handled his security team, he and Sami would
start nosing around the spaceport and the various industries, bars, and
brothels that supported it.
The lieutenant had strongly objected to the idea.
Argentine knew that their security officer wasn’t the most
talkative person, but he was truly surprised at the earful he received from him
on the subject.
“Are you insane?” he asked. “Our two most valuable
possessions are the ship and that astrogator. And you want to parade her around
in all the back alleys, fringe businesses, and seedy joints around the
spaceport? And you plan on being her only protector? Please tell me you’re
insane, because I don’t want to think you’re just stupid…”
“Well, when you put it that way…” Argentine managed to
respond. “What do you suggest?”
“We don’t have enough personnel to do everything at once, so
let’s take it step-by-step. The first thing I’ll do is drop off my security
team on a different hemisphere from Anvil City.
“The next step will be to shuttle the crew down to the city.
I suggest we use them to help us with our goals.”
“How so?”
“Let’s offer them a reward. Any individual that can put us
in touch with a bona fide astrogator will get a double stake. They can start
their new life very comfortably. It can’t hurt to have an extra dozen people
making inquiries for us.”
Argentine fought the urge to reject a good idea simply
because he hadn’t thought of it first. Their situation was too dire to be
playing tiny ego games. Still, he had to admit that it bugged him. And the fact
that it bugged him, really bugged him. Oh well…
“And we need to start looking for crew members,” he
continued. “We can probably combine those last two and offer a much smaller
bonus for any good crew referrals, but I recommend we be very selective about
who we bring on board. I’d rather be undermanned than have to sleep with one
eye open.
“Once we’ve done all that we can worry about approaching any
astrogator we turn up,” he concluded.
ΔΔΔ
Argentine had
tried to catch Janet alone before she’d departed with the rest of the crew, but
she’d seemed to be avoiding him.
Lieutenant Stark had taken the shuttle and departed the ship
with his team and one crate of unprocessed asteroid ore. He’d returned with an
empty shuttle.
Argentine had overheard him explaining to the chief, “They’re
full of self-importance and waiting for a secret rendezvous.”
The crew departure took several shuttle trips but also went
smoothly.
They didn’t have to wait long for one of them to signal that
they had a lead on an astrogator.
“My name is Marley,” said the voice from the comm link. “I
understand your astrogator wants to talk business with another astrogator.”
Argentine grimaced, that wasn’t exactly the message he’d
wanted to put out.
“Yes, we’d like to talk to an astrogator. Would that be
you?”
“No, but I can put you in touch with him – for a price.”
“As long as it’s not too big a price,” Argentine responded.
“It’s really not that big a deal, we’d just like to confirm some data.”
“That’s not what your former crew is saying,” Marley
sneered. He then named a price.
“That’s absurd. I wouldn’t give a third of that.”
“Make it half and I’ll set up the meeting,” he replied.
“Done,” Argentine said. “But the meeting will be in a public
place.”
“Fine, I’ll send you the time and place. Just be sure you
bring the money and your astrogator.”
The conversation had been conducted over the bridge’s
speaker so the chief, Sami, and the lieutenant had been listening.
“Thoughts?” Argentine asked.
“I don’t trust him,” said the chief.
“Of course not, but how do you think we should proceed?”
They all found themselves looking at the lieutenant,
start nosing around the spaceport and the various industries, bars, and
brothels that supported it.
The lieutenant had strongly objected to the idea.
Argentine knew that their security officer wasn’t the most
talkative person, but he was truly surprised at the earful he received from him
on the subject.
“Are you insane?” he asked. “Our two most valuable
possessions are the ship and that astrogator. And you want to parade her around
in all the back alleys, fringe businesses, and seedy joints around the
spaceport? And you plan on being her only protector? Please tell me you’re
insane, because I don’t want to think you’re just stupid…”
“Well, when you put it that way…” Argentine managed to
respond. “What do you suggest?”
“We don’t have enough personnel to do everything at once, so
let’s take it step-by-step. The first thing I’ll do is drop off my security
team on a different hemisphere from Anvil City.
“The next step will be to shuttle the crew down to the city.
I suggest we use them to help us with our goals.”
“How so?”
“Let’s offer them a reward. Any individual that can put us
in touch with a bona fide astrogator will get a double stake. They can start
their new life very comfortably. It can’t hurt to have an extra dozen people
making inquiries for us.”
Argentine fought the urge to reject a good idea simply
because he hadn’t thought of it first. Their situation was too dire to be
playing tiny ego games. Still, he had to admit that it bugged him. And the fact
that it bugged him, really bugged him. Oh well…
“And we need to start looking for crew members,” he
continued. “We can probably combine those last two and offer a much smaller
bonus for any good crew referrals, but I recommend we be very selective about
who we bring on board. I’d rather be undermanned than have to sleep with one
eye open.
“Once we’ve done all that we can worry about approaching any
astrogator we turn up,” he concluded.
ΔΔΔ
Argentine had
tried to catch Janet alone before she’d departed with the rest of the crew, but
she’d seemed to be avoiding him.
Lieutenant Stark had taken the shuttle and departed the ship
with his team and one crate of unprocessed asteroid ore. He’d returned with an
empty shuttle.
Argentine had overheard him explaining to the chief, “They’re
full of self-importance and waiting for a secret rendezvous.”
The crew departure took several shuttle trips but also went
smoothly.
They didn’t have to wait long for one of them to signal that
they had a lead on an astrogator.
“My name is Marley,” said the voice from the comm link. “I
understand your astrogator wants to talk business with another astrogator.”
Argentine grimaced, that wasn’t exactly the message he’d
wanted to put out.
“Yes, we’d like to talk to an astrogator. Would that be
you?”
“No, but I can put you in touch with him – for a price.”
“As long as it’s not too big a price,” Argentine responded.
“It’s really not that big a deal, we’d just like to confirm some data.”
“That’s not what your former crew is saying,” Marley
sneered. He then named a price.
“That’s absurd. I wouldn’t give a third of that.”
“Make it half and I’ll set up the meeting,” he replied.
“Done,” Argentine said. “But the meeting will be in a public
place.”
“Fine, I’ll send you the time and place. Just be sure you
bring the money and your astrogator.”
The conversation had been conducted over the bridge’s
speaker so the chief, Sami, and the lieutenant had been listening.
“Thoughts?” Argentine asked.
“I don’t trust him,” said the chief.
“Of course not, but how do you think we should proceed?”
They all found themselves looking at the lieutenant,
Similar Books
