shouldn’t have spoken for you. You don’t have to go, but I couldn’t sound flakey to Benny.”
“Maybe you haven’t figured it out yet, Lena, but I’m on Team Lena now. In for the duration. Isn’t Benny the one who sold you out to the Red Houzi?”
“It’s complicated.”
“You trust him?”
“On this I do.”
“There’s a uniform replicator over near Kathryne’s Boutique. We can change at her shop.”
“He hasn’t even called back.”
“He will.”
I received the call from Benny while we were in flight to The Open Air District where Kathryne’s Boutique was located.
“It’s a go. You have half an hour to get to the yard. The boss will ping you. It’s thirty-five hundred and I had to call in a few favors. Hope you have the funds.”
“I owe you one Benny. You still interested in dinner?”
“Yeah, Doll. Maybe you pick the place this time.”
“It’s a date Benny, I promise. If I get through this thing, it’ll be you and three of the best looking women you’ve ever seen, hanging on your every word.”
“Ohhhh.” Benny was speechless.
As promised, I received a comm from Bruno Bentrod before we even got to Kathryne’s with our uniforms. I was surprised at just how brazen he was. The communication had a thirty-five hundred m-cred required payment attached. In exchange I had two identity patterns that we could replicate at any Class-1 replicator. I suppose they had to hire people all the time, but the whole thing seemed like it lacked any real security.
The stevedore uniform was a loose white coverall. The middle constricted with an integrated belt. It wasn't very flattering, but the outfit was inexpensive to replicate.
“I suppose they get disposed daily,” Tali mused as we looked at each other. “They will be scanning for blasters, but they won’t pick up your nano-blade if you put it in your boot.”
We were a few minutes late, but I figured that was probably keeping with the role. Bruno wasn’t impressed.
“Get over there and oversee the mechs. Check off every crate with the corresponding line on the pad. It’s not transporter science but union agreement says we inspect every piece that gets unloaded. Now get a move on!”
Tali and I jogged to where Domiva’s Grace was parked. I couldn’t have walked if I wanted. Jenny had to be on that ship.
The freighter was a large blocky ship that sat on four giant circular thrusters. It was rectangular, twice as tall as it was wide, with rounded corners and a round nose on the top. A series of five doors were evident on each of the five levels of cargo bays. A lift was already in place, raised up and providing a wide platform even with the bottom of the lowest bay door. An elevator on the side of the large lift waited to take us up to the platform.
In front of the elevator, a young man sat on a chair, doing his best to look bored or annoyed. When he opened his mouth I could tell which he was going for. It w as the boy from the video. He'd let Jenny onto Domiva’s Grace on Terrence. It took all I had not to say something.
“You certainly took your sweet time. Been sitting here for the better part of an hour.”
I nodded and moved to get on the elevator.
“Hey, wait a minute. I gotta scan your creds.” He jumped up from his chair.
“Make it snappy. Maybe you could give us a little advance and you wouldn’t be stuck sitting here,” Tali said.
The kid harrumphed and accepted our freshly printed credentials. I held my breath, but he handed them back after a limited inspection.
“We’re only unloading decks one through four. You aren’t allowed on deck five. Got it?”
Tali replied, “Sure kid, whatever’s on the list.”
The elevator dropped us off on the platform and we walked past three large container-moving robots. The robots had an upright portion that was knee height and ten centimeters wide on one side. Two large forks, a meter and a half long and set apart by half a meter, were connected at nearly ground
“Maybe you haven’t figured it out yet, Lena, but I’m on Team Lena now. In for the duration. Isn’t Benny the one who sold you out to the Red Houzi?”
“It’s complicated.”
“You trust him?”
“On this I do.”
“There’s a uniform replicator over near Kathryne’s Boutique. We can change at her shop.”
“He hasn’t even called back.”
“He will.”
I received the call from Benny while we were in flight to The Open Air District where Kathryne’s Boutique was located.
“It’s a go. You have half an hour to get to the yard. The boss will ping you. It’s thirty-five hundred and I had to call in a few favors. Hope you have the funds.”
“I owe you one Benny. You still interested in dinner?”
“Yeah, Doll. Maybe you pick the place this time.”
“It’s a date Benny, I promise. If I get through this thing, it’ll be you and three of the best looking women you’ve ever seen, hanging on your every word.”
“Ohhhh.” Benny was speechless.
As promised, I received a comm from Bruno Bentrod before we even got to Kathryne’s with our uniforms. I was surprised at just how brazen he was. The communication had a thirty-five hundred m-cred required payment attached. In exchange I had two identity patterns that we could replicate at any Class-1 replicator. I suppose they had to hire people all the time, but the whole thing seemed like it lacked any real security.
The stevedore uniform was a loose white coverall. The middle constricted with an integrated belt. It wasn't very flattering, but the outfit was inexpensive to replicate.
“I suppose they get disposed daily,” Tali mused as we looked at each other. “They will be scanning for blasters, but they won’t pick up your nano-blade if you put it in your boot.”
We were a few minutes late, but I figured that was probably keeping with the role. Bruno wasn’t impressed.
“Get over there and oversee the mechs. Check off every crate with the corresponding line on the pad. It’s not transporter science but union agreement says we inspect every piece that gets unloaded. Now get a move on!”
Tali and I jogged to where Domiva’s Grace was parked. I couldn’t have walked if I wanted. Jenny had to be on that ship.
The freighter was a large blocky ship that sat on four giant circular thrusters. It was rectangular, twice as tall as it was wide, with rounded corners and a round nose on the top. A series of five doors were evident on each of the five levels of cargo bays. A lift was already in place, raised up and providing a wide platform even with the bottom of the lowest bay door. An elevator on the side of the large lift waited to take us up to the platform.
In front of the elevator, a young man sat on a chair, doing his best to look bored or annoyed. When he opened his mouth I could tell which he was going for. It w as the boy from the video. He'd let Jenny onto Domiva’s Grace on Terrence. It took all I had not to say something.
“You certainly took your sweet time. Been sitting here for the better part of an hour.”
I nodded and moved to get on the elevator.
“Hey, wait a minute. I gotta scan your creds.” He jumped up from his chair.
“Make it snappy. Maybe you could give us a little advance and you wouldn’t be stuck sitting here,” Tali said.
The kid harrumphed and accepted our freshly printed credentials. I held my breath, but he handed them back after a limited inspection.
“We’re only unloading decks one through four. You aren’t allowed on deck five. Got it?”
Tali replied, “Sure kid, whatever’s on the list.”
The elevator dropped us off on the platform and we walked past three large container-moving robots. The robots had an upright portion that was knee height and ten centimeters wide on one side. Two large forks, a meter and a half long and set apart by half a meter, were connected at nearly ground
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