"dipshits." It proved she was an Explorer of the old school. For some reason, they all loved profanity and rough talk. Maybe to shock the more genteel navy personnel around them. I could never swear like that myself—I'd been raised with Bamar manners, which abhor harsh speech—but once I got used to it, Festina's crudeness made me smile. Weren't her words just another chant to scare away demons?
As I finished my précis on Li and Ubatu, the shuttle's access door opened. No one came out, but Li spoke over the shuttle's loudspeakers. "Admiral Ramos! It's an honor. Would you care to come aboard?"
Festina turned to me. "Are you ready?"
I looked around the rooftop. Pieces of equipment lay scattered around us, though a lot had blown away in the wind from the shuttle's descent. "Let's pick up the pistols and the first-aid kit. Otherwise, the Cashlings might hurt themselves."
"You do that," Festina said. "I'll get your partner."
I wanted to tell her I'd handle Tut. Being gene-spliced, I assumed I was stronger than she was, even though we were the same size... and a man Tut's height would be heavy, despite his beanpole frame. But before I could speak, Festina slung Tut over her shoulder in a firefighter's lift and began waddling with him toward the open hatch. I hurried about gathering the gear we didn't want to leave behind.
As I collected equipment, I surreptitiously tucked and tugged at my chemise in an effort to cover myself more decently. I didn't like the thought of Li and Ubatu leering at me on the trip back. However, I needn't have bothered. By the time I climbed inside, I had the entire passenger cabin to myself... except for the unconscious Tut, slumped in one of the chairs and belted securely with a crash harness. Festina and the diplomats were all in the cockpit, with Li occupying the pilot's seat, Festina the copilot's, and Ubatu a pull-out chair blocking the doorway. Ubatu called back over her shoulder, "Stay in the cabin, Explorer. Take care of your partner. Admiral Ramos wants to talk with us up here."
I had a split second's glimpse of Festina's face showing the plaintive look of a woman who definitely didn't want to talk with ambitious dipshits. Then the cockpit door shut, leaving me on my own.
Li took off at once. I almost lost my balance as the floor shifted beneath me, but I caught hold of a nearby seat and steadied myself. Grappling myself into place next to Tut, I got belted in and checked that he was all right. He'd remain unconscious for at least six hours, but he'd been buckled up snug and safe. All I could do was let him sleep it off.
Which left me at loose ends. Trying not to think. Staring at the bite wounds on my feet—so small they'd heal completely in a day or two. By the time we reached Muta, no one would be able to see where I'd been boarded by fuzzy red hijackers. I'd be the perfect Trojan horse.
But I didn't want to brood about the spores in my blood. Casting about for other subjects to occupy my mind, it occurred to me that Li had interrupted my last communication with Captain Cohen, long before I'd had a chance to make a full report. I tongued my transmitter, contacted Pistachio's ship-soul, and was transferred to the captain.
"What's going on down there?" Cohen asked. "The mayor of Zoonau is up in arms. He wants to arrest the lot of you for wanton destruction and public endangerment. Did something go wrong with the Balrog?"
"No. Ambassador Li got carried away in his haste to meet Admiral Ramos."
"The Cashlings are furious, Youn Suu. They'll want someone's head for this." Cohen didn't have to add, Your head goes first—you were the lowest-ranking person on the mission. Everyone in the navy knew that shit flowed downhill.
"Captain," I said, "a court-martial is the least of my worries." I gave him a summary of what had happened, including the coordinates for Muta and the admiral's wish to set sail as soon as we reached Pistachio. Cohen reacted with gratifying horror when he
As I finished my précis on Li and Ubatu, the shuttle's access door opened. No one came out, but Li spoke over the shuttle's loudspeakers. "Admiral Ramos! It's an honor. Would you care to come aboard?"
Festina turned to me. "Are you ready?"
I looked around the rooftop. Pieces of equipment lay scattered around us, though a lot had blown away in the wind from the shuttle's descent. "Let's pick up the pistols and the first-aid kit. Otherwise, the Cashlings might hurt themselves."
"You do that," Festina said. "I'll get your partner."
I wanted to tell her I'd handle Tut. Being gene-spliced, I assumed I was stronger than she was, even though we were the same size... and a man Tut's height would be heavy, despite his beanpole frame. But before I could speak, Festina slung Tut over her shoulder in a firefighter's lift and began waddling with him toward the open hatch. I hurried about gathering the gear we didn't want to leave behind.
As I collected equipment, I surreptitiously tucked and tugged at my chemise in an effort to cover myself more decently. I didn't like the thought of Li and Ubatu leering at me on the trip back. However, I needn't have bothered. By the time I climbed inside, I had the entire passenger cabin to myself... except for the unconscious Tut, slumped in one of the chairs and belted securely with a crash harness. Festina and the diplomats were all in the cockpit, with Li occupying the pilot's seat, Festina the copilot's, and Ubatu a pull-out chair blocking the doorway. Ubatu called back over her shoulder, "Stay in the cabin, Explorer. Take care of your partner. Admiral Ramos wants to talk with us up here."
I had a split second's glimpse of Festina's face showing the plaintive look of a woman who definitely didn't want to talk with ambitious dipshits. Then the cockpit door shut, leaving me on my own.
Li took off at once. I almost lost my balance as the floor shifted beneath me, but I caught hold of a nearby seat and steadied myself. Grappling myself into place next to Tut, I got belted in and checked that he was all right. He'd remain unconscious for at least six hours, but he'd been buckled up snug and safe. All I could do was let him sleep it off.
Which left me at loose ends. Trying not to think. Staring at the bite wounds on my feet—so small they'd heal completely in a day or two. By the time we reached Muta, no one would be able to see where I'd been boarded by fuzzy red hijackers. I'd be the perfect Trojan horse.
But I didn't want to brood about the spores in my blood. Casting about for other subjects to occupy my mind, it occurred to me that Li had interrupted my last communication with Captain Cohen, long before I'd had a chance to make a full report. I tongued my transmitter, contacted Pistachio's ship-soul, and was transferred to the captain.
"What's going on down there?" Cohen asked. "The mayor of Zoonau is up in arms. He wants to arrest the lot of you for wanton destruction and public endangerment. Did something go wrong with the Balrog?"
"No. Ambassador Li got carried away in his haste to meet Admiral Ramos."
"The Cashlings are furious, Youn Suu. They'll want someone's head for this." Cohen didn't have to add, Your head goes first—you were the lowest-ranking person on the mission. Everyone in the navy knew that shit flowed downhill.
"Captain," I said, "a court-martial is the least of my worries." I gave him a summary of what had happened, including the coordinates for Muta and the admiral's wish to set sail as soon as we reached Pistachio. Cohen reacted with gratifying horror when he
Similar Books
