Chaos Space - Marianne de Pierres [59]
‘No!’ Thales leapt towards him, grabbing the man’s hand.
The attendant tore his hand away and produced a jolt weapon from under the counter. Before he could use it on Thales, a third man intervened.
‘Let me pay for the gentleman’s drink and offer him another,’ said the intervener, a man with soft wavy hair and a high forehead. His wide-spaced eyes were full of sympathy.
The attendant glanced between them, caught between an urge to redeem his lucre and an offended ego.
Lucre won. He snatched up the cash.
Thales’s rescuer ushered him to his table and took a seat next to him.
‘I-I th-thankyou, sir,’ said Thales. ‘An awkward position I found myself in.’
The man held out his hand. ‘Gutnee Paraburd.’
‘Thales.’ He did not offer more than that.
‘A man of your calibre at this end of the station is likely game. I would recommend that you should not flash a Gal clip around. You could maybe get rolled for such a thing.’
Thales coloured. ‘Of course. How naive of me—but I have been somewhat out of sorts today. Not thinking, perhaps.’
‘Down on your luck, poor fellow?’
Thales felt a quiver of pride. ‘No. Not at all. Affairs of the heart.’
‘Aaah. I understand completely. Then you are not in need of lucre. My mistake. Let us enjoy our drink, then, and forget our woes.’
‘Agreed,’ said Thales with relief. The man was clearly a kind enough fellow and he must make an effort to reward that. ‘And what pastime is your pleasure, Mr Paraburd?’
‘Import and export—of the medical kind. Not an easy life, pandering to the whims of laboratories. And it’s hard to find reliable employees.’ Paraburd smiled in a confiding kind of way that made his eyes seem wider. It was an ingenuous face and friendly. ‘But you must know the sort of problem,’ he added.
Thales sighed. ‘Not really. As you may have guessed I am a philosopher. But I am considering embarking on a change of lifestyle. I am truly interested in what you say.’ At least to distract me from my own troubles.
Paraburd settled comfortably in his chair and Thales marvelled at the man’s familiar, easy way. ‘Today, for instance, an employee of mine was supposed to leave to collect a naked DNA sample from a mesa-world laboratory in Saiph. He was to return with it so that our own medical facilities can begin the process of upgrading our HealthWatch against the next year’s influenza. The DNA, as you can guess, will prevent many deaths. But just a moment before I met you, my office notified me that the man has failed to appear. Thousands of lives are at risk for a single man’s folly.’
Thales was shocked. ‘Without a hint of warning. Is there no one else who can go in his stead?’
‘It is not so easy to find biological couriers, philosopher Thales, at a few hours’ notice. It is the job for only a special few who wish to serve their community. We have become such a selfish and inert world. Even money will not entice them.’
‘Y-you pay?’ Thales stammered.
‘Most handsomely, Thales. A million lucre for little more than a leisurely trip abroad.’
Thales felt a rush of heat in his body. A million lucre could finance a trip to Belle-Monde and he would not have to rely on Rene’s charity. With that amount he could be independent. ‘A m-million lucre? That is indeed generous. Are there risks?’
Paraburd waved his hand and squeezed his eyebrows together in disdain. ‘Tiny, tiny risks.’
‘Wouldn’t an animal suffice as host? An alpacania or even a rodent?’
‘Lesser animal hosts do not provide the most efficacious response. Besides, it is quite safe for humanesques. No, Thales, altruism is the key here. And there are so few altruists in Scolar any more.’ Paraburd stared sadly into the distance.
An idea formed in Thales’s mind as he sipped his chocola. It was a particularly delicious drink, and relaxing. He must have it again soon, he thought. With a million lucre he could enjoy many more of them. ‘Where must your courier go?’
‘To a laboratory on Rho Junction.’
‘And then?’
‘The courier will receive the naked DNA and return with it to our own facilities here on Scolar where