Curse of the Iris by Jason Fry Page A

someone else at this bank, if you are unwilling or unable to help us conduct that business.”
    The teller waved his fingers in the air.
    â€œPurely to give you an example of the power of cooperation, I shall review your case briefly with my superiors,” he said.
    â€œWait—” Tycho began, but the music had already begun to play.
    â€œI’m going to cry,” Yana said. “No, I’m not. I’m going to get a projectile cannon and blast this bank off the face of Ceres.”
    â€œNow yer talkin’,” Huff said.
    â€œI bet the line to do that would be really long,” Tycho muttered.
    Carlo just raised his eyebrows and whistled along with the synth grunge.
    The teller returned, looking faintly disappointed to see the Hashoones still there. He sat in his chair and spent a minute verifying that his armatures were working properly before returning his attention to them.
    â€œThis is a most irregular case,” he said. “A long-standing agreement directs us to produce the item or items held in security here upon presentation of a valid key card.”
    â€œExcellent news,” Carlo said. “Since we have given you a valid key card, let us—”
    â€œA moment, please,” the teller said. “The agreement stipulates that the item or items shall be produced if a valid key card is presented and a captain of the Collective or his or her heir is present. Is there a captain of the Collective or valid heir present?”
    Tycho, Yana, and Carlo looked at one another, puzzled.
    â€œThe Collective,” Huff muttered. “That’s what the surviving pirates from the Iris raid called themselves.”
    â€œWe can proceed, then,” Carlo said to the teller. “Johannes Hashoone was a member of the Collective as captain of the Shadow Comet , and we are his heirs.”
    â€œI see,” the teller said. “Our scanning services have verified your identities. As the merest formality, let me cross-index those against registration information for your vessel.”
    â€œStill say we should leave this be,” Huff said. “Fool’s business, diggin’ up the past.”
    â€œBut aren’t you curious, Grandfather?” Tycho asked.
    â€œCuriosity ends at the wrong end of a carbine,” Huff grunted.
    After a moment, the teller smiled.
    â€œAccording to the records, none of you is captain of the Shadow Comet —and therefore none of you is a valid heir to the Collective,” he said. “Would any of you care to disagree, as a point either of business or of philosophy?”
    â€œI certainly would,” Carlo said. “The agreement referenced the presence of a captain or a valid heir. If you examine the registration records of the Shadow Comet , you will see our grandfather’s extensive history as captain. And as Johannes Hashoone’s son, he counts as his valid heir. As do the three of us, I might add.”
    â€œOne moment,” the teller said, fingers tapping in midair. “Registration records verified. However, registration information indicates Huff Hashoone is no longer captain of the Shadow Comet .”
    â€œNo longer captain . . .” stammered Huff, his forearm socket jerking back and forth.
    â€œWhat does that matter?” Carlo said. “It’s true that our grandfather is no longer captain. But that doesn’t make him no longer a valid heir.”
    â€œThere you are incorrect,” the teller said with a smile. “The Collective agreement includes a number of relevant subclauses. A captaincy takes precedence over any claim to being an heir. Is there a Dee-o-cle-sha Hashoone present?”
    â€œTake it easy, Grandpa,” Tycho said, seeing the flesh-and-blood half of Huff’s face turning an alarming shade of red.
    â€œDIE-o-cle-sha,” Carlo said. “That’s our mother. She’s in court.”
    â€œHow unfortunate,” the teller said,