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Orbiting Syfar, The Splinter
Atah leaned toward the screen, her nerves singing with disappointment and agitation. "What do you mean, you don't have her, Woyen? I paid you for her capture and I expected–" Atah stopped short as the female Syfe interrupted.
"You did not tell us she was inhabited." The translation coming through the speakers was stilted and formal, but Woyen's displeasure came through without the slightest distortion.
"What are you talking about? Inhabited by what?" Atah leaned back in her gel chair, glad for the moment that several parsecs and the hull of her ship stood between her and the Syfe security agent.
Tessa Graham is a SICO. A soul inhabited cybernetic organism. She is not an android, as you said. Menace seeped through their connection and Atah shivered.
"I was not aware there was a difference."
Detaining a rebellious android differs greatly from arresting a sentient being without cause, Woyen continued as if Atah hadn't spoken. Especially one with friends among the Registat.
"As far as I know, she has no such contacts. But I understand that the job was too much for you. IF you'll just return the fee, we can forget this ever happened.
Woyen bared her teeth in a vicious grin. Given the misleading information provided, I have concluded that the failure of your plan is not my responsibility. It did, however, almost cost me my position. In light of the unnecessary risk and aggravation you caused, I will be keeping my commission.
"You will do no such thing," Atah snapped. "I expect full–"
I am terminating our deal. Do not contact me again, or there will be consequences. Woyen flicked her stubby tail and her image faded from the screen.
Atah shot to her feet, rage quivering through every nerve. "You bitch!"
"Strictly speaking, the term bitch cannot be applied to the Syfe. For pejorative purposes, females may be called Mollies – considered an insulting reference to a certain domesticated feline species." Bex's bored tone grated on Atah's nerves, but the DEVA didn't seem to notice her owner's irritation. "Though one is not advised to use the term to their faces, for obvious reasons."
"One is not advised to rip a DEVA out of the database by her electrodes, either. But I'm considering it. For obvious reasons."
Bex fell silent, and Atah paced the floor of her cabin for several minutes before she felt calm enough to think of next steps. "Obviously, she has to die."
"Tessa Graham?" Bex asked.
Atah pinched the bridge of her nose. "Yes, of course, but not who I meant this time. I can’t allow Woyen to get away with this. Failing the task I entrusted to her was bad enough, but keeping the retainer? My reputation will be in shreds."
"I see. Will you hire the job or undertake it yourself?"
"Who am I going to get to go to Syfar? The good ones are too smart to tangle with Syfe and the ones who would go are too stupid to do the job. It'll have to be me."
She continued pacing for several moments. "Which puts me in a bit of a bind. On the one hand, allowing Woyen even a temporary reprieve would damage my credibility."
"Is dying on a personal vendetta preferable?"
Atah jerked to a halt. "Was that supposed to be a joke?"
"I was not programmed for humor, Ma'am. Only for curiosity."
Scowling, Atah resumed her pacing. "Tessa Graham will have to wait," she decided at length. "I can't afford to allow my reputation to be destroyed while I chase a bounty. I'll need an ally for this, someone who can watch my back without arousing suspicion."
"Zephyr?"
Atah settled into a chair, at peace for the moment. "Yes. Let's see what the wind can blow our way."
Syfar’s Moon, Felis Depot
"Tessa, I don't have a lot of choices here. These are time-sensitive." The meeting in the Venture's galley was not going well, but then Val hadn't really expected it to, considering what she was asking Tessa to do. "I can't do both jobs, but the company can't afford to turn down a lucrative transport right now."
"I get that, but why can't you take the Elara trip and let me handle the Bainar-Josan run?"
"I suggested that, but..." Alex cleared his throat. "Jasser asked for Val and the Venture by name, Tessa. Seems he was kind of, erm, alarmed, by your handling of the bombing incident."
Tessa snarled, and Magnus laid a calming hand on her arm. "He knows that if it weren't for Tessa, he'd have no malosium plant, right?"
Bitter laughter bubbled up in Tessa's throat. "He wouldn't have anything. What, exactly, did he object to more? The part where I kept HiveZ from killing several thousand people, or the part where I prevented an explosion that would have destroyed his income along with his life?"
"I hear you," Val said. "But what it comes down to is, he doesn't want to deal with you and if I can't take it, he'll go with a different company."
