“I have ordered the chef to fix a variety of cuisines that I hope you find to your liking,” Cuttles said as they were seated.
“Have you discovered what happened in the viewing gallery?” Cyprian asked Cuttles.
Riley wanted to snicker at the general. He was all business. Part of that was due to their company. Then again, Cyprian wasn’t even chatty with his friend Vintor. She was damn near bubbly by comparison. An ornery smile spread across Riley’s face as something occurred to her. The rare exception to the rule seemed to be after they had sex. Then Cyprian was quite the talker.
“A surveillance inhibitor was used, so the footage is taking longer to piece together,” Cuttles replied. “However, we are certain the planetary ballistic was sabotaged. We are fortunate that whoever did this didn’t blow-up the entire asteroid.”
“What?” Riley choked on her drink.
Aculus said the weapon he sabotaged was dangerous, but apparently, she hadn’t grasped what that meant.
“If that is the case, then isn’t it possible that whoever did this, knew exactly what they were doing?” Cyprian asked, looking just as angry as Cuttles about the attack.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph. I certainly hope Aculus knew what he was doing.
Riley hated how many lives had been lost in the chaos this morning. But considering Aculus was trying to contain a weapon of mass destruction, she understood why he was willing to risk a few lives to save many. It was unfortunate the armored man had only been partially successful.
“You are probably correct,” Cuttles conceded. “My data processing techs should have the identity of the saboteur soon. I am eager to know who did this. Distraho is not some moldering lunar station in a backwater galaxy,” he scoffed in offense to what Aculus had done to his precious auction house.
The conversation was like a bucket of cold water on her good mood. It reminded Riley she was smack in the middle of a precarious situation. Riley nibbled her lip as she thought about what that surveillance would reveal. Cyprian already suspected she was hiding something about her interaction with Aculus. If Cuttles and the general found out she knew something about the sabotage, it would be doubly bad.
I’m really missing the boring ass colony right now, Riley silently groused. At least there, she wasn’t caught up in some crazy plot.
Servers arrived with several platters of food, interrupting the conversation. Riley was glad for the distraction, till she looked at the dish set in front of her. It was an entire creature braised and surrounded by vegetables. Her stomach was already in turmoil, now this.
I think I’m becoming a vegetarian.
“Do your people plan to return to Distraho next quarter?” Cuttles asked.
“It is likely,” Cyprian replied.
Riley attempted to not be too judgmental of Cyprian and his people. Distraho did offer more than just slaves and weapons. Although the thought of returning to do business with Cuttles left a sour taste in her mouth.
Riley picked at her food, as the obsequious Overseer continued to ramble about what would be featured at future auctions. Riley glanced at Cyprian to see the muscle in his jaw beginning to tense up. Cuttles was grating on his nerves. Riley could sympathize. She wanted to shut the Overseer up with her fist. It was characters like Cuttles that perpetuated the suffering of others.
When the Overseer helped himself to some food, while still babbling, Riley couldn’t help but mimic him. Her hands moved about in a gregarious fluid motion, like Cuttles’ tentacles, as she mouthed his words. She paused when the Overseer glanced up, then resumed the moment he looked away again. It was childish, but it made her feel better. Life had been way too serious lately.
The corner of Cyprian’s mouth tipped up, and his left brow rose. The amused light in his eyes sent a thrill coursing through her. Riley giggled, capturing Cuttles’ attention.
“It is good to see that the implant has not affected you too adversely,” Cuttles said to Riley. “She hasn’t given you much trouble, has she?”
“What implant?” Cyprian asked, his voice so deep it verged on a growl.
“All chattel are given mood moderators. It makes them compliant,” Cuttles replied as he took another bite.
“Except in my case it didn’t work. It had the opposite effect,” Riley replied. Her eyes widened when the rumble coming from Cyprian grew louder. She reached over and squeezed his arm. “It’s supposed to wear off, and I’m managing it okay,” Riley reassured him. With all the guards around, it would be bad if Cyprian lost his temper.
Cyprian quieted but the vein in his neck still pulsed.
“You can find the implant at the base of her skull, if it poses a problem,” Cuttles added.