Crystal Universe - [Crystal Singer 03] - Crystal Line by Anne McCaffrey Page A

arrived for the meeting, properly attired against breathing Ballybran air. Lanzecki, hands on the backs of Killashandra and Lars, steered them into the conference room.
    *  *  *
    The Apharian Miners League wanted to extend their communications link in the asteroid belt they were currently working. They could not afford black crystal.
    “Black crystal isn’t needed for belt comunits. Blue will do as well and is half the price,” Lanzecki said. “Here are specifications and costs.” He inserted a pencil file in the screen reader, and specs and relative costs were displayed on the large monitor for all to see.
    “Even that’s out of our budget,” the head delegate said, shaking his helmeted head.
    “I doubt it,” Lanzecki said bluntly. A tap of his finger and their trade figures replaced the spec/cost data.
    Another delegate, a woman with sharp features and narrow-set eyes, glared first at the screen and then at him. “How did you obtain restricted data?”
    “I particularly like to assemble ‘restricted’ data,” Lanzecki replied.
    “You could go to a green-crystal connection,” Lars suggested. “Of course, there is a longer time lag in communication, especially for any distant units. The blue link is unquestionably faster. Basically you get what you pay for. The option is always yours.”
    Though Killashandra kept her expression bland, she was amused by Lars’s hard-line pose. She had rarely seen that facet of his personality. He was as cool and uncompromising as Lanzecki. An interesting development.
    “At present we have the necessary blue-crystal cuts such an installation would require,” Killa said smoothly. She gave a little shrug with one shoulder. “Who knows when we’d have sufficient green. It’s not an easy color to cut. Nearly as elusive as black. Which we also don’t have on hand. You might have a long wait for quality black crystal.”
    “We can’t
afford
that quality crystal,” the womansaid, almost spitting the words out over her helmet mike. “But we did expect that, in making the effort to come here and outline our need, you might be amenable to a deal.”
    Lanzecki cleared his throat dismissively. “Your League has nothing this Guild requires. The Guild has what you require, and at the advertised price.” He rose. “You either take it or do without. It’s up to you.”
    Lars and Killa moved to bracket him.
    “Wait!” The head of the delegation said, his expression anxious. “You don’t understand. We’ve had accidents, deaths, problems, all due to a lack of adequate communications. We must have a reliable comsystem.”
    “Blue is available. You can wait for green, if that’s all you can afford.” Lanzecki spoke with no emotion whatever. He really didn’t care one way or another.
    Killashandra saw hatred sparkle in the eyes of the woman.
    “My husband and my two sons died in an accident …”
    Lanzecki turned halfway to her and inclined his head. “A singer died and two more were seriously injured acquiring the blue crystal. We have both lost, and we can both gain.”
    “You heartless—” The woman launched herself at Lanzecki, screaming other epithets in her frustration at his diffidence.
    Lars intercepted her neatly even as Killashandra moved to interpose her body to protect Lanzecki’s back.
    “Lideen, don’t!” the leader said, reaching her first. He grabbed her by the arms and passed her to the other members of his party. He took a deep breath before he went on. “Guild Master, I do recognize that sentiment has no place in business.”
    “In either yours or mine,” Lanzecki replied with cool courtesy.
    “You singers have crystal for blood! Crystal for hearts!” Lideen yelled as the other two miners’ reps hauled her out of the room.
    “The Guild does not make deals,” Lars added. “The integrity of our price scale has to be maintained. Two options are currently open to you. You can, of course, wait until there is a glut of blue crystal on the