"Then have the Lurans wait. You can take care of them after the Bainar run. Magnus and I will take the next job," Tessa said.
"I told you. Time sensitive. They need the package on Elara by next week."
Tessa's mouth settled into a mutinous line as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Tessa, I get why you don't want to go, but it's not as if you have to..." Magnus watched the anger build in her expression and hurried to get ahead of it. "I can deliver the package, no worries. You don't even have to get off the Oracle, or see anyone, or... anything," he finished lamely.
"We really need this job," Alex said. "Building a reputation takes time, but with two ships, we can do it twice as fast."
"You can't let him have this kind of control over you, Tessa." Val made the statement quietly, but Tessa went rigid, as if she'd been slapped.
"He doesn't have any kind of control over me." The words barely made it past her clenched teeth.
"Good. So, you'll do it?" Val asked.
"Fine. But I don't see anyone. I don't even get off the ship. Magnus handles the delivery."
"Works for me," Val said. "As long as it works for you, we're good."
Half an hour later, they were back on the Oracle, scanning for trackers and bombs before take-off.
"You sure you're OK with this?" Magnus asked Tessa.
"Val's right. I can't let someone else dictate where I go or don't go. This is business, nothing else."
"And, if you can throw it in Sirius' teeth that you don't care enough to stay away?"
"Purely a side benefit."
"There she is."
Lura4, Quoros, The Mark
Touching down on Lura4, Tessa checked the call stats again. They were to meet the client at Gizelle's, which was already enough to give her pause. Collecting cargo at a known black-market hub wasn't the most reassuring start to any job.
Add to that the fact that the last time they were here Atah had managed to follow them to their next destination, and the whole thing felt riskier than the transport business had any right to be.
"You've had that look on your face since we got the OK to land at Tang-Lia space port." Magnus made the comment as he set the landing gear and adjusted the shields to in-port safety levels. "Care to tell me what's bothering you?"
The image of his still, white form in a hospital bed flashed across her memory and she winced. "You know this whole thing is fishy, right?"
"Fishy? Where do you get these expressions?"
"Earth, circa five or six BEE. It means the situation smells bad, like three-day-old fish left out of the refrigeration unit."
"Ah, gotcha. But stuff comes through back channels all the time. People don't want their other partners to know they're working deals with the competition, so they keep things discreet."
"Gifts for royalty don't have to be discreet."
"Maybe this isn't a gift. Maybe it's a product demo, and they're trying to make sure the proprietary boundaries stay intact."
"Yeah, and I'm the princess of Werosia."
“And Tamar never noticed?” Magnus gave her a mocking grin as he bowed. "Please to make your acquaintance, your highness."
Her smile was brief and small. "You know this is where Atah had to have picked us up, right?"
He nodded. "I'm aware."
"That means she probably has contacts here."
"More than likely."
"Yeah, I think I need to go alone to pick up this package."
He grinned at her. "Yeah, that's not going to happen."
"Magnus, I'm serious. There’s a genuine risk here, and I don't want to – I can't have another death on my conscience."
He moved close and put his arms around her waist. "That's good to hear, because I don't plan on dying anytime soon."
"No one plans on dying, but it happens all the same. Somebody gets greedy, or vengeful, or crazy, and someone else dies."
"True enough, and I don't plan on that person being either of us. Not today, and especially not because I didn't go with you someplace I should have."
"But–"
"No, Tessa. You can't ask that of me. Even without the way I feel about you, I wouldn't let you walk out there, knowing Atah is on your ass."
"Let me? I can take care of myself."
"Yeah, against a threat you can see coming. I'm tagging along to help you with the stuff that comes out of the dark."
"I have excellent night vision," she said, leaning into his embrace.
"What a coincidence. So do I." He kissed her, and she put her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.
Finally, she broke the kiss. "All right. But promise me this. You don't die for me. Not today, not ever."
"That was never part of the plan," he said.
They left the Oracle, heading for Gizelle's, and arrived there thirty minutes prior to the meet time. Recognizing their contact when he arrived fifteen minutes later was easy.
A brown hood covered the man's graying hair, and he walked with a limp, as advertised. He carried a half meter by half meter box in his hands, the seals intact.
