Milk Run (Smuggler's Tales From The Golden Age Of The Solar Clipper Book 1) (15 page)

Natalya led the way out of the pub and onto the wide thoroughfare.

“That was disappointing,” Zoya said as they strolled along looking in the windows.

Natalya shrugged. “Not exactly what I was expecting, but it’s not a bad offer. Chance to find our way in the Deep Dark. Probably make some good contacts out of it, too.”

Zoya stopped and put a hand on Natalya’s upper arm. “You’re not thinking about taking it.”

“We could do worse. That would be a nice paycheck for basically ninety days’ work.”

“What about the
Peregrine
?”

“She’d be safe enough here. I’d owe him docking fees, but maybe we could work out a deal.”

“I thought you were the free spirit out to see the universe,” Zoya said.

Natalya laughed and started walking again. “I can see a lot more of it when I’ve got the credits we need for fuel.”

“We could skim it.”

Natalya glanced at Zoya. “We could. I haven’t ruled that out. We could probably earn a week or two of docking fees that way.”

“What’s the holdup, then?”

Natalya sighed. “We can’t get contracts while we’re out there sucking gas. We turned down Kondur’s job, which means he’s not going to be thinking of us for the next one.”

“But it’s not what we do.”

Natalya shook her head. “You don’t get it. He’s the big fish here. It’s his pond. We’ll have better luck doing what he wants rather than what we want.”

“Then why’d you turn it down?”

“If I’d wanted to be an engineering third, I’d have signed up at Port Newmar.”

They walked several meters in silence before Zoya spoke again. “So what do we do?”

“Well,” Natalya said. “You’ve still not made contact with whomever it was who’s supposed to contact you, right?”

“Right.”

“I think we hang out for a while. See the sights, such as they are. See what kinds of jobs we might do here that won’t tie us up for three months.” Natalya glanced at her friend. “Maybe your spook will show. We’re not exactly broke.”

Zoya didn’t look convinced but she shrugged and walked along.

“Meanwhile, I need to get that fuel coupling looked at by somebody who knows about them.”

“Fuel coupling?”

“Yeah. It started overheating while we were on final approach to the station here.”

“That doesn’t sound good.”

“It usually means the lining is giving out.”

“I thought the engines had just been rebuilt.”

“Yeah, and they’re still barely broken in, but the fuel coupling isn’t part of the engine rack, exactly.” Natalya sighed. “I pushed the envelope pretty hard trying to evade those phantom TIC interceptors.”

“You think you damaged it?”

“I don’t know. That’s why I want to get somebody in here with the right tools to look before we need to get underway again.”

“What’s the worst that could happen?”

Natalya snorted. “I really wish you hadn’t asked that.”

Natalya stared at the toad-faced yard manager. “You want what?”

He pulled a red handkerchief out of a pocket in his coverall and wiped the sweat off his brow. “I don’t
want
anything, missy. You got a problem with that fuel coupling. I don’t think they even make them anymore.”

She felt her molars grind together in frustration. “I know there’s a problem. I’m the one who diagnosed it.”

“Then you know you’re taking your life in your hands to get underway in that antique unless you get it fixed.”

“Yes. The operative word there is ‘fixed.’ I didn’t say anything about ‘replaced.’”

“Look, I’m tellin’ you. You can’t fix it. It’s too far gone. That throat lining is down to metal and I don’t have the tools, materials, or even the know-how to reline it. That would take a ceramic fab shop and somebody who likes restoring old ships.”

“So you want to charge me two hundred thousand credits to replace it?”

“Lady, I can’t fix the old one. What I got is a replacement. It’s not new. It’s not even the right model, but it’ll do the job.”

Natalya turned and stalked three steps away from the impossible little creep, running her hands around her neck and trying to think of a way out. “You’re asking more than the ship is worth,” she said, turning her head to talk over her left shoulder.

He snorted. “I’m sure that ship’s worth a whole lot more than two hundred kay.”

“Even with a bum fuel coupling?”

“Oh, yeah. Somebody with the right connections and some time could slide that into a shop in Dree. They
make
those couplings there. Probably do a nice business in refurbing old ones.”

“Even with an antique like this?”

He grinned. The sight didn’t make Natalya feel any better. “They’d probably toss in a relined main rocket nozzle just for the braggin’ rights.”

“But I’d have to sneak it into Dree and I don’t dare undock it the way it is.”

Toad-face pursed his lips and nodded, wiping his brow again with the red rag. “You know that much anyway. It’s more sense than most have.”

She sighed and mentally counted the credits in her account one last time. “This is extortion, you know.”

“Extortion is such a nasty word. I prefer to think of it in economic terms. Supply and demand. I got the only supply in a billion kilometers so I get to demand what I want for it.”

“I’ll have to get back to you,” she said. “Gimme a day or two to finagle the finance.”

He nodded. “You want my advice?”

She turned to look at him. “You gonna charge me for it?”

“Pfft. No need to get snarkish.” He jerked his chin toward the ship. “Sell it. Get what you can for it. You could probably get enough to grab a modern courier right out of the yards and not have to put up with old crap breaking down and giving out.” He paused as if to gauge her reaction, his head tilted to one side. “You got lucky this time. Another few days and you might not have made it back to breathable air. Old ships like this one, well, they’re a rich guy’s game. Somebody startin’ out can’t support the habit.”

Natalya felt her molars grinding and had to force herself to relax her jaw. “Not an option.” She pulled in a deep breath and blew it out through her nose. “Gimme a couple of days to figure something out.”

He shrugged. “No skin off my hide. Not like I get a lot of call for replacement parts for antiques.” He scowled at her for a moment before saying, “Price will be the same.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything else,” Natalya said.

Kondur smiled when Natalya slid into the booth. “Twice in the same day? To what do I owe this rare treat?” he asked.

She shrugged. “Seems I need the credits.
Peregrine
needs repairs that I can’t cover. If that job’s still open?”

He nodded. “It is. Will your lovely companion be joining you aboard? I still need a third mate. Where is she, by the way?”

“She will. She’s grabbing a bit of sleep while she can.”

“Prudent,” Kondur said.

“I’ve got a couple of questions about the job.”

“Ask.”

“Docking for the
Peregrine
for twelve weeks will add up. Is there someplace I can park her that’s less than a hundred a day?”

“Permanent party docks are on the other side of the station. See Russ or Eng