Read Online Masterminds by Kristine Kathryn Rusch - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Ads: Link
take whatever kind of public transportation that existed in Armstrong directly to the Security Office.
She needed to give all of her information to DeRicci and then offer assistance.
It had all seemed so easy when Gomez had laid it out for her crew on the Green Dragon. But, as Simiaar had pointed out, it wouldn’t be easy at all.
No one in the Security Office had reason to trust Gomez, especially with the outrageous information she was bringing them.
She had enough evidence to make them believe, if they only listened.
And listening would be the hardest part of all.
ELEVEN
THE COCKPIT ON S 3 ’s space yacht should have been more accurately called a bridge. It housed eight people easily and had more equipment than the environmental control room in S 3 ’s main offices on Athena base.
Salehi had only been up here a few times, and each time, he felt the breadth and power of this particular ship. It made him feel like a master of the universe, which was probably why Domek Schnable bought it. Schnable, whom Salehi privately called Schnabby, was the oldest named partner at the firm. Schnabby reserved many large purchases—like space yachts—for himself.
Not that Salehi or the other name partner, Debra Shishani, cared. Schnabby had a great sense of luxury combined with a practicality that showed itself well in this ship. Fast, but comfortable. And clearly expensive, because Schnabby—hell, everyone at S 3 –knew that money talked.
Lefty Wèi, the ship’s pilot, was standing behind the control panels, looking through the clear windows at the Moon, looming large enough to be a presence in front of them. Hundreds of lights gathered around the Moon’s exterior—ships of all types, inside the Moon’s protected space.
Wèi had a virtual screen active above his pilot’s chair, showing all of the ships in 2-D, but he wasn’t looking at it. His copilot and his navigator were monitoring their own screens.
“What’s this, now?” Salehi asked as he stepped across the yellow line that Wèi had painted along the edge of the cockpit, ostensibly to bar “civilians” from his domain. Wèi preferred to be called Captain Wèi, but Salehi refused, given the fact that Wèi had never served in the military and he wasn’t really in charge of this ship. “We’re a mixed-species vessel? What the hell’s that?”
“Apparently, some new regulation established by the Port of Armstrong,” Wèi said, arms crossed. “I have sent you all the documentation they want. Looks like it violates all kinds of laws that pertain to open Alliance ports, but I’m no lawyer.”
Salehi was, but space law wasn’t anywhere near his specialty.
“Fortunately,” said a voice behind Salehi, “you are ferrying a ship filled with lawyers.”
Salehi turned. Uzvuyiten, the Peyti lawyer whom the government of Peyla had asked to join S 3 on the clone case, stood just inside the door. He was acutely attuned to the moods of others, no more so than on this trip. He knew that his mask made humans nervous, even though the humans on this ship knew he had nothing to do with the attempted bombings on the Moon.
His sticklike arms were at his sides, his damaged fingers mostly hidden by the human-style suit he wore. He had maintained formal dress throughout this trip, ostensibly because that was who he was, but Salehi knew that Uzvuyiten was doing it primarily for the others on the ship. He wanted them to know he was on their side in all things.
Even among the high-powered lawyers on this ship and in S 3 , Uzvuyiten was among the most subtle and manipulative, which often made him the smartest person in the room.
“Have you sent the port a passenger list, complete with species designation?” Uzvuyiten asked Wèi.
“Of course not.” Wèi was clearly insulted by the question, which made Salehi glad that Uzvuyiten had asked it. Salehi had planned to ask the same thing just before Uzvuyiten entered the cockpit.
“Then how do
She needed to give all of her information to DeRicci and then offer assistance.
It had all seemed so easy when Gomez had laid it out for her crew on the Green Dragon. But, as Simiaar had pointed out, it wouldn’t be easy at all.
No one in the Security Office had reason to trust Gomez, especially with the outrageous information she was bringing them.
She had enough evidence to make them believe, if they only listened.
And listening would be the hardest part of all.
ELEVEN
THE COCKPIT ON S 3 ’s space yacht should have been more accurately called a bridge. It housed eight people easily and had more equipment than the environmental control room in S 3 ’s main offices on Athena base.
Salehi had only been up here a few times, and each time, he felt the breadth and power of this particular ship. It made him feel like a master of the universe, which was probably why Domek Schnable bought it. Schnable, whom Salehi privately called Schnabby, was the oldest named partner at the firm. Schnabby reserved many large purchases—like space yachts—for himself.
Not that Salehi or the other name partner, Debra Shishani, cared. Schnabby had a great sense of luxury combined with a practicality that showed itself well in this ship. Fast, but comfortable. And clearly expensive, because Schnabby—hell, everyone at S 3 –knew that money talked.
Lefty Wèi, the ship’s pilot, was standing behind the control panels, looking through the clear windows at the Moon, looming large enough to be a presence in front of them. Hundreds of lights gathered around the Moon’s exterior—ships of all types, inside the Moon’s protected space.
Wèi had a virtual screen active above his pilot’s chair, showing all of the ships in 2-D, but he wasn’t looking at it. His copilot and his navigator were monitoring their own screens.
“What’s this, now?” Salehi asked as he stepped across the yellow line that Wèi had painted along the edge of the cockpit, ostensibly to bar “civilians” from his domain. Wèi preferred to be called Captain Wèi, but Salehi refused, given the fact that Wèi had never served in the military and he wasn’t really in charge of this ship. “We’re a mixed-species vessel? What the hell’s that?”
“Apparently, some new regulation established by the Port of Armstrong,” Wèi said, arms crossed. “I have sent you all the documentation they want. Looks like it violates all kinds of laws that pertain to open Alliance ports, but I’m no lawyer.”
Salehi was, but space law wasn’t anywhere near his specialty.
“Fortunately,” said a voice behind Salehi, “you are ferrying a ship filled with lawyers.”
Salehi turned. Uzvuyiten, the Peyti lawyer whom the government of Peyla had asked to join S 3 on the clone case, stood just inside the door. He was acutely attuned to the moods of others, no more so than on this trip. He knew that his mask made humans nervous, even though the humans on this ship knew he had nothing to do with the attempted bombings on the Moon.
His sticklike arms were at his sides, his damaged fingers mostly hidden by the human-style suit he wore. He had maintained formal dress throughout this trip, ostensibly because that was who he was, but Salehi knew that Uzvuyiten was doing it primarily for the others on the ship. He wanted them to know he was on their side in all things.
Even among the high-powered lawyers on this ship and in S 3 , Uzvuyiten was among the most subtle and manipulative, which often made him the smartest person in the room.
“Have you sent the port a passenger list, complete with species designation?” Uzvuyiten asked Wèi.
“Of course not.” Wèi was clearly insulted by the question, which made Salehi glad that Uzvuyiten had asked it. Salehi had planned to ask the same thing just before Uzvuyiten entered the cockpit.
“Then how do
Similar Books
