite him to meet me somewhere, and I’m sure he’d show up.”
    “I don’t know Nebula, what you’re suggesting is very dangerous, and I don’t want you to get hurt.”
    “I know of a hotel, the guy that owns it used to date me in high school. He’d do anything I asked him to, we can do it there. I’ll make all the arrangements, all you have to do is show up with some other cops, and you’ll have him!”
    “Nebula, I really don’t think it’s a good idea. Doing a sting operation is much more complicated than you think, plus you’ll be putting yourself in unnecessary danger.”
    “Oh Angel you’re starting to sound like an old mother hen!” She got on the floor and knelt in front of Angel, she folded her hands and looked up at her with puppy-dog eyes. “Please!” Nebula whined. “Pretty please!”
    Angel groaned and let her head flop back on the couch. “Oh Nebula! I never could say ‘no’ to you could I!”
    Nebula smiled and jumped up in Angel’s lap. “I have always wanted to help you catch a bad person!”
    Angel put her arms around Nebula’s waist and leaned her head over on Nebula’s shoulder. “I’ll get together with Rack and we’ll discuss a plan. I’ll get the information to you and you’ll have to do exactly as we say so you don’t get hurt.”
    “Okay Angel, I’ll be good I promise. He’ll be here next week, do I need to talk to the hotel guy?”
    “Yes. Just get his cooperation and we’ll take care of everything else. Now get off me, I need to take a shower.” Angel stood up, gently dumping Nebula along with the pen and paper onto the fluffy carpet. Nebula laughed, and she got to her feet and followed Angel into the bathroom. “I’ll wash you’re clothes for you so don’t have to wear them dirty!”
Nebula hummed to herself as she put Angel’s clothes into the washer, she hadn’t hummed in a long time. Nebula wanted Angel to stay with her, and in fact had thought about asking her to stay, but being a bounty hunter was what she loved doing. Nebula wouldn’t take it away. It was just a few minutes when Angel came out of the shower, with her wet hair wrapped in a towel. “Well,” Nebula said, “You’ve got a while for your clothes to get done, how about breakfast?”
    Angel’s stomach growled at the mention of breakfast. “That sounds wonderful.” Nebula whipped them up a quick breakfast, just some sliced fruit and yogurt, and some breakfast muffins made in the oven. Angel just sat and listened to Nebula ramble on, it was one of her favorite things to do. Just the sound of Nebula’s voice was soothing.
A ding in the background signaled the clothes were done. Washed and dried all with the same machine. Nebula jumped up and got them for her. She brought Angel’s things in to her along with her bulletproof shirt. She took off her robe and dressed in the living room. “Nebula I need to get back.”
    “I know,” Nebula said sadly. “I’ll drive you to your hotel.” Nebula went back to her bedroom and came back out moments later dressed in everyday, although very tight, pants and a tank top shirt. She pulled on a coat and grabbed her purse off the floor where Angel had dropped it the night before. “I guess we should get going then?”
    Angel looked around the disheveled apartment. Nebula never could keep anything clean. Who would have thought Angel would miss this place so much? “I guess so.” Angel said biting her bottom lip. “I guess so.” The two women left and got back into Nebula’s black and pink car. It was cold, so she left the top up. Angel directed her to the apartment on the other side of the district.
    It didn’t take long to get there, Angel and Nebula got out of the car and walked into the hotel’s lobby. “I’ll wait for you here Angel, I need to use the ladies room anyway.”
    “Okay Nebula, I’ll only be a moment.” She went up to her room, quickly gathered up her things and was back down stars. She turned in her room key, and the key to her rental car in to the clerk at the desk. Then she signed out by swiping her civilian ID through a machine much like credit card readers of the old world. She thanked the clerk and turned around. Nebula was waiting for her by the front entrance. “You need another ride?”
    “Yep, to the dock this time.”
    The two women went back out to Nebula’s car, on the way, she noticed a lot of men eyeing Nebula. It made Angel feel special to have her. They settled into the car once again and were off. It was a longer drive to the docks, about an hour. On the way Angel phoned Rack. She punched in his ID number, and the police phone system checked the number, and then connected her. “It’s me…No, I’m on my way to the docks now, I got a ride from a friend…Nebula Start the dancer is going to help us set up a sting…No…Just meet me at the dock on the red side and we’ll talk about it further…Okay…Bye.”
Angel and Nebula chatted the rest of the way, and the hour passed quickly, too quickly. Angel got out of the car and went over to Nebula’s window. “Thank you so much for everything.”
    “Don’t worry about it, at least you’re leaving the right way this time.”
    Nebula was only joking, but she never quite knew when it was okay to joke about something. “Can I pay you for all this driving?”
    “No!” Nebula said forcefully, “You have an important thing to do, and I’m not going to keep you. Now go.”
    Angel leaned in and kissed Nebula gently. “I’ll get in touch with you again okay?”
    “Okay.”
    “I will be back to visit again, I promise.”
    “I’ll hold you to it.”
    “Goodbye Nebula.”
    “Goodbye Angel.” With that, Angel turned and walked toward the docking check in booth. Nebula stayed parked so she could watch Angel take off. Angel gave her ship’s name, and signed it out the same way she signed out of the hotel. She took her keys from the man and went over to where the ship was. She climbed into the cockpit using one of the station’s boarding ladders. As she began to buckle herself in, she realized she was wearing the men’s suit. It was almost comical. She waited while they placed the ship on a conveyor via a crane. She rode the conveyor into a glass bubble on the outside of the station, the bubble opened and she turned on the engine. With a push of the thruster, she was off into the stars, on the short journey to LEX fourteen, and the formation of the plan that would catch Madrid Kensington.