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of her mind that Blackfield watched from the other side. She’d refused to acknowledge it, and sat there in numb stillness with no effort to cover herself. The lack of struggle had been seen as an invitation to continue. A shudder rippled through her.
    “Talkative as ever,” Russell added.
    “We need to discuss the situation here,” she said, surprised at her own words.
    His eyes dipped for a moment, and he shifted his weight in his seat. “Was our second delivery of slaves— pardonnez moi , volunteers—not up to snuff?”
    Tania kept her eyes on the screen, but in the corner of her field of view she could see Zane Platz. His eyebrows went up, and she knew they shared the same thought: Russell doesn’t know . He doesn’t know about the silenced colony, he doesn’t even know where they are. The tone of his voice told her this with absolute certainty.
    “The new colonists will do fine,” she lied. “We’re still placing them.”
    “Oh, colonists. What an interesting word to use, as it implies a colony.”
    Dammit .
    A sarcastic grin stretched across his face. “Let me know when you’re ready for more.”
    Tania drew a breath. “About that. We would like to change the parameters of the next shipment.”
    “Want a few whores this time? We’ve got plenty of them. Nothing keeps a bunch of cooped-up men happy like a few loose tarts.”
    She refused to be baited. “No, thanks.”
    “Handling the needs of the men yourself?”
    If not for their predicament, she would have ended the call right then. She would let Darwin starve, just to avoid ever speaking to this man again. If only … if only the colony wasn’t offline. If only supply shipments were coming in at a reliable pace. If only they’d had more time to think this whole endeavor through. If only Skyler would rescue me again so Russell didn’t have to , she thought, lamely.
    Tania wanted to slap herself for that. She felt weak and helpless, and despised that feeling even more than she despised the man on the screen in front of her.
    There were no other options though. Time was not on their side, either. Something had to be done. “No people this time, Russell. We’d like you to deliver two standard shipments of air and water.”
    Russell’s laughter came through the speaker so loud that Tania winced.
    Across the table, Zane had his hands over his face. He was shaking his head.
    What? Tania mouthed, but Zane didn’t see.
    “Wow,” Russell said, his chuckling finally under control. “Bad move, sweetheart. You admit to me that you’re all about to die. Unless we help, of course.”
    Tania’s hesitation gave him his answer, and Russell pounced.
    “Now I have you over the barrel,” he said. “God, the visual that gives me.”
    He pretended to daydream for a few seconds, and Tania could only watch.
    “Sorry,” Russell said, “I was in another place there for a second. Air and water, eh? Tell you what, love, I will trade you … oh, let’s see … twenty standard shipments, for the return of the farm platforms.” He folded his arms in satisfaction, leaned into the camera, and smiled.
    She held his gaze for a few seconds, aware of the stunned silence coming from Zane and Tim. “Two. We just need two shipments.”
    “But I need all the bloody farm platforms, and not dropped on my head this time, please. Twenty shipments in exchange is my very generous offer.”
    There were nineteen farm platforms, and they represented the Belém colony’s only leverage against Darwin. To give them up, she knew, would either make Belém dependent on Darwin or force the abandonment of the colony’s other two space stations. Neither scenario could be allowed.
    Tania exhaled, slowly, through her nose. “Nine shipments, for nine platforms.”
    “Deal,” he said, without hesitation.
    Zane stood, red-faced. She’d never seen him angry before. “Hold please,” she said, and tapped the corresponding icon on the screen. When Russell’s face vanished behind