Chaos Space - Marianne de Pierres [30]
You should be in Primo for this shift. I will protect the health of your baby, the biozoon advised.
‘I don’t care,’ Mira said irritably from where she lay on the vein couch. She was constantly nauseous and her limbs felt heavier than they should. Sitting up had become a huge effort, walking almost unthinkable. Insignia said her body was flooded with large amounts of chemicals, which accounted for her symptoms. The knowledge did little to improve her mood.
‘Don’t care about what?’ demanded Rast from the other side of the buccal where she was watching the station’s vase-like structure loom closer. During the last few days the mercenary had taken to spending time in Autonomy where she could get a virtual representation of their position. Mostly she and Mira had ignored each other. ‘You’ve been acting pretty weird, Fedor.’
‘I was speaking to the .. .’ Mira hesitated before finishing.
‘Yeah, I know—the ‘zoon. They say most of you Inbreds go whacko after a while. You got it coming already.’
Rast was deliberately baiting her. The mercenary was restless from inactivity and there were still a few weeks to Scolar before Mira would contemplate taking the mercenaries to the planet of their choice.
‘Don’t queue for a direct shift. We want to go station-side,’ Rast said.
Mira sat up straighter. ‘There is no time for that. Araldis—’
Rast cancelled the virtual feed, her eyes narrowing dangerously. ‘To use your own words, Baronessa, “I don’t care.” I lost most of my team there and never got paid. I hope someone nukes the damn place.’
Mira clenched her fists. Tears of anger sprang to her eyes and blurred her vision. Her tolerance of Rast’s taunting had been exhausted by her own misery. ‘Is it possible that you are truly that shallow? Or perhaps you are not even humanesque?’
Rast’s pale complexion suffused with colour. ‘You calling me a ginko?’
‘I am calling you inhumanesque. It is not the same. Do not assume that aliens do not have principles.’
‘Principles!’ Rast made a choking sound. She slammed her feet to the floor as if she might launch herself across the buccal.
Mira drew her knees to her chest and threw her hands up in defence.
Her reaction stopped Rast dead. ‘Look, just give us a few hours there. We’re used to ships that need to be worked. The boredom is killing us.’
Mira dropped her hands. ‘Boredom does not kill people.’
Rast shot Mira a penetrating stare. ‘Fedor, I need some physical release. I’d hate to lose it completely and for you to be the only one around.’
Mira’s mouth went dry. Did Rast know what had happened with Trin Pellegrini? Or was the mercenary simply being honest?
Mira, Intel station is requesting our shift plan, said Insignia.
Can I farcast yet?
Not from my relays. You could use the station relay. You will need to convince the stationmaster of your credibility . . . and need.
Would it be quicker simply to continue on?
Perhaps. However, I need to replenish unsustainable supplies. I was not stocked for this journey.
How will we pay for them?
Insignia paused. Credit would automatically be extended to Latino nobility under flag, but once you have informed them of the invasion they may consider it unwise to allow you to incur a debt that may not be repaid.
Surely they would understand our refugee situation?
Understand, yes. But it is my observation that humanesques are largely motivated by economic concerns.
Mira tried to recall the specifics of biozoon metabolism but the heaviness that dragged at her body had made her mind sluggish as well. Your unsustainable supplies—can you survive until Scolar without them?
Survive? Yes. But it may be uncomfortable.
How so?
I need over three hundred amino acids to avoid degradation of my body tissue. Without them I am unable to generate the normal level of comforts you are accustomed to. For instance, my core temperature may rise, thus affecting my ability to keep the climate suitable.
Anything else?
Should we encounter something unexpected, like unusually high magnetic streams, I may have to use energy reserves that will affect my ability to maintain