"Tessa Graham and Magnus Caravaggio of Venture Transport?" The man spoke in a raspy whisper, hard to hear in the crowded tavern.
"I'm Tessa Graham, this is Captain Caravaggio. And you are?"
"Jasper Dahmer, at your service." He set the box between them, a tablet on top with the transport authorization on the screen, and stood next to the table.
"Please, join us, Mr. Dahmer." Magnus gestured to the empty bench across from them, but the man was shaking his head.
"No, thank you. I have another appointment that I just have time to make if I leave in the next few minutes. You are aware of the agreement?"
Tessa nodded. "The box is sealed, and in a CEC – a controlled environment cube. It can't be opened before delivery or the contents will be damaged, in which case we forfeit our fee."
"And it must be presented to the recipient within the next seven days against the same penalty. We’ve deposited half the credits to your account, the other half will be provided upon delivery." Dahmer glanced at the door before dragging his gaze back to the table. "Do you accept the terms?"
Unease flitted under Tessa's skin like tiny shooting stars. "And the queen knows this is coming?"
"She has agreed to receive the sample and consider our proposal, yes." Dahmer tugged on his cuffs, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
"You in a hurry, Mr. Dahmer?" Magnus followed the man's gaze to the door, but there was no hint of danger.
"Another appointment, as I mentioned. Do you agree, or should I find another courier?" Dahmer's question was all sharp edges and impatience, but Magnus only nodded.
"We accept."
Tension eased out of the man's face. "Very good. If you'll sign the authorization, I'll be on my way."
Magnus used his finger to scrawl his signature on the form. Dahmer scooped the tablet from under Magnus's hand and scurried from the tavern.
"That guy makes me itch," Tessa said.
"I hear you. You think we should open it?"
She studied the container, seriously considering the option. Finally, she shook her head. "No. But we are damn sure going to make Gaia fully aware of this conversation and our reservations before we turn it over."
"Agreed. Though I am a little surprised at your concern."
She shrugged. "Being mad at her doesn't mean I want her harmed."
Gizelle appeared next to the table. "Hello there. Good to see you again. Care to introduce me to your friend?"
"Care to join us?" Tessa asked after Magnus introduced them.
"Don't mind if I do. Torrance? A round over here, please?" Gizelle called out the order to a passing server before subsiding onto the chair next to Tessa's. "Unusual to see you for the second time in as many years, Magnus, let alone a few weeks. Business or pleasure?"
"It's always a pleasure to see you, Gizelle, but this was a business meeting, and our contact picked the place."
"I see."
"Any news we'd be interested in?" Magnus asked. The question was reasonable, commonplace even, but Tessa caught the thread of tension under his casual tone.
The waiter returned and set their drinks down. Gizelle waited until he moved off before replying. "Since you asked, yes. There have been a lot of rumors flying about a certain assassin." She glanced at Tessa under her lashes. "Seems she is having more trouble than expected on her latest job."
"And that's interesting because...?" Magnus waved his beer in the air, inviting her to continue.
"Oh, you know what fragile things reputations are. And how important said reputation is in the killing game. It's almost as important as their choice of weapon."
"So, you're saying she might be getting desperate?" Tessa asked.
Gizelle's eyes widened, and she laid a well-manicured hand against her ample cleavage. "Did I say she? I'm sure I was never so indiscreet." She finished her drink and rose. "But I'm thinking our gunperson's target would do well to take extra precautions until the threat has passed, whenever that might be and however it might happen."
"Good to know. Thank you, Gizelle." Magnus took another drink, bringing the level down by half.
"Of course," Gizelle said. "What are friends for?" She drifted off, stopping here and there to speak with a customer or give instructions to a staff-member.
"Was she saying what I think she was saying?" Tessa asked.
Magnus finished his drink and hoisted the box onto his shoulder as he stood. "That Atah is getting desperate to keep her reputation intact? Yeah, I think she was."
"Desperation leads to mistakes." Tessa joined him, scanning the room as the pair left the bar. "Which often leads to capture."
"Desperation leads to greater risks, which can lead to mistakes," he agreed. "But in the hands of someone like Atah? It can just as easily pay dividends in the form of a successful kill. We need to watch ourselves."
She raised an eyebrow. "Like we weren't before?"
