Law of Survival by Kristine Smith Page A

the document with her thumb and forefinger—the sharp crack filled the cabin. “That’s bull.”
    Lescaux’s chin jutted defensively. “Exterior takes these opinions very seriously.”
    â€œThe reason the Haárin want to provide us with vital services and equipment is because there’s money to be made.” Jani thought back to some of the Haárin she had known. “They like money. They like the reputation they’ve garnered for sound business practices. Those things give them a freedom they don’t have within the Shèrá worldskein—they’re not going to do anything to screw that up.”
    Lescaux cleared his throat. “Exterior believes the Elyan Haárin were specifically ordered by the Oligarch to infiltrate Karistos. Exterior believes Karistos is a preliminary step in Morden nìRau Cèel’s plan to weaken Commonwealth defenses from the outside in.”
    â€œBy Exterior, you mean Anais Ulanova.” Jani waited for Lescaux’s nod. “Anais is prejudiced where the Haárin are concerned. She believes them responsible for the death of her good friend during the idomeni civil war. She also derives a substantial portion of her fortune from her ownership of companies with which the Haárin are competing. It’s in her interest to stop their expansion.”
    Lescaux licked his lips and tried again. “Her sole interest is in protecting the Elyan citizens.”
    â€œHer sole interest is in maintaining an income stream,” Jani countered. “Family companies have worked for years to stifle competition in the colonies. That water treatment plant was built to fail so that someone could rake in exorbitant repair fees. And if fond recollection serves, any deals that the Karistos city government tried to work with unaffiliated colonial businesses were countered with veiled threats of sabotage and sudden unavailability of vital parts. The Elyan Haárin were their last resort.” She glanced at Derringer, who still looked out the window. His silence was uncharacteristic. He should have questioned her loyalty to the Commonwealth at least once by now.
    â€œAnais’s prejudice, as you call it, against the Haárin isn’t unfounded,” Lescaux said. “She showed me evidence linking them to the death of Talitha Ebben. That was her friend’s name.”
    I know all about General Ebben. A sergeant named Niall Pierce killed her and two other officers during the human evac from Rauta Shèràa, and a colonel named HiroshiMako covered it up. Those are the bodies Mako needs to keep buried. Any investigation into Knevçet Shèràa would have uncovered them—that’s why Mako arranged to medical me out of the Service rather than risk an open trial. Niall talks to me about Ebben…a lot. That’s our shared experience, that we both killed officers. Only I paid my own bill, but Borgie paid Niall’s and the guilt eats him alive, so let’s not talk about Ebben, all right? “Let’s get back to this precis,” Jani said. “I assume it was written by an Exterior agent working in Karistos?”
    â€œWell, we’re here.” Derringer rubbed his hands together as the skimmer docked in a secluded chargelot. “I can’t bear to keep you in suspense, Kilian, so let me cut your legs out from under you while you’re still sitting down. Your old teacher wrote that precis. His Excellency Égri nìRau Tsecha, the ambassador of the Shèrá worldskein. Only you still call him Nema because you two are such good friends.” He shot her a cruel grin. “Now, shall we go to lunch?”
    Â 
    Derringer’s restaurant of choice was located at the end of a tree-lined shopping street. He chose a table in the outdoor dining area; as soon as they sat down, waitstaff appeared, watered, appetizered, and vanished.
    â€œYou’re awfully quiet, Jani.” Derringer’s