[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.Cyan's in danger - we have to save him."Mendel looked at him, "We can't do anything until Summer gets here, as we've already said.He'syour only hope of interstellar transport - and the only one that can go into the Infinitum territorywithout suspicion.""Assuming that's where they took him," Einn said.He was sitting at a small table in the officethat had been cleared of the stuff piled on it.Spread out before him were the pieces of Cyan'sstunner, which he was slowly cleaning and repairing, using his own stunner for parts.Hefrowned at the power unit."What the hell? This sort of thing is illegal."Sean looked amused."Not for Rehab Guards, and Cy never settled for less than the best ofanything when it came to his weapons.""A normal charger won't work with his Stunner& ""Hang on a minute, I've got a spare that'll work."Mendel seemed as amused as his partner."How is it you two found us?""We managed to track down Cyan by asking around.Lost the trail for a bit, but then we saw Valand eventually managed to pick it back up.Too little, too late - and remind me to start checkingfor his goddamn blasters whenever I see him.That's twice now the bastard has done that to me."Sean returned with the charger, and Einn rapidly finished reconstructing Cyan's stunner.Hetucked it into his own holster, then sat back and brought one knee up to tuck under his chin."Sowho's this Summer we're waiting for?""One very pissed off individual," Sean said dryly."He doesn't like to interact with the livingworld more than absolutely necessary.If it wasn't for the fact that he has no damn choice in thematter, he wouldn't be coming.""Sounds charming.""I'm not sure we can afford to be picky," Faller reminded him."So what is the plan?"Sean's brows rose, "First I want to know once and for all that you two are solid.I don't feel likegetting stabbed in the back later.""He's fretting nonstop because his lover's really been kidnapped, after said lover slugged him andsaid good riddance, and you doubt our sincerity.""Faller," Einn glared blackly at his friend."I hate you."Sean and Mendel slowly recovered from their laughter."So why did you work for Jade?""It's a long, boring story about being young, stupid, and desperate," Einn said shortly."It's notworth hearing.It's enough to know that for the past seven years or so we've been attempting topay off a loan that he increases for whatever penalty he pretends we've committed.Occasionallywe've paid it back by way of information or certain items.""And what does he hold over you, that you'd endure such a thing?""Besides our identities? That's plenty; believe me.The shit he could pin on us, we accepted along time ago we were probably going to be his slaves for life.Until we could figure a way outof it.Guess it's not my problem anymore - at least until Alexander realizes my crew didn't killus."Sean stood and moved to his own computers, "Enough.I'm convinced." He slid a vaguelyamused glance toward Einn, "Though you'll have to do a lot more than that before Cyan willforgive you.""I highly doubt forgiveness is forthcoming," Einn said heavily."It's not like I really deserve it."Mendel looked thoughtful, "I don't know& he did save you from the Temperast."One of Sean's screens flicked on."This is the Brilliant.Approaching 1-3554.Confirmingclearance for landing.""You're cleared for landing, Brilliant.""Understood.ETA five minutes."Sean smiled, "Shall we go to the landing bay?""That was a weird voice.A talking ship?""Something like that," Sean said with another smile."This way." He led them down a longhallway out into a massive hangar.A few minutes later what looked like a petite version of amerchant-class ship glided gracefully into it.The doors of the hangar slid shut behind it almostsoundlessly."What in the hell kind of ship is that?" Faller examined it, fascinated."It's too small to be ofmuch use for transport.It looks like it couldn't even hold the crew needed to pilot it."A small door on the side slid open, and a metal ramp extended out and down to the ground.Einnexamined the figure as he reached the bottom and faced them all in a stony silence - because hisdelicate features were definitely shaped into an expression of severe displeasure.His featuresdidn't like the expression much - he clearly would look ten times more amazing if he smiled.Helooked much like Mendel, except that he had a great deal more scales and his skin matched them- creamy gold to match the slightly darker shade of the scales.His eyes were the same color, as he turned his glare on the Fornarian.And then all Einn knew was a searing pain in his head, bad enough to force him to his knees.Distantly he heard a pained cry similar to his own, followed a bit later by several extremelycolorful curses [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]