Doctor Who_ So Vile a Sin - Ben Aaronovitch [86]
‘You’re what?’
‘Here,’ he said. He reached for his suit pocket. Roz brought the thrower to bear, but he was pulling a piece of paper from his pocket. ‘Relax,’ he said, holding it out.
Roz took it and read it. ‘Shit,’ she said.
‘Lady Leabie just wanted to make sure you were all right,’ the man said.
‘Keep your damned hands up,’ said Roz. She stuffed the paper into her pocket.
‘And she wants to know when you’re going to visit. Or call.
She says you could at least call once in a while.’
‘Well, I’ve been busy. I haven’t really had a chance. Look, who are you?’
The man took out his ID. James Llewellyn, House of Forrester, Internal Security. Roz shook her head and sat down.
‘So, he really is working for your sister?’ said Chris.
‘Yeah.’ She looked at the man. ‘You want a drink?’
199
Meanwhile
Black Sea Aquaculture Centre, 4 July 2982
Simon went in search of coffee during the refreshment break. He walked past tables heaped with seafood and algae, picked up a few futomaki, and finally discovered a steaming urn.
A woman in a Unitatus dress uniform stepped up. ‘Can you see any sugar?’ she said.
‘I’m afraid not,’ said Simon. ‘I wonder if they figured it would be better for our health.’
The woman smiled. She had a nice smile, and shiny red hair.
‘They probably just forgot. Earth Reptiles aren’t big on sweet flavours. I’m Joanna Morceli.’
Simon juggled his cup and spoon awkwardly and shook her hand. ‘Simon Frederson.’ His queue had fallen over his shoulder.
He straightened it.
She nodded. ‘Your people have done an extraordinary job, organizing this meeting.’
‘It took a lot of talking,’ admitted Simon. ‘And talking, and talking, and talking.’
‘Once you get an Earth Reptile chatting,’ she said, ‘it’s hard to get them to stop. But it’s even harder to get them to start talking in the first place.’ She gestured with her cup at a circle of Reptiles, land dwellers and water dwellers. ‘I never thought I’d see the Children of the Sea and the Seventeenth Third of the 200
Benevolent Triad having a conversation. Or the Monkey Boys in the same room as anybody.’
‘Must have been the offer of free food,’ said Simon. ‘To tell you the truth, I didn’t think they were going to show up.’ He tried some of the coffee. ‘I didn’t realize the Unitatus were sending a representative.’
‘I’m not really here for the negotiations,’ said Joanna. ‘We were worried there might be some triple-eyes about.’
Simon involuntarily glanced around the room. Indigenous Imperial Intelligence were firmly allied with the Empire’s security resources. ‘Don’t worry,’ said Joanna. ‘We haven’t identified any known agents.’
He relaxed. ‘I still get nervous,’ he apologized. ‘Haven’t been doing this very long.’
‘We all get nervous,’ said Joanna. ‘You must be a natural, then.
What brought you on side?’
Simon looked around. ‘Maybe we’d better mingle. I don’t want the guests to think the humans are ignoring them.’
Joanna smiled, and called ‘Miroka?’
Simon looked up as an Earth Reptile woman in a Unitatus uniform slowly walked up. ‘Hi,’ he said, astonished.
She inclined her head. ‘Miroka, this is Simon Frederson.’
‘I’ve heard of you,’ said the Earth Reptile, formally.
‘We were just talking about the reasons for what we’re doing,’
said Joanna.
Miroka inclined her head. Simon wasn’t sure what the gesture meant. ‘Equal rights,’ she said. ‘Self-determination. Excellent reasons for the Earth Reptiles to ally themselves with your cause.
But what about you?’
‘Oh, you know,’ said Simon. ‘The usual story. Boy meets girl, girl is killed during vicious suppression of riot, boy turns radical and discovers unforeseen talent for violence. Tanj, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that to sound as awful as it did.’
Miroka didn’t comment. ‘I’m sorry,’ said Joanna. ‘You must have other talents besides violence, though.’
‘I prefer this work to blowing things up,’ he said. ‘How about you?’
201
‘I got sick of organizing charity events,’ she said. ‘Not many people realize that the Unitatus were originally founded to protect Earth from outside threats.