Celia put her arm in mine. "I played a dirty trick on you, darling. You signed and I added another zero."
"You took out a hundred thousand! No wonder that teller made such a fuss."
"Dear, I thought you might have to use a little bribery. I knew Freddie was in trouble, and that was my fault, of course. I'm the villain in his home-life!" She smiled ruefully, then looked at the Pericles, her eyes brimming with tears. "But I had no idea they'd try to take him away from us!"
My thoughts pulsed wildly. "Look, Celia! We can both get aboard! Give me the money!" I took her purse and ran over to the huddle of colonizers.
"I've got ninety-thousand cash credits! Who'll give up his place on the Pericles?"
The group turned to face me in astonishment. One man came forward. I thought I saw a gun hidden in his sleeve. "Ninety thousand?"
"That's right. Who wants it?"
"Ninety thousand is a small fortune," said the man. "Anyone with that kind of money shouldn't need to pull up stakes on Earth and start life all over again on a new planet. Should he?"
"I don't imagine so. Who'll take ninety thousand for his place on the Pericles?" I repeated over his shoulder.
"Unless he has some special, very compelling reason for leaving Earth," the stranger continued.