market, which would bring the unit price down, but there is no downward market forecast on blue crystal at the moment. Or you can install green when it is available. Your credit balance indicates that your League is able to fund either. It’s up to you to decide.”
As Killashandra followed Lanzecki and Lars to the door, she sneaked a look over her shoulder and saw the hesitation on the leader’s face. He wanted the crystal badly; he knew he could pay for it; he was just trying it on as standard operating procedure. But he had obviously never approached this Guild before. Quite likely, there would be an order from the Apharian League before the Apharians departed Shankill Moon Base. Someone should have warned them not to haggle with Lanzecki and the Heptite Guild. Most people knew that. Still, there were always those who would chance their arms to save a few credits. Only this group had forgotten that mining crystal was not so very much different than mining asteroids: the result of failure bore the same cost.
She shrugged.
“Damn fools,” she heard Lanzecki say as she closed the door to the conference room.
He stalked across to the table at which he and Lars had been working, slammed a new file into the reader slot, and stared at the display.
That
wasn’t like Lanzecki, and Killashandra blinked in surprise. Lars gave an imperceptible shake of his head; she shrugged and dismissed the matter.
By the seventh day, when Lars hadn’t mentioned going out into the Ranges, she did.
“Did those Apharians order? Or should we concentrate on finding some green crystal?” she asked when he finally appeared late that evening.
“Huh?”
Lars’s mind was clearly on other matters. She felt excluded and that made her irritable. They were partners, close partners, and shared everything.
“I thought we came back to cut crystal, not sit around playing diddly with pencil files.”
He gave her one of his quick, apologetic grins. “Well, we can depart in a day or two.”
She raised her eyebrows, trying for a light touch.
“Are you aiming to take over from Bollam?”
“From Bollam?” He stared at her in amazement, then laughed, pulling her into his arms. “Not likely, when I’ve the best partner in the whole Guild. It’s just that—well, I can’t help being flattered when Lanzecki keeps asking my advice, now can I?”
“I don’t mean to denigrate your advice, but that’s not like Lanzecki.”
“Too true, Sunny, too true,” he said with a sad sigh. “I’d hazard that he misses Trag more than he’d admit.”
“Then why did he take on such a want-wit as Bollam! There must be someone more qualified!”
Lars grinned at her vehemence and rocked her close in his arms. “Did you
find
anyone to replace him over the last few days?”
She pushed him away, glaring reprovingly at him. She had thought her search discreet enough.
“Oh, there’s little going on here that Lanzecki doesn’t hear about sooner or later. He said to tell you that he appreciated your efforts. Bollam suits his needs.”
Killa swore.
“Hey, I wouldn’t mind a late-night snack,” Lars said, hauling her with him to the catering unit. “And yes, the Apharians ordered the blue, still registering complaints about the cost and issuing veiled statements about unethical access and invasion of commercial privacy and all that wind and piss.”
Two days later Killashandra and Lars lifted their sled out of the Hangar and headed east, toward the Milekey Ranges. Behind them a second sled departed, but immediately struck out on a nor’easterly course.
“That’s Lanzecki’s,” Killashandra said in surprise.
“Yes, that’s why he’s been working such long hours, to clear all current business. He’ll be the better for a spell in the Ranges. That’s all he needs, really.”
“But with Bollam?”
“I’ll grant you that I’ve qualms, but who knows? Bollam might turn out to be a top-rank cutter. Or why would Lanzecki shepherd
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