in my ship, Bourdain. You can’t get hold of it without my say-so, you understand me? If you go near it—’
Bourdain shook his head sadly, cutting her off. ‘I own you, Miss Merrick, same as I own Quill. We know that someone or something probed your ship, and also probed the control systems for the cargo. Maybe you knew about it, maybe you didn’t. If you didn’t, I’m sorry, but I just can’t afford to take any chances. Hugh, let her speak to her ship for a second, then . . .’ He waved a hand towards her. ‘Then find out what you can. Just make sure you clean the place up before I get back.’
Moss nodded as Bourdain walked out of the room, before leaning down to whisper in her ear.
‘My dear Dakota, it’s so good to be alone together at last. I can’t tell you how much I’m going to enjoy you, after I remove your head.’
Piri!
Panic-stricken relief swept through her. She probably only had a few moments before Moss managed to close the connection again.
I need you to get me out of here.
What? Override that, Piri.
Dakota twisted around to face Moss, seeing the look of triumph on his face. It was the same look she’d seen on Quill’s face once she’d agreed to take this job. Who else would have been able to supply Bourdain with the necessary overrides?
What ‘appropriate personnel’?
‘You and I are now going to have a long talk, Miss Merrick.’ He deliberately drawled the word long.
Emergency systems override, Piri.
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, she subvocalized, rattling the words together in her panic.
Remember me to one who lives there, she continued.
Somewhere inside the Piri, carefully hidden higher-level systems were coming alive as Dakota spoke her own secret code phrases.
She once was a true love of mine, Dakota finished in a blur as Moss leaned in towards her ear.
‘Your connection’s cut,’ he said. ‘Now it’s just you and me.’
Dakota’s heart skipped a beat.
Create a distraction, Piri. Anything.
One of Moss’s fingers stroked her ear, and she winced at the stench of his breath. Then he suddenly stood bolt upright, but kept one hand resting on her shoulder.
‘Sir?’
Dakota twisted around further and saw Moss seemed to be talking to the air, one finger to an earlobe. She guessed he was speaking to Bourdain.
‘I just received an automatic alert, sir. Comms report receiving warning of a terrorist threat through a secure police channel.’
Moss nodded to the empty air. Dakota could almost hear the sound of her heart trying to bludgeon its way through her ribcage, her hands gripping the chair.
‘It’s a secure channel routed through the Consortium Outer System Patrol offices,’ Moss continued, for the benefit of his invisible employer. ‘They’re claiming an unmanned helium dredge has been programmed to alter course and hit the Rock within the hour. No details beyond that, at the moment. And given the number of guests we now have in the Great Hall. . .’
Piri, I love you.
Please.
Bourdain reappeared a moment later, so clearly he hadn’t gone
Bourdain shook his head sadly, cutting her off. ‘I own you, Miss Merrick, same as I own Quill. We know that someone or something probed your ship, and also probed the control systems for the cargo. Maybe you knew about it, maybe you didn’t. If you didn’t, I’m sorry, but I just can’t afford to take any chances. Hugh, let her speak to her ship for a second, then . . .’ He waved a hand towards her. ‘Then find out what you can. Just make sure you clean the place up before I get back.’
Moss nodded as Bourdain walked out of the room, before leaning down to whisper in her ear.
‘My dear Dakota, it’s so good to be alone together at last. I can’t tell you how much I’m going to enjoy you, after I remove your head.’
Piri!
Panic-stricken relief swept through her. She probably only had a few moments before Moss managed to close the connection again.
I need you to get me out of here.
What? Override that, Piri.
Dakota twisted around to face Moss, seeing the look of triumph on his face. It was the same look she’d seen on Quill’s face once she’d agreed to take this job. Who else would have been able to supply Bourdain with the necessary overrides?
What ‘appropriate personnel’?
‘You and I are now going to have a long talk, Miss Merrick.’ He deliberately drawled the word long.
Emergency systems override, Piri.
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, she subvocalized, rattling the words together in her panic.
Remember me to one who lives there, she continued.
Somewhere inside the Piri, carefully hidden higher-level systems were coming alive as Dakota spoke her own secret code phrases.
She once was a true love of mine, Dakota finished in a blur as Moss leaned in towards her ear.
‘Your connection’s cut,’ he said. ‘Now it’s just you and me.’
Dakota’s heart skipped a beat.
Create a distraction, Piri. Anything.
One of Moss’s fingers stroked her ear, and she winced at the stench of his breath. Then he suddenly stood bolt upright, but kept one hand resting on her shoulder.
‘Sir?’
Dakota twisted around further and saw Moss seemed to be talking to the air, one finger to an earlobe. She guessed he was speaking to Bourdain.
‘I just received an automatic alert, sir. Comms report receiving warning of a terrorist threat through a secure police channel.’
Moss nodded to the empty air. Dakota could almost hear the sound of her heart trying to bludgeon its way through her ribcage, her hands gripping the chair.
‘It’s a secure channel routed through the Consortium Outer System Patrol offices,’ Moss continued, for the benefit of his invisible employer. ‘They’re claiming an unmanned helium dredge has been programmed to alter course and hit the Rock within the hour. No details beyond that, at the moment. And given the number of guests we now have in the Great Hall. . .’
Piri, I love you.
Please.
Bourdain reappeared a moment later, so clearly he hadn’t gone
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