Bound by Her Promise

* * *

“I wanted to tell you both in person,” said Ridley from behind his desk. “Lysa, your qualifications as a mining engineer have been approved. Your final examination result was a distinction… again. You will be allowed to work alongside the engineers here, under my supervision.”

Lysa wiped away a tear and her shoulders shook with emotion. “Thank you. I can’t tell you how much this means to me.”

“I can’t guarantee you will find any work once you leave here, but I’ve been assured you won’t face charges. A mining facility costs billions—you saved them a fortune, as well as countless lives. Also, I expect the threat of publicity about the Corporation’s safety record has helped keep your illegal studying under wraps.”

Ridley turned to her husband. “Blake, do you have any plans to divorce Lysa at the end of your contract?”

“None, absolutely not. I love her,” Blake snatched her hand in his, sandwiching it between his own. She heard his rapid breathing. Why was Ridley asking the question?

“Good. I wanted to make sure before I told you this—the Corporation has agreed to revoke Lysa’s status as a Corporate wife. Your marriage will be recognised as civic, not corporate, and the Corporation has no right to discipline your wife without your permission, Blake.”

Lysa gasped, pressing her hand to her mouth. “What does this mean?”

“I assume you don’t wish to divorce Blake? No, I didn’t think so,” he said as she shook her head vigorously. “As a couple married under civic rules you would, back on Earth, have entitlements and benefits, and these would be extended to your time on Callisto. When a miner elects to stay married to his Corporate wife, these entitlements would begin once the contract has finished and you return to Earth, however, in your case, they start immediately. You’re a lifer now, Lysa, you don’t have to wait for the contract to finish. Congratulations.”

Ignoring the beaming Ridley, Blake swept her into his arms and spun her around in a circle. “No-one can touch you, whoever the new constable is, he can’t take you into the punishment block even in my absence. You’re free of the Corporation.” He put her down.

She hoped it was the beginning and not the end of things. “Not free to be an engineer though. Not while all women, regardless of marital status, are oppressed. Are you married, sir?” she asked Ridley.

“Yes. My wife chose to stay on Earth to bring up our sons. I miss her very much.” The corners of his mouth drooped.

“Why did you come here?”

“The same reason as you, I think. You see, my brother worked on Europa and he never came back.” Ridley looked down at his hands.

Lysa understood. They’d both lost people close to them.

Ripley shook their hands in turn. “You can’t keep a head strong woman down, can you, Blake?”

Blake grinned. “I can try, but I don’t think my techniques will always work.”

Lysa could sense her cheeks flush with hot blood and she smiled coyly at her husband, knowing she was forever his.

Epilogue

Lysa yelled across the field to Blake. He whistled and waved back. The last of his small flock of sheep disappeared up the hillside to fresh pastures.

She watched as he ambled down the slope and admired his amazing physique. He remained the fit and healthy man she’d married two years previously.

She glowed in the warm spring air and patted her swollen belly, soon, in a few more weeks, she hoped she’d feel the baby inside her move.

Four months earlier, back on Colony 14, Blake had hit the jackpot. He’d found a band of rare minerals at the end of an abandoned tunnel. The piece of asteroid embedded in the rock face contained a wealth of precious metals. Why they’d been missed, he didn’t know or care. They were his find and he had received the massive pay-out for identifying the seam.

The celebrations had gone long into the night, as Lysa and Blake had mapped out their future.

Returning to Earth, he’d bought his parcel of land and sufficient sheep to begin farming wool. With the contraceptive implant removed, Lysa had quickly fallen pregnant, much to her surprise.

Blake approached, put a hand on her tummy and stroked it. “So, Mrs Engineer, have you managed to get the air conditioning working, and the solar panels?”

“Yes, Mr Farmer,” she grinned. She flicked a blade of grass off his sleeve. “And, I’ve heard from Ursula. She and some of her friends are gathering for a meeting to discuss how to go forward with setting up a college.”

“A secret college?” Blake frowned. “I’m not happy about this, Lysa.”

“I promise… well, I’ll try to not get too involved.” She looped her arms around his neck.

Blake snorted. “Somehow I don’t see you staying on the side-lines.”