Reclamation(74)
Eric stretched. Between checking up on Tasa Ad and then contacting his employers, Schippend could be at this for hours. Eric used an unaltered line in the corner of the comm board to order a meal from the kitchen. He yawned. Some sleep would be good, but he couldn’t risk it. He had to be awake in case something went wrong with the ghost box. He called up his account from the clear line, saw the negative balance, and choked. If he wanted to keep his word to Madame Chairman, he’d have to drain his own accounts to the bone. The credit listing flicked over as he watched. Now, he’d have to go into debt.
When it only took Schippend three hours to open the line to Tasa Ad again, Eric was surprised. The man was nowhere near as slow as he pretended to be.
Eric activated the ghosts and tapped Tasa Ad. “Sar Schippend, I did not expect to hear from you so soon.”
“For this particular project, there is not much time to waste.” Schippend leaned forward.
“We’ll keep that in mind,” Eric said for Kessa. “Is there a way we can help you?”
“Yes. You can get Eric Born off May 16 and take him to the ship the Morning Glory, docked at Orbit one.”
“We’d be glad to,” said Kessa. “If the pay’s good.”
“Oh, very good. It’s Vitae pay.”
Eric almost swallowed his tongue. The ghosts froze for a dangerously long pause. He jabbed a finger at Tasa Ad and choked out the words. “I should have guessed.”
“Is there a problem?”
Kessa laughed. “No. I just prefer working with men with hair, that’s all.” All three of them laughed.
They haggled over prices then and delivery of credit, which went straight into the ghost box. Eric smiled grimly to himself as he realized he now had an easy way to pay off the outrageous bill he was running up.
He cut the line to Schippend and opened a new one to Dorias.
“Dorias. Is the copy done yet?”
“I told you, tomorrow morning, Teacher.”
“Dorias, I have got to get out of here.” He explained the conversation he had just finished with Schippend.
Dorias was quiet for a long time. “All right, Teacher. I’ll move as fast as I can. Get back to the U-Kenai and get Cam ready to receive a transmission.”
“Thank you, Dorias.”
Eric called for a car with a preprogrammed destination. He dropped most of the credit Schippend had sent Tasa Ad into his May 16 account.
The car arrived and Eric climbed inside. He spent the ride trying not to fidget.
It was all so ridiculous. The Realm was a dead world and a dying people and all of a sudden empires were ready to go to war over it. If they wanted the power-gifted, they could just hire a few contraband runners and take them. They weren’t exactly hard to spot. And if they just wanted the genes, Eric forced the thought through, the Vitae had had plenty of opportunities to get them from him. And if the Vitae wanted the planet? That was the most ridiculous part. There were plenty of dead rocks in the Quarter Galaxy that they could have laid claim to without anyone kicking up a ruckus. Almost as ridiculous as kidnapping a Notouch.
What would the Seablades say if they knew? he wondered. What would Mother say? Nameless Powers preserve me, what would that old goat First Teacher Signed to Still Water say?
That’s if they’re still alive. He bit his lip.
The auto pulled up to the port and Eric transferred into one of the port cars. It was a good thing there was little traffic at this hour. He drove with only half an eye on where he was going.
The U-Kenai waited undisturbed for him. Eric boarded his ship and sealed the airlock. He let out a long breath. Home, he thought. And as safe as I can be anywhere.
“Cam,” said Eric as he walked onto the bridge. “Sit down. Open interface.”
The android sat in the pilot’s chair and stretched one arm toward Eric. With the other hand, it lifted back a socket cover on its wrist.
Eric pulled a single cable out of a storage compartment under the main boards. He plugged one end of it into the comm board socket and the other into Cam’s wrist. The android did not move.
Eric opened the line to Dorias.
“All ready, Dorias.” Eric stood back.
“Eric,” said Dorias’s voice. “I am not happy about this. I have not had time to fine-tune the copy. There may be flaws …”
“Dorias, I can’t wait. Please,” he added softly.
There was a measurable pause. “Sending,” said Dorias.
Eric waited. The only sound on the bridge was the vague hum of machinery. Then Cam turned its head toward Eric and blinked twice.
“Hello. I have been sent by Dorias to help you retrieve the data from the Vitae system.” For the first time, Eric heard intonation in Cam’s voice. The android held out one smooth hand.