Metal Swarm - Kevin J. Anderson [29]
Liona delivered her regular report, naming six additional clans that had begun to trade at Yreka and a dozen worlds that now had access to green priests, thanks to King Peter's new programme and strong leadership. She tallied the total amount of ekti being shipped out through Barrymore's Rock and other isolated depots, an amount that grew significantly every week. 'Also, a team was just sent to reclaim the Chan greenhouse asteroids in the Hhrenni system.'
This started a chatter among them. 'Big dreams and grand ambitions aren't in short supply, although common sense tends to be.' Del looked at Zhett. 'When you were talking with Nikko Chan Tylar, did he say anything about that?'
'It wasn't high on his list of conversational priorities.' Nikko had been so nervous around her that he could barely stammer two sentences before stopping to collect his wits again. Zhett didn't consider herself to be that intimidating.
'So, then, what else did he talk about? Hmmm?'
Zhett covered her scowl. 'That's something we should discuss later, Dad.'
'By damn, it sounds interesting.'
Zhett shot him a look that silenced him.
With all the important business done, he declared the meeting over, and the skymine chiefs hurried to thrust scribbled messages into Liona's hand. The green priest would take them back to her treeling, sit on the open balcony, and read each one aloud through telink.
Zhett and her father walked to the skymine's commissary for lunch. 'Sometimes I get tired of all that jabbering and politics.' He set his tray next to hers. 'Don't get me wrong. Skymining is my first love, but the part I enjoy is being all alone in the sky on a planet of your own.'
'We could move our facility someplace else.'
'Too expensive. Our investment here precludes that.'
'That's what you're telling all the other chiefs to do.'
'Right. But I was here first, by damn.'
'Ross Tamblyn was here first.'
He slurped his steaming tea and changed the subject. 'I've been thinking about expansion.'
'Expansion? When you're trying to get everyone else to pull out?'
'Not with skymines. We could reassemble our shipyards swiftly enough. Somebody's going to do it if we don't, and we're missing a big market opportunity.'
'Are you trying to convince me, Dad - or explain what you've already decided?'
'Well, three of the spacedocks have already been put back into place, and I've sent crews there to work them.'
'How do you expect to manage the shipyards and this skymine at the same time? You can't be in two places at once.'
'Well, one possibility is for you to take over the shipyards…'
She shook her head. 'No, thanks. That would make me an old woman before I turned twenty-five.'
'You'll always be a little girl to me.' He chuckled. She didn't. 'That's what I thought you'd say, so I've been talking with Denn Peroni. He's a decent enough manager, and he's looking for something other than flying the Dogged Persistence around. He wants to be the next Speaker, follow in the footsteps of his daughter.'
'And I thought you were angling for Speaker yourself, Dad.'
'No, thank you. It would make me into an old man before I turned fifty.'
'You are fifty.'
'But I don't look it, do I?' ,
'No.'
'Just dealing with other skymine chiefs is enough to keep me awake at night and give me headaches. I can't imagine juggling all the different clans.' He began eating his meal with great gusto. Around bites, he said, 'Now, tell me what happened between you and Nikko. When is he coming back to see you?'
'I have no idea. He was late for a run to Constantine III.' Nikko's flirting was clumsy in a way that at first seemed sweet, but eventually just became frustrating. He never said what he wanted, never even tried to steal a kiss. A passive and indecisive young man was not the sort of mate Zhett was