Chaos Space - Marianne de Pierres [116]
The mercenary stood aside from them a little, watching. ‘What? That they are body stealers? Yep. They poach bodies like we change clothes.’ She looked down at the borrowed Cipriano robe that she had worn over her grey garb almost constantly since Araldis. ‘Well, most of the time, anyway. And they don’t care too much about the organism they’ve used up, either.’
‘In their defence, they normally pick a sub-sentient species,’ said Bethany.
‘“In their defence”?’ Rast didn’t attempt to hide a sneer. ‘Why would you be defending them?’
Bethany flushed and shrugged. ‘Just a comment.’
Rast had been restless and antagonistic ever since they had left Insignia. As if the mercenary was preempting trouble.
‘How long do you think Thales will be?’ asked Mira.
‘Shouldn’t take long to give him the shot. Might be Rasterovich that takes the time.’ Rast frowned. ‘Seems like a lot of Extros on the docks and up there.’ She pointed to the high part of the dome where extraordinary butterfly-like creatures glided about.
‘They are Extropists.’
‘I’m guessing,’ said Rast.
‘I’ve seen them like that in the war, only far less innocent. Those ones were carrying lots of military fruit.’
Mira was entranced by the grace and shining transparency of their wings. ‘It’s hard to imagine.’
‘I’ve tried to tell you this before, Fedor. Never underestimate an Extro in any form.’
They moved on slowly. ‘What are those?’ Mira pointed to large once-white catoplasma tubes stacked alongside each other like bits of a flattened hive.
‘Cheap sleeper units,’ said Bethany. ‘Not everyone can afford proper accommodation in these places.’
‘But there must be barely enough room to roll over in them,’ said Mira.
‘Space comes at a price in these places, Baronessa. You planet people never really get that.’
‘Why? Were you born in one of these?’ asked Mira innocently.
Rast guffawed and for a moment Mira was almost enjoying herself.
Then a thickset ordinary male humanesque detached himself from the milling crowd of buyers and touched Rast’s elbow.
The mercenary twisted his fingers backward in a cruel and deft move.
Mira stepped back at the look of pain on the ‘esque’s face. With her other hand Rast patted the weapon under her robe.
She spoke a couple of quiet words in the man’s ear and let him go. He hastened back to the throng.
Rast glanced across at Mira and Bethany. ‘You know which docking tunnel we came through?’
‘Si.’ Mira pivoted and pointed to the Tau Crux symbol above one of the many tube ends.
‘Berniere should be well on his way to his errand now. When it’s done we need to dust this place. Finish up your gawking and get back to the ‘zoon. Don’t let anyone other than us on board.’
‘Why? Where are you going?’ Bethany asked anxiously.
Mira’s stomach knotted. Rast was leaving them alone. She had foolishly expected the mercenary to be dependable. Since that moment aboard Insignia when she had bared her soul Rast had been different. So she had thought.
‘Got some business to attend to that can’t wait,’ said Rast. She strode away towards the fast-trak without another word.
‘So much for our protection,’ said Bethany. She looked less composed now, her face a sheen of perspiration. ‘What is she up to, I wonder?’
Mira guessed what it was. She had seen the satchel outlined beneath her robe beside the mercenary’s weapon—but she did not share her knowledge with Bethany. She was Lasper Farr’s sister. Like Trinder and Franco Pellegrini, familia traits often ran deeper than appearance. Even Rast didn’t deserve that kind of betrayal.
‘I think we should return to Insignia. I am not sure that we are altogether safe alone,’ Mira said. Her imagination was already at work. The crowd seemed to have closed in on them without Rast there, as though the mercenary exuded some sort of personal power that demanded space.
‘Yes,’ Bethany agreed.
They began to retrace their route to Insignia but within a few steps of joining the main stream of traffic they were engulfed by a group of the towering transparent jelly creatures. Bethany and Mira were separated. Mira reached through the