Derek’s heart misses a beat with the anguish in her voice. “I’m sorry, Nathalie. I couldn’t tell you what I was about to do. It would only get you in trouble. You were the best friend I ever had.”

“Don’t be a fool, she’s not….” The message cackles before it stops altogether.

Maeve glances at him, but he looks ahead.

“Where’re now, Maeve? Any ideas? We can’t stay here.”

There is a moment of silence, then she says, “Why not Earth? My aunt lives somewhere in Haroldswick in the Shetland Islands. It’s remote, and we can trust her. We’ll never be found.”

Derek smiles, “Never heard of it but that’s probably a good thing. I’ll put in the coordinates for Earth. It’s going to take a couple of hours.”

An hour later, the ship has stopped its acceleration. The harness automatically removes from Derek’s wheelchair, and Maeve unstraps her belt.

A moment later, she throws her arms around Derek’s neck and presses her lips against his. “You saved me. Nobody has done something like that for me before. You’re a hero.”

Derek gazes into her eyes, “Anything for you, love. You have the rest of our lives to make it up to me.”

They laughed and began to kiss once more.

Maeve wakes up to the sound of other prisoners shouting for their breakfast. They arrived the previous night and insisted on making their presence felt.

Her thoughts turned to Derek, and she wished she could see him once more. Checking on his location, she smiles. He is back on the base.

There is a knock on her cell door.

“Yes?”

The door opens, the knock merely allowing a few seconds to get ready.

They need not have worried. She slept ready. All she needed was a comb for her long hair.

Today, she was to be brought before the lunar judge to plead, either “guilty” or “not guilty.” Her lawyer had strongly advised against fighting it: “You could be free in as little as ten years.”

So, in her mind, there was little. Ten years it would be.

Two nervous officers entered – a male and a female. They both stern.

The woman spoke, “Maeve, please come with us.”

Maeve nods and follows them out. It is a path she has become familiar with.

The other prisoners screech at them through the bars. Tears roll down Maeve’s face as they enter a long corridor with an escalator that brings them up a level.

Maeve’s movements are easy to track. She is connected to the lunar net. It is about predicting where she will be brought next. Derek needs to be there in advance, and at exactly the right time.

He continues his usual routine. All the time plotting. Nathalie seems to sense something is afoot.

“Still thinking about her, Derek?”

And, “there are other girls.”

He frowns, telling her that he’s okay. She would try to stop him, there’s no doubt about it.

At four o’clock, he leaves work early and heads to the tavern in Delta B. It’s a long journey and involves travelling between habitats, separated by hundreds of miles on the Lunar Express. It’s just the same as a train on Earth, except its passage is enclosed in regolith.

Derek hasn’t done this before, but there is no other option.

******

Maeves looks out at the cratered lunar surface from her cell. This is not how she thought she’d end up. She can see the Earth in the distance. So much opportunity gone. Her lawyer thinks her defence is futile, even if she never did anything wrong. Nobody believes her, except Derek. And he seems to be leaving her when she scans his position.

She lies down on the cold cell floor, a solitary pillow her only comfort.

His wheels clank as he goes down a bump, his surroundings becoming less wheelchair friendly. Taking a left, then a right.

I’ll have to turn around if things get worse. A big step and I’m goosed.

He hears chatter coming around the next corner, where he is met by two armed, stern-faced men. A chill goes down Derek’s spine. They are decked out in the attire of the Drugs and Firearms Force. All red with the insignia of the sun on their helmet.

The taller one grimaces, “What are you doing here? This is a restricted area.”

Timothy replies, “I wish to speak to the crew of the crashed ship.”

“No chance, off with you.”

Deflated, Derek starts to wheel around, but stops on hearing a door open behind the men.

Maeve’s Mum is being led out. On seeing Derek, she tries to break free of the two further guards with her, “Save Maeve, Derek. She didn’t know anything, save my baby girl.”

For a brief moment, their eyes meet. Derek sees the fear as tears roll down her face. He shouts out, “I’ll save her.”

She is dragged away in the opposite direction.

Derek wheels away, unsure what to do next.

As Derek wheels onwards, he feels a whish of cool air pass over his face. No reason to panic, but still unusual on a space station with environmental controls.

The corridor comes to a halt with a left and right turn.

Right time, lucky I hope.

He turns right and goes fifty meters.

A guard appears before him, a rifle resting on his shoulder. They both smile.

“Matt, is that you?”

” No way, Derek. You are last person I expected to meet down here. Been a few years since we did that course on managing space landings. You got a job out of it anyway, eh.”

Derek nodded. “I sure did. Doing that course was the best thing I ever did. And that is the truth. What are you doing down here?”

Matt smirks. “Nothing much to be honest. I’m guarding a woman. Maeve is her name. Her family is in some of trouble with the authorities. Not looking good for her at all. What brings you down this way?”

Despite feeling queasy Derek replies, “Maeve does. She’s sort of my girlfriend. I need to see her. Remember that favor you owe me?”

“Ya dirty dog you. And bringing that up after all those years!” Matt shakes his head and open the door. “Go on! Be quick.”

Derek sat up at the side of the side and pulled his wheelchair closer before transferring onto it in one sweeping, elegant movement.

“Guess, I’ll see you on the next shift?” Nathalia says with a smile.

Looking up, Derek replies, “Yes, and thanks, Nat, for checking up on me.”

“Anytime. You’re like all men. A bit silly at times. Need direction.”

Derek laughs, “Go on, I’ll see you again soon.”

She walks out of his room.

They must be holding Maeve on one of the lower levels. I hope she’s okay. She should have been my priority, not feeling sorry for myself.

On exiting his room, he notices that everyone he passes gives him a smile. The mother, with her child, the middle-aged man, and the man nearing retirement.

Nat wasn’t joking.

He reaches the translucent elevator and presses the button for the second lowest floor, for that is the floor where prisoners are rumored to be kept.

Only for Maeve, I wouldn’t go anywhere near this floor.

The elevator begins its descent. The lunar surface is soon invisible in the distance, replaced by darkness.

It stops, and Derek wheels out. It doesn’t resemble any of the other levels. There is a narrow metallic corridor. There are no people, and no sign of any doors. He turns left and determines to find out more.