A Penny Saved Is a Penny Earned.

[looqas]

"No child of Jacob Moore gets a free-ride just because I have made it in my life. You have to earn the value of money by yourself."

How ironic I thought. To think how much I had detested the old man when he had said those words to me. I was born to riches. I could have have it all. The speeders, the clothes, the girls and the Orbital Spa & Cruise vacations at Gaia. But no. My dad had this clumsy idea of making his children appreciate the value of money by making them earn every credit, so no vacations for me unless I paid it myself. No, sir.

When I graduated he bought me an starflier and gave me a nest egg of 8500 credits. Some big graduation present. Pah! Granted he paid my tuition in the economics school in Manhattan, but still! "Don't blow it on girls" he said and gave me a couple of pointers on good trade routes. He was never stingy about advice thought. I'll have to give him that.

Some of my class mates sold their souls to factions and got a nice setup. I guess some have paid dearly for that. There's no leaving those organizations unless you are vacuum packed so I hear. I've seen some of the classmates begging outside Manhattan! "Please, someone give me a 100k." Or those more aggressive types just short of demaning the money like it's their birth right! Some people really have some nerve. How low can you go? I guess their dad didn't teach them the value of hard work. I just wish the LPI would pack them tight and send them to Sugarland.

Luckily I made friends in school. And at a local bar. Worked nicely when I paid the tab after evenings. "Use the money to buy connections and friends." That piece of advice from the old mizer was solid gold. Just a month ago one of my long-time-no-see pals hailed me from his ship Megiddo. Megiddo - what kind of a name is that anyway? I was about to hail a police officer when he identified himself. He had hit it with the bounty hunters. It turned out that he had a good business proposal. He was short on credits and I could use his protection and information. I'd pay him 100k hiring him and he'd show me a route that would cut my flight time to Leeds big time. I never would have found out on my own that very handy jump hole from Magellan to Leeds. It sure has paid off hauling Boron. No need to inform my boss though. The insurance won't cover the off trade lane flying. It sure pays off to have friends in places I smiled.

With all his seeming faults my dad was a good man and a good dad. I just couldn't resist honoring him when my boss gave me a raise and a choice on the ship's name I was flying for the company. Tightwad. That's what I used to call behind his back. He sure did know how to keep money flowing his way. But that flow stoppped just short of us, his family. We always had food on the table and clothes on our back, but that was it. His personality didn't include an idea of spending on himself or his closest ones. And now it was too late. How could my dad have been so trusting? It had been his weak spot. And now he was dead because of it. My uncle. That snake of a man. He stole it all. Someday I'll find him and make him pay. I spare no cost in this. No doubt he has changed his name, but someday he'll make a mistake and I'll be there.

"No child of mine..."

The words came back to me. I'd never have imagined that I would deliver the exact same message to my son like I did just an hour ago. Like father like son it seems. So be it. He would have to make it largely on his own too. Kids! They thought the money grows in tree, I grunted.

Maybe that old saying nomen est omen is true I smiled. My dad had given me a name Sterling because of some ancient myth when minted coins where in use. And the omen was coming to pass. Soon I'd have enough credits to become an independent contractor in Bowex. To choose a gig I liked. To fly the routes I wanted to. To be my own master. I was looking forward to that.

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Flying under radar.