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It was a compromise.
This might as well have become Mensah's new mantra as she, incrementally, line by line, signed the agreement with their bond company. All the while telling herself that doing so wouldn't erode her morals. She wouldn't let it. With every inch she gave to them, she held on to that with a stronger grip.
They needed this survey. They needed what they could gain.
They had so much to prove.
If there were anybody else who would bond them, Mensah would have signed with them without a second of hesitation. But if that were possible, they wouldn't be sitting in these office chairs in Port FreeCommerce.
The company solicitor gave them a subtle, almost not-even-there smirk as Pin-Lee went through the forms.
"I trust you find everything in order?"
Pin-Lee gave them a flat look. "Yeah," they said in an even flatter tone. Mensah believed them because Pin-Lee had the expression of somebody who had failed to find anything to start an argument over.
The solicitor's smile solidified. "Then, should we conclude this meeting?" He said, leaning back on his seat, with the languidity of a well-fed cat. "Or is there something you wish to add?"
Mensah could feel Pin-Lee's gaze turn to her. It was a kinder, softer look they were giving her, as if they were begging for anything to work with. Something to tack on, if for no other reason, to make the company solicitor’s life a bit more difficult. She had nothing.
"That won't be necessary." Mensah nodded.
Pin-Lee resisted the urge to sigh. Their shoulder still dropped. Arada was giving them a supportive look.
"Right." They agreed, passing the file over for one final signature from Mensah.
And like that, it was done. Forms signed, hands shaken, pleasantries over with. They were the proud bonded clients of the company, and along with that, the temporary owners of a rented SecUnit. Mensah tried not to bristle over the thought—or over the disapproving glances Gurathin was sending her way. He shouldn't have bothered; Mensah was plenty disappointed in herself on her own.
The walk back to their shared hotel suite was mostly filled with Ratthi, Arada, and Bharadwaj carrying on the conversation and trying to lighten the sour mood. It worked on Pin-Lee. They weaved their fingers together with Arada and gave her a soft smile.
Mensah wished her partners were here.
"You were great." Arada leaned in to whisper to them.
Pin-Lee shrugged. "Could have done better," they said, glancing down at the ground. "I couldn't even get a word in edgewise."
"That's not true," Arada said.
"Yeah, totally not true," Ratthi interjected. "I'm pretty sure that without you, they would have made us pay for every bolt and screw on the habitat."
Bharadwaj hummed in agreement.
"We are already paying for a lot." Pin-Lee looked at him. "And it’s not the habitat I am upset about."
Ratthi and Bharadwaj fell in step with Pin-Lee and Arada, the grand plaza floor allowed it, although they were still getting some glares from people who still thought they were taking up too much space. Or maybe it was their attire. Their handmade clothes made them stand out in the sea of printed shirts, pants, and dresses. It was something Mensah found some pride in, despite her mood.
Gurathin fell in step with her, behind the rest of their group. He seemed far more on edge now than before the meeting. To imagine how dissatisfied he must be with her right now; she understood, of course, she did. But what other choice did they have?
"Just give me something to sink my teeth in, I would wipe off that smug smile from that solicitor’s stupid face." Pin-Lee's declaration was followed by enthusiastic support. Mensah had little doubt that if anything were to happen, they wouldn’t hesitate to throw everything at the company. That managed to bring a little smile to her face.
.
.
Later, Mensah was sitting alone in a side room of their shared hotel suite. She was drinking tea, even though she would have been in the mood for something stronger; they had an orientation tomorrow. First of the many mandatory classes the company insisted upon. Their schedule arrived the moment they stepped through the hotel door.
She only dreaded one—the Security Unit Orientation. A class aimed to teach the proper handling of a SecUnit. If she hadn't had to get up early tomorrow, she would have been on her second glass of whatever alcohol came with the suite.
Gurathin stalked into the room.
If Mensah hadn't been idly listening to the others' conversation in the sitting area (and if she hadn't been expecting him to seek her out), she might have been surprised by him. He still walked so quietly.
He had his own cup of tea cradled against his chest.
"May I sit?"
Mensah smiled up at him. "Of course."
Both of them were quiet, almost whispering, as if they were afraid that they might bother the others.
He thanked her, sat down, and took a sip from his tea.
Then they simply sat in silence for a while, just staring at the projected galaxyscape on the wall. A view of somewhere outside the space station. Despite how deep they were in Port FreeCommerce (and how nice and secure their hotel suite was), it was almost enough to fool somebody into thinking that they were only an arm's reach from the wast, deadly expanse of space. Mensah enjoyed it as much as she could with the inevitable conversation looming nearer.
"You shouldn't have taken it."
It was Mensah's turn to take a sip.
"I understand that you have some reservations," she started very diplomatically.
"If you had to say yes to a SecUnit, then you should have taken the other one, the better one," Gurathin clarified.
"There is nothing wrong with-"
He turned to her. "It's an old, refurbished model that they are about to phase out. Of course, there is something wrong with it." He slumped back into the chair, cup raised to his lips. "It wouldn't have been so cheap otherwise."
Mensah wanted to laugh at that. The price was steep enough as it was. "We couldn't afford the other one."
Gurathin didn't have an answer for that, so he shrugged.
"Either way, the contract had been signed. We got the bond, and that's what matters." Mensah turned back to the display. Gurathin would probably feel wounded for a long time. She wished that she could smooth away his worries. But she knew him better than to hope words would be enough. The best she could hope for was that the survey went down without a hitch.
Maybe if they had more time, they could look for a better company that didn't require them to sign away their morals and wouldn't have to drag a construct along against its will.
But compromises aren't meant to be easy.
Later (much, much later), Mensah would be thinking back to these first, stressful pre-survey days, and she would thank whatever force, luck, or fate that brought their and SecUnit's paths together.