ORLI COVITZ
The Verne and the Voracious Curiosity arrived at Ulio Station together.
Ulio was a frenetic bustle in space. Incoming ships raced about in search of open docking ports like insects buzzing around a bright flower. The Verne found an available slot by sheer luck, but Tasia had to fly the Curiosity for an extra hour, circling until a Confederation freighter disengaged and departed. Robb logged their arrival with Ulio Station traffic control and was pleased to list Orli Covitz, employee of Kett Shipping, as a “first timer.”
“Is there some kind of initiation?” she asked, not sure she wanted to participate.
Tasia gave her a wry smile. “No. Would you like us to arrange one?”
“I’d rather not.”
After disembarking, they worked their way through the interconnected ships to the main core of Ulio Station. Robb turned in a separate direction to retrieve reports from other Kett Shipping traders, who left deposits here and records of their deliveries. Tasia took Orli and DD along with her. “Keep your eyes and ears open.”
With DD beside her, Orli saw a rich array of clothing and body types, heard a range of accents and dialects. Tasia was particularly alarmed when some traders mentioned that clan Duquesne was now also selling ekti-X. Frowning, she pressed into the discussion. “What do you mean? Where are they getting it?”
The two traders looked at her, noting the Kett Shipping insignia on her shoulder. “Ah, I didn’t think you’d be happy about that. You’re Tamblyn, right? Well, whatever Iswander’s process is, clan Duquesne figured it out, too. They sold their first load here a few weeks ago. Looks like you’ve got competition.”
Orli could tell that Tasia was not pleased as they made their way to the restaurant where they had agreed to meet Xander and Terry. The restaurant specialized in a roasting array with skewers of spiced vegetables, meats, and a dizzying selection of sauces. The smells made Orli’s mouth water. Terry and Xander had already secured a table. DD spotted OK, and the two compies quickly communicated and summarized what they had each seen on the station.
Robb joined them a few minutes later, breathless. “Did you hear that clan Duquesne is also selling ekti-X?” he said before anyone else greeted him.
“Yeah, we just learned that, too,” Tasia said.
Xander put his elbows on the table. “Then maybe our news isn’t so significant. The tracker on Elisa’s ship automatically uploaded into an encrypted file the last time she stopped at Ulio. We have a complete log of every place she went since the last time we met her. We can track them down to their operations.”
Tasia narrowed her eyes. “We’d better get right on that if clan Duquesne is already producing stardrive fuel.”
Robb looked dejected. “We had a plum trading relationship and made a lot of profit in a short amount of time—but that’ll change now. Orli told us where the ekti comes from. Does it matter?”
“I don’t like it when people keep secrets from us,” Tasia said. “I still want to know what Iswander’s doing.”
DD offered, “With the tracker data I can create a navigational map and retrace her path.”
Terry had his priorities. “I’d like to finish lunch first. Have you tried the medusa meat with the green mint sauce?”
Their meal was interrupted when a green priest entered. His emerald skin and his scant clothing looked quite out of place. He looked around the tables and rushed over to them. “Orli Covitz!”
She rose to her feet, surprised anyone would know her name or be able to find her—especially here. Then her face lit up. “Aelin!” She turned to her companions. “This is the green priest who figured out how to cure me from the plague. He saved my life at the Iswander operations when everyone else had given up.” Though Aelin seemed skittish, Orli threw her arms around him. “I didn’t know you were here on Ulio. Did Iswander transfer you?”
“I … I came here on my own,” he said; then his face became drawn. “I could not stand it anymore. The pain, the agony—it is a slaughter! So many butchered. So much blood spilled.” He had to steady himself on a chair, so great was his despair.
Tasia shot Robb a determined glance. “Maybe not so innocent as we thought. All the more reason to go out there.”
Aelin darted his gaze from side to side. “You must not tell anyone I am here. But if you can help stop them…”
“We will do what we can,” Orli promised. “Was that why you wanted to see me? To give me a warning?”
Aelin’s expression changed. “No … no. I am still a green priest. A message came through the worldforest mind for you—from Garrison Reeves. I noticed you were here on Ulio. I wanted to see you … to know if you have the same connection with the bloaters as I do. You were immersed in their blood. Do you still hear them?”
Orli remembered the chiming connection she had felt in the dim distance of her mind when the Prodigal Son had flown past all the chains of bloaters extending away from Ikbir. “Maybe … just a faint echo. Nothing like the connection you had.” She could not set aside the warm feeling in her heart, though, the eagerness to hear news. “But you said you had a message for me from Garrison?”
Aelin fought against distractions ricocheting in his mind. “Yes … Garrison. It was good to hear from him again, and to hear about Seth at Academ. Seth was my student briefly, along with Arden.” He blinked, focused again as he saw Orli’s expression filled with anticipation. “Garrison wanted you to know that he is doing well at Fireheart Station, that he thinks of you often, and that he hopes you find what you are looking for.”
“Thank you.” What she was looking for might well be a life with him. Considering how much she thought of Garrison, and how adrift she felt without him, she was coming closer and closer to that conclusion.
She hoped he was, too. “Please tell him that I think about him all the time, too. And I very much look forward to being together again.” Yes, that would have to do. She would want to tell him much more face-to-face—as soon as they saw each other again.
Aelin seemed stressed, out of place, and he hurried away, leaving Orli to face the amused and questioning glances of her companions. “That’s a nice send-off,” she said, trying to focus on business. “We should be ready to follow Elisa’s path as soon as possible.”
Tasia looked disturbed. “A slaughter and bloodshed, Aelin said. We’d better see what’s really going on.”
Robb said, “We’re ready to go, as soon as the Curiosity is refueled.”