Skyblaze by Steve Miller, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

face, ''I do. If traffic is stopped at Vine's
tollbooths, then we may re-route down Fuller Avenue.''
    A startled blink was her answer, followed by
a look of concentration.
    ''Yanno . . .'' The driver paused, possibly
checking the map in her head, even as Vertu rechecked her own.
    ''Yeah, that'd work. Thanks!''
    She faced front, and gave the vehicle its
office, moving inexorably through the snow.
    ''Weather update says storm's about done,''
she said over her shoulder. ''So, not as bad as we'd braced for,
but plenty bad enough. I'm Jemie, by the way. You?''
    There was no need for the driver of a taxi
to know the name of a particular fare, except insofar as Unicredit
or some other voucher might record it within the payment system.
Nonetheless, Vertu answered, choosing to see the question as a
pleasantry born, perhaps, of a slow day.
    ' 'My name is Vertu,'' she said, giving only one, as Jemie had
done.
    ''That's pretty. Liaden, huh?''
    ''Indeed.''
    ''Pretty good idea 'bout goin' around.
Fuller's nice and wide -- oughta be able to get down there, no
problem. You drive?''
    It was Vertu's turn to blink. ''Your
pardon?''
    ''You drive? Like a cab, or maybe a delivery
wagon? Don't meet many who got the streets laid out in their head.
Meet more who think it's kinda funny that I do.''
    ''Once, I had owned a small fleet,'' she
said, slowly. ''Three cabs, and thinking of a fourth.''
    ''Yeah?'' blue eyes met hers in the rearview
mirror. ''What happened?''
    ''There was . . . a war action. At -- On
Liad, they name it Skyblaze. I -- my cab and I -- picked up the
wrong fare.''
    ''Hey, that's tough.'' There was a moment of
silence, as the driver maneuvered them around what appeared to be
another car, abandoned in the center of the road.
    ''Amateurs,'' Jemie muttered. ''Could at
least've pulled it to the curb. So!'' she said a moment later, the
hazard to travel safely behind them, ''you lookin to set up?''
    Vertu shook her head. ''I have . . . limited
funds.''
    ''Don't we all? Worse luck, too. What've I
got but the Colonel hisself willin' to stake me a cab, but I gotta
find a 'nother driver. With references. 'nother driver's bad
enough. References -- wellhell, I'm the first legit cab ever, less
you count them little jitneys they're usin' to move folk around
Port proper.'' Another blue glance in the mirror. ''You don't
happen t'have references, do ya, Vertu?''
    For a moment, she sat there, thinking of the
references she could have produced, before Skyblaze, and the
Council's judgment and her banishment from clan and kin . . .
    ''As a driver, locally,'' she said, keeping
her voice steady with an effort. ''I fear not.''
    ''Wellhell,'' Jemie said again, making the
turn from the Port Road onto Fuller Avenue with commendable
caution. ''You're for Mack's shop, though, right?''
    ''I am, yes.''
    ''He know you?''
    ''No. I am sent to him by the Patrol.''
    ''Well, maybe we can talk him inta letting
you do a -- whasit called, when you try somebody out and see if
they can do the job? A parole?''
    ''Probation?'' Vertu suggested, wondering
after the connection between the Colonel who staked cabs and Andy
Mack of Port Repairs.
    ''Right.'' Jemie sighed, and the cab made a
smooth turn out of Fuller Avenue and into the Port Road. Behind
them, Vertu could see the blinking red lights of emergency
equipment. Ahead of them was the entrance to Surebleak Port.
    ''You gonna need a ride back, Vertu?''
    She looked out the window. The snow had
dwindled to a stop, and the star was slightly more robust in the
greycast sky.
    ''I believe that I'll walk.''
    ''I b'lieve that you'll freeze your tail,
you try it,'' Jemie said frankly. ''Tell you what, I'm gonna stop
at the Emerald and eat m'supper. You finish with Mack, come on over
-- it's just 'round the corner. I'm still there, we'll work
something out for pay -- maybe you can drive f'me one night I need
to be elsewhere. That suit?''
    ''That -- suits. But --''
    ''No buts, woman! We'll work it out. Later.
Right now, here y'are. Get