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Read Online Cosmopath - [Bengal Station 03] by Eric Brown - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Eric Brown
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Sukara on the sofa, while Dr Rao sipped his lassi and consumed the idli in three bites. He attended to his lips with a napkin, then sat back and laced his fingers across his stomach.
“Now,” Vaughan said, sipping his coffee. “First off, how did you know we’re here?”
“Simplicity itself, Mr Vaughan. I needed to contact you last night, and sent one of my children to your apartment. However, you were leaving, surrounded by guards, and so my child exercised her wit, hailed a taxi-flier and followed you here. By the time she returned, I deemed it too late to intrude upon your privacy.”
“How can I help you?”
The doctor smiled. “Happily, it is I who am admirably positioned on this occasion to extend the hand of succour to you.”
Vaughan suppressed the urge to smile at the man’s arch formality. “And how might you do that?”
Rao removed his antique wire-rimmed spectacles and made an exhibition of polishing the lenses, all the while smiling with self-satisfaction. He replaced the glasses, blinked at Vaughan and said, “It has come to my attention that you are, if I might make so bold, in the position where, ah... extra finances might facilitate your desires?”
Vaughan turned to Sukara. “I think he means we need some extra cash,” he said.
“Your economy with the language is succinct, if lacking in a certain elegance, if I might make the observation.”
Sukara said, “How do you know?”
“My dear, I am an esteemed member of the medical profession. I have friends in elevated positions. I also know that to successfully discharge financial obligations in the matter of effecting a cure for your daughter’s condition will demand a considerable sum. Now, it so happens that I am in the position to effectuate a situation whereby such sums are within your attainment.”
“In plain English, if you don’t mind, Rao.”
“In unadorned parlance, as per your request, Mr Vaughan; I have a contact who is desirous of making your acquaintance so that he might put to you a certain business proposition-”
“I’m doing nothing illegal, Rao.”
Rao pantomimed a gesture of shock. “Mr Vaughan! I assure you that my contact would be sorely discommoded at such an imputation.”
“Who is it and what do they want?”
“My contact is none other than the feted businessman and voidship tycoon, Mr Rabindranath Chandrasakar.” Rao sat back primly and smiled.
Vaughan shook his head. “So what does the multi-billionaire starship magnate with half the Expansion in his pocket want with me, Rao?”
“That, Mr Vaughan, he did not disclose to me, his humble servant. Suffice to say, Mr Chandrasakar is confident that you will grant him an audience, as not only might doing so ease your financial situation, but also take you away from the Station at this time of... ah, shall we say... personal peril.”
“What do you know about that, Rao?” Vaughan snapped.
Dr Rao raised both palms in a gesture of impugned innocence. “Merely what Mr Chandrasakar vouchsafed; to wit, that yesterday an attempt was made upon your life.”
Vaughan looked at Sukara. He didn’t like the sound of leaving the Station, and he had no doubt that the self-serving Dr Rao was revealing less than he knew, but at the same time he was intrigued by the offer of financial aid.
Sukara murmured, “You could always meet the guy, Jeff, see what he wants you to do.”
Dr Rao beamed. “I can see that the passing years have done nothing to blunt your wife’s perspicacity, Mr Vaughan.”
“Okay, Rao. I’ll see him. But I’m promising nothing.”
Rao spread his hands wide and beamed. “In that case I will contact Mr Chandrasakar immediately and effect a meeting.”
He stood, creakily, and moved towards the door, where he spoke in hushed tones into an ancient communicator.
Beside Vaughan, Pham whispered, “What did the man say,
“Now,” Vaughan said, sipping his coffee. “First off, how did you know we’re here?”
“Simplicity itself, Mr Vaughan. I needed to contact you last night, and sent one of my children to your apartment. However, you were leaving, surrounded by guards, and so my child exercised her wit, hailed a taxi-flier and followed you here. By the time she returned, I deemed it too late to intrude upon your privacy.”
“How can I help you?”
The doctor smiled. “Happily, it is I who am admirably positioned on this occasion to extend the hand of succour to you.”
Vaughan suppressed the urge to smile at the man’s arch formality. “And how might you do that?”
Rao removed his antique wire-rimmed spectacles and made an exhibition of polishing the lenses, all the while smiling with self-satisfaction. He replaced the glasses, blinked at Vaughan and said, “It has come to my attention that you are, if I might make so bold, in the position where, ah... extra finances might facilitate your desires?”
Vaughan turned to Sukara. “I think he means we need some extra cash,” he said.
“Your economy with the language is succinct, if lacking in a certain elegance, if I might make the observation.”
Sukara said, “How do you know?”
“My dear, I am an esteemed member of the medical profession. I have friends in elevated positions. I also know that to successfully discharge financial obligations in the matter of effecting a cure for your daughter’s condition will demand a considerable sum. Now, it so happens that I am in the position to effectuate a situation whereby such sums are within your attainment.”
“In plain English, if you don’t mind, Rao.”
“In unadorned parlance, as per your request, Mr Vaughan; I have a contact who is desirous of making your acquaintance so that he might put to you a certain business proposition-”
“I’m doing nothing illegal, Rao.”
Rao pantomimed a gesture of shock. “Mr Vaughan! I assure you that my contact would be sorely discommoded at such an imputation.”
“Who is it and what do they want?”
“My contact is none other than the feted businessman and voidship tycoon, Mr Rabindranath Chandrasakar.” Rao sat back primly and smiled.
Vaughan shook his head. “So what does the multi-billionaire starship magnate with half the Expansion in his pocket want with me, Rao?”
“That, Mr Vaughan, he did not disclose to me, his humble servant. Suffice to say, Mr Chandrasakar is confident that you will grant him an audience, as not only might doing so ease your financial situation, but also take you away from the Station at this time of... ah, shall we say... personal peril.”
“What do you know about that, Rao?” Vaughan snapped.
Dr Rao raised both palms in a gesture of impugned innocence. “Merely what Mr Chandrasakar vouchsafed; to wit, that yesterday an attempt was made upon your life.”
Vaughan looked at Sukara. He didn’t like the sound of leaving the Station, and he had no doubt that the self-serving Dr Rao was revealing less than he knew, but at the same time he was intrigued by the offer of financial aid.
Sukara murmured, “You could always meet the guy, Jeff, see what he wants you to do.”
Dr Rao beamed. “I can see that the passing years have done nothing to blunt your wife’s perspicacity, Mr Vaughan.”
“Okay, Rao. I’ll see him. But I’m promising nothing.”
Rao spread his hands wide and beamed. “In that case I will contact Mr Chandrasakar immediately and effect a meeting.”
He stood, creakily, and moved towards the door, where he spoke in hushed tones into an ancient communicator.
Beside Vaughan, Pham whispered, “What did the man say,
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