Chaos Space - Marianne de Pierres [74]
Rast’s face went whiter than her hair. Her eyes glittered. ‘Shape-metal alloy. Are you sure?’ she whispered.
‘It is called quixite. That is all I know.’
Rast took one large step across to Mira and gripped her shoulders. ‘Who was the buyer?’
Mira hesitated again. Her senses warned her against divulging all, yet she needed Rast’s strength, her pragmatism and, perhaps, her contacts. ‘His name was Tekton. She—the negotiator—referred to him as an archiTect. He is currently a tyro to the newly discovered Entity.’
Rast began to tremble.
‘An OLOSS member.’
Mira nodded. ‘I suppose so. Lostolians in general are.’
‘What does he want quixite for?’
‘I cannot imagine. You called it a shape-metal alloy. What does that mean?’
‘An alloy is a mixture of minerals—’
‘I am not a fool, mercenary. I know what an alloy is but what is special about this one?’
‘It remembers its shape. That is more than useful for some of the evolved Extros.’
Mira?
Si?
There are some things you should know.
Si?
We have just joined the Scol shift queue. However, the OLOSS craft has made its repairs and has gained significantly on us. It is faster than I am at sub-light speed.
How close is it?
It will be in shift queue within an hour.
Proceed with haste, then.
Station security is requesting that we dock.
Can we ignore them and go straight to shift?
Yes. Although the situation will be the same as Intel. They could fire upon us.
Mira took a deep breath. I will speak to Rast.
There is one more thing.
Si? Her concern translated as impatience.
My contract has just expired.
Mira’s entire body went cold. She swayed in Rast’s grip.
‘What now?’ Rast’s question sliced through the air between them.
‘The OLOSS craft has caught us. We are about to enter the shift queue but station security is insisting that we dock. Sophos Mianos has ‘casted a complaint.’
Mira’s knees gave and she sagged back towards Primo, but Rast held her up, refusing to let her sit.
‘And?’
‘Insignia’s contract has expired.’
Rast’s sudden alertness shifted to intense focus. ‘Time for more hard choices, Fedor. Sit and wait for OLOSS to catch up with you. Or run.’
‘To your Consilience assembly?’
‘Theirs, not mine, but it seems to me like your best chance. I mean, if they catch you now with cryoprotectants on board, your Araldis story won’t hold up.’
Rast was right in that. They might even think that Mira was the instigator of the invasion. Rast would certainly not claim responsibility for the purchase of the illegal substance.
Reluctantly, Mira nodded.
‘You’ve got a few minutes to strike a bargain with your ‘zoon, then, Fedor. Make it good,’ said Rast.
Mira stared at her. ‘I need some quiet.’
The mercenary let go of Mira’s shoulders, easing her gently down into Primo. ‘I’ll be right here.’ She gestured to Secondo. ‘You make the deal and I’ll get us a clear path through shift.’
‘How will you do that? You have no friends in the shift queue this time.’
‘Just do your bit. I’ll do mine.’
Mira sank back and waited for immersion. As the receptors crawled under her clothes and penetrated her skin her link with the biozoon heightened.
Insignia?
Yes, Mira.
We are in a delicate position.
I think that you mean you are in a delicate position. I am free to do as I please.
But OLOSS wish to impound you also.
It is you they wish to question.
But you they wish to examine. And they must stop you to get me.
Not if I withdraw my humanesque life-support and expel your bodies into space.
Mira’s breath seemed to run out. You would do that?
I’m not sure. It is a possibility, I suppose.
But I thought we had. . . a bond.
We do, Mira Fedor. As I had with your father. You are my Innate. But that does not prevent me making decisions that concern my well-being. My culture is not