letting the Starfish do their dirty work.”
“Parasites,” Hatzis spat. “They’re nothing more than fucking parasites.”
“Intelligent parasites,” Alander said. “Let’s not forget that. They’ve worked out how to modify the hole ships. They look different, behave differently. It’d be foolish to write them off completely.”
“I agree,” said Axford. “When they came here, I stayed hidden, thinking they’d move elsewhere. But they detected the gifts somehow and came in here to get them. The element of surprise only lasted so long. Before they came, I’d have bet good money that no one would get out of here if I didn’t want them to, but they almost managed. It was too close for my liking.”
“What happened?”
Axford smiled. “Now, now, Dr. Alander,” he chided playfully. “I’d be a fool to let you know exactly what I’m capable of, wouldn’t I? Let’s just say there’s one less Roach ship to worry about, shall we?” He faced Hatzis. “You like the sound of that, Caryl? Does that appeal to your all-for-one moral code?”
She looked uncertain for a moment. “I don’t approve of violence, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
Axford rolled his eyes. “I don’t give squat for your approval, Hatzis,” he said. “I did you a favor, narrowed the odds a little. Can’t you be pragmatic enough to at least acknowledge that? Would a small display of gratitude be too much of a stretch for you?”
She glared at him as though thanks was the farthest thing from her mind.
“You two deserve each other, you know,” said Alander wearily. And they did: multiple bodies, long-term agendas for the human race, definite ideas about morality and their place in the universe.
Hatzis turned her glare on him, then returned to Axford. “What about this sample you said you had? Are you ever going to show it to us?”
“That depends on what’s it worth to you.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Hatzis stood. “Do we have to put up with this bullshit?”
Alander indicated that she should sit back down. “What exactly do you want?” he asked Frank the Ax.
“An ally,” was the simple and surprising reply.
“Someone else you can sacrifice when you no longer need them?” Hatzis snapped. “Forget it.”
“Not this time,” Axford returned evenly. To Alander, he explained, “Look, if the Starfish really are going from system to system now, then I’m not safe here anymore. If the Roaches could find my gifts without any problems whatsoever, then I’m guessing that the big players in this game will be able to as well. I need a contingency plan. I need more resources. Ideally I’d like another hole ship— or a whole fleet of them, preferably—but I’m not likely to find one on my own. So I need allies. Specifically, I need someone to help me do something—something I think you might be interested in.”
“And you think we should put our differences aside so we can work out a trade?” said Hatzis.
Axford nodded, ignoring the sarcasm in her tone. “I’ll give you what information I have on the Roaches in exchange for your help.”
Hatzis looked like she was about ready to leave, just to deny him, but Alander couldn’t let that happen.
“Well, we can’t deny that we need that information,” he said. “So unless you’re planning to do something we can’t agree to, then I think you’ve got a deal.”
Hatzis’s face settled into a mask of distaste, and he knew she understood. They did need what Axford had; there could be no denying that. Besides, she must have realized that Alander had saved her from making the decision herself, so if anything went wrong, the option of blaming him would always be open to her.
“I want something more substantial than promises to share information,” she said. “What about this sample you’ve been promising to show us? Is it a piece of one of their hole ships or something?”
“Oh, much better than that, Caryl.” His smile was wide and
“Parasites,” Hatzis spat. “They’re nothing more than fucking parasites.”
“Intelligent parasites,” Alander said. “Let’s not forget that. They’ve worked out how to modify the hole ships. They look different, behave differently. It’d be foolish to write them off completely.”
“I agree,” said Axford. “When they came here, I stayed hidden, thinking they’d move elsewhere. But they detected the gifts somehow and came in here to get them. The element of surprise only lasted so long. Before they came, I’d have bet good money that no one would get out of here if I didn’t want them to, but they almost managed. It was too close for my liking.”
“What happened?”
Axford smiled. “Now, now, Dr. Alander,” he chided playfully. “I’d be a fool to let you know exactly what I’m capable of, wouldn’t I? Let’s just say there’s one less Roach ship to worry about, shall we?” He faced Hatzis. “You like the sound of that, Caryl? Does that appeal to your all-for-one moral code?”
She looked uncertain for a moment. “I don’t approve of violence, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
Axford rolled his eyes. “I don’t give squat for your approval, Hatzis,” he said. “I did you a favor, narrowed the odds a little. Can’t you be pragmatic enough to at least acknowledge that? Would a small display of gratitude be too much of a stretch for you?”
She glared at him as though thanks was the farthest thing from her mind.
“You two deserve each other, you know,” said Alander wearily. And they did: multiple bodies, long-term agendas for the human race, definite ideas about morality and their place in the universe.
Hatzis turned her glare on him, then returned to Axford. “What about this sample you said you had? Are you ever going to show it to us?”
“That depends on what’s it worth to you.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Hatzis stood. “Do we have to put up with this bullshit?”
Alander indicated that she should sit back down. “What exactly do you want?” he asked Frank the Ax.
“An ally,” was the simple and surprising reply.
“Someone else you can sacrifice when you no longer need them?” Hatzis snapped. “Forget it.”
“Not this time,” Axford returned evenly. To Alander, he explained, “Look, if the Starfish really are going from system to system now, then I’m not safe here anymore. If the Roaches could find my gifts without any problems whatsoever, then I’m guessing that the big players in this game will be able to as well. I need a contingency plan. I need more resources. Ideally I’d like another hole ship— or a whole fleet of them, preferably—but I’m not likely to find one on my own. So I need allies. Specifically, I need someone to help me do something—something I think you might be interested in.”
“And you think we should put our differences aside so we can work out a trade?” said Hatzis.
Axford nodded, ignoring the sarcasm in her tone. “I’ll give you what information I have on the Roaches in exchange for your help.”
Hatzis looked like she was about ready to leave, just to deny him, but Alander couldn’t let that happen.
“Well, we can’t deny that we need that information,” he said. “So unless you’re planning to do something we can’t agree to, then I think you’ve got a deal.”
Hatzis’s face settled into a mask of distaste, and he knew she understood. They did need what Axford had; there could be no denying that. Besides, she must have realized that Alander had saved her from making the decision herself, so if anything went wrong, the option of blaming him would always be open to her.
“I want something more substantial than promises to share information,” she said. “What about this sample you’ve been promising to show us? Is it a piece of one of their hole ships or something?”
“Oh, much better than that, Caryl.” His smile was wide and
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