was informed it would take several hours to process.
I wandered back out to the street. Now would be a good time to visit the Patrol offices and look for Tayvis. My heart skipped a beat at the thought. They didn’t know me on Shamustel, they wouldn’t kick me out like they had on Tebros.
At least I hoped they wouldn’t.
* * *
The Patrol offices were at the far end of the port. Most of my walk was through the market district.
I stopped by a jewelry shop, caught by the display in the window. Shimmering winged jewels smaller than my fingernail danced and glittered on strands of gold so fine they floated. I went into the shop.
The air inside shimmered on every breath. The whole ceiling was aflutter with more of the jeweled creations. I stared up at them, entranced.
“May I help you?” a soft whispery voice asked.
The woman who had offered was as shimmery as her creations. She was a wispy thing, barely my height. She wore a shapeless gray dress that fluttered and danced with every movement. She watched me with strange silver eyes.
“They’re beautiful,” I said, pointing at the display overhead.
The woman’s face glowed with pleasure. “The real ones are even more beautiful. Would you like to try one on?”
I couldn’t refuse. She plucked a gossamer strand of gold from the air. A single lavender creature fluttered down with it. She handed it to me. It was an intricate net of fine gold. The lavender creature, slender body with six lacy wings crafted from precious stone, was caught in a delicate knot.
“It’s beautiful.” The gold draped over my hand. I was acutely aware of the chewed state of my nails. I had a scar across the back of one hand, the creature fluttered near it. I could never wear something so delicate. I felt thick and cloddish just holding it.
“You don’t sell many,” I guessed.
She shrugged, a thin movement that sent her dress dancing in gray waves.
“How much do you want for them?” I lifted my hand, watching the lavender jewel flutter.
“What do you want?” she asked, her silver eyes suddenly dark and mysterious.
“I could sell these quite well, on a planet closer to the inner worlds.” I could, too. If I could find the right boutique shop.
“What do you really want?” she asked me, her wispy voice carrying the sound of distant bells.
“A cargo,” I said.
She studied me a bit longer, with her strange eyes. Then she laughed, a sound like the chiming of tiny bells. “Come talk to me later. Perhaps I’ll let you buy some. You may keep that one as a sample.” She tucked my hand around the single lavender creature. Her touch was light, cool, smooth as Partha silk.
“Thank you,” I said, and meant it.
She smiled, a mysterious curve of lips that hinted at secrets she knew and I didn’t. The smile followed me all the way out the door.
I tucked the jewelry in a pocket and made a note of the shop name and location. Maybe I’d send Jasyn back to see what she thought. I walked on, enjoying the morning.
The Patrol offices were adorned with pompous pillars, like most of the buildings. The lobby was huge, paved with black stone polished until it shone like a mirror. The walls were bare gray stone, also polished. The Patrol shield, complete with glowing stars, hung in the air in the precise center of the room, rotating slowly. I crossed the floor, boots clicking, to a reception desk at the far side.
It was a huge imposing block of stone. The single man ensconced behind it stared as I approached. I leaned on the chest-high counter. He didn’t say anything. His hands moved constantly over a set of controls.
“May I help you?” he finally said, in a voice that let me know that the answer was most likely no. His hands kept moving.
“I’m looking for someone,” I said, nervous and unsure of exactly how to ask. “I need to get him a message.”
“We are not a message service,” he said.
“Then can you tell me how to contact him? He’s Patrol, on
I wandered back out to the street. Now would be a good time to visit the Patrol offices and look for Tayvis. My heart skipped a beat at the thought. They didn’t know me on Shamustel, they wouldn’t kick me out like they had on Tebros.
At least I hoped they wouldn’t.
* * *
The Patrol offices were at the far end of the port. Most of my walk was through the market district.
I stopped by a jewelry shop, caught by the display in the window. Shimmering winged jewels smaller than my fingernail danced and glittered on strands of gold so fine they floated. I went into the shop.
The air inside shimmered on every breath. The whole ceiling was aflutter with more of the jeweled creations. I stared up at them, entranced.
“May I help you?” a soft whispery voice asked.
The woman who had offered was as shimmery as her creations. She was a wispy thing, barely my height. She wore a shapeless gray dress that fluttered and danced with every movement. She watched me with strange silver eyes.
“They’re beautiful,” I said, pointing at the display overhead.
The woman’s face glowed with pleasure. “The real ones are even more beautiful. Would you like to try one on?”
I couldn’t refuse. She plucked a gossamer strand of gold from the air. A single lavender creature fluttered down with it. She handed it to me. It was an intricate net of fine gold. The lavender creature, slender body with six lacy wings crafted from precious stone, was caught in a delicate knot.
“It’s beautiful.” The gold draped over my hand. I was acutely aware of the chewed state of my nails. I had a scar across the back of one hand, the creature fluttered near it. I could never wear something so delicate. I felt thick and cloddish just holding it.
“You don’t sell many,” I guessed.
She shrugged, a thin movement that sent her dress dancing in gray waves.
“How much do you want for them?” I lifted my hand, watching the lavender jewel flutter.
“What do you want?” she asked, her silver eyes suddenly dark and mysterious.
“I could sell these quite well, on a planet closer to the inner worlds.” I could, too. If I could find the right boutique shop.
“What do you really want?” she asked me, her wispy voice carrying the sound of distant bells.
“A cargo,” I said.
She studied me a bit longer, with her strange eyes. Then she laughed, a sound like the chiming of tiny bells. “Come talk to me later. Perhaps I’ll let you buy some. You may keep that one as a sample.” She tucked my hand around the single lavender creature. Her touch was light, cool, smooth as Partha silk.
“Thank you,” I said, and meant it.
She smiled, a mysterious curve of lips that hinted at secrets she knew and I didn’t. The smile followed me all the way out the door.
I tucked the jewelry in a pocket and made a note of the shop name and location. Maybe I’d send Jasyn back to see what she thought. I walked on, enjoying the morning.
The Patrol offices were adorned with pompous pillars, like most of the buildings. The lobby was huge, paved with black stone polished until it shone like a mirror. The walls were bare gray stone, also polished. The Patrol shield, complete with glowing stars, hung in the air in the precise center of the room, rotating slowly. I crossed the floor, boots clicking, to a reception desk at the far side.
It was a huge imposing block of stone. The single man ensconced behind it stared as I approached. I leaned on the chest-high counter. He didn’t say anything. His hands moved constantly over a set of controls.
“May I help you?” he finally said, in a voice that let me know that the answer was most likely no. His hands kept moving.
“I’m looking for someone,” I said, nervous and unsure of exactly how to ask. “I need to get him a message.”
“We are not a message service,” he said.
“Then can you tell me how to contact him? He’s Patrol, on
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