Flying Brick, Part 1

“It's a flying brick,” Dionus said. He crossed his arms across his chest and scowled at the monstrosity of aesthetic design.

“I wouldn't call it that,” the salesman said. “It's compact. Efficient. It's designed for vacuum travel, so aerodynamics aren't an issue. And you should see the interior layout –”

“It's a flying brick,” Dionus repeated. He glanced sidelong at his wife. She just shrugged and tried to hide a smile.

“It's from a very reputable line, too,” the salesman continued, not acknowledging the interruption. “Still has a few years left under warranty. Last owner treated it quite well. You're really looking at a deal here.”

Dionus heaved a deep, dramatic sigh. “Okay, what's the engine?”The salesman perked up at the question. “Oh, you'll love this. It's an original Yako-McIntire Twelve, maintained perfectly. We have the entire maintenance history right here. Guaranteed at three cee for up to twelve hour bursts. You'll hardly find anything better on this lot!”

Trying to hide his smile among a dramatic scowl, Dionus based up and down the length of the ship. It was terribly ugly. His comment had not been without merit. But the asking price wasn't bad, especially if he could knock them down a few k. And he really did love the Y-K model. He'd grown up working on one. He didn't know much about the Twelve, but the salesman wasn't lying about the rep.

“Alright,” he said with great reluctance. “Show us the inside.”