Page 108 of Star Bringer
The man sits back in his seat and stares at us. I suspecthe’sbeginning to suspect that we’re not legit. “Now why would I do that?” he asks.
Pretty sure that’s my cue to join the conversation. “Because we’re asking nicely?” I suggest.
“Maybe you could ask a little more nicely.”
Now we’re getting somewhere. I reach into my pocket and pull out a handful of planetas. As I hold them out to him, an avaricious gleam shows in his eyes.Gotcha.
I drop the strips on the desk in front of him, but when he reaches out to take them, I slam my hand down over them. “Information first.”
He switches on the terminal and scrolls through logs. “After this, theReformerwas heading to Askkandia. It was just a refuel. And nothing was off-loaded here.” He checks again. “Or loaded.”
No fucking way.
Fury rips through me, and I don’t even try to tamp it down. We just came from fucking Askkandia. It took weeks.Weeks. And I’d bet my blade that theStarlightis faster than any prison ship. No fucking way does theReformerfly all the way out here from theCaelestisto “refuel,” only to turn around and go back to Askkandia without losing something or picking something up.
No fucking way.
I already knew Milla wasn’t here—I could feel it, and so could Max. But this shit about Askkandia means we’ve got nothing. No clue to go on at all.
Because theReformerdidn’t leave here for Askkandia. It makes no sense, logically or fiscally. And while the Corporation might not always be logical, they always,alwayserr on the side of money.
Rage mingles with the disappointment washing through me, and it takes every ounce of self-control I have not to punch the nearest wall—or the nearest asshole.
But then a hand slides into mine and squeezes. I don’t look at Kali; I can’t. But as her thumb strokes the back of my hand, a little of the rage leaks from me so I can think again.
“That makes no sense,” I say. “They wouldn’t come all the way out here for no reason. So what were they doing, if they weren’t loading or off-loading?” Because they sure as shit weren’t refueling, no matter what this guy’s terminal says.
He licks his lips and looks at the money still in front of him. “Any more where that came from?”
I shrug. “Could be. It depends on what you’ve got to tell me.”
He sniffs, then glances at Gage like he’s looking for permission. Even out here, the Corporation holds sway.
“Go ahead,” Gage tells him.
“Look, everyone knows theReformerisn’t legit. But no one does anything about it because she has Corporation backing and no one messes with the Corporation.” He pauses and flashes another look at Gage.
“I’m beginning to think I should take a few of these planetas back,” I murmur.
“Wait, wait!” He holds up both hands in a chill-out gesture. “I don’t know where she goes after she leaves here. Or what her manifest is.”
“Did I say a few?” I start to gather the money. “Maybe I should take it all back.”
He runs a nervous finger under the rough-sewn neck of his furs. Then says quickly, like he’s afraid of changing his mind if he doesn’t get it out fast, “There’s a man staying in town. He’s crew on theReformer—done a number of trips. But he was injured in a fight the last time theReformerwas in port. They left him here until the next trip.”
Now that sounds a lot more promising. If this man has done the trip before, odds are high that he was on board at the same time as Milla and will know where she was taken. I feel the first spark of hope, though I do my best to tamp it down. Low expectations and all that.
“Where is he?” I ask.
He swallows hard. “Staying at the boardinghouse near dock C3.”
“In the center of this level, then,” Gage clarifies. “Near the bars.”
“Yeah. Popular place,” the guy drawls with a sleaziness that puts my back up.
Time to go. I pull out another handful of planetas and drop them on the desk. “Thanks. You’ve been very helpful.” Then I give him the smile Max always says looks like a threat. “But if you tell anyone about this visit, I’ll shoot you. And if I’m dead, I’ll get my friends to shoot you.”
“Who the fuck would I tell, anyway?” The man rolls his eyes. “I don’t even know who you are.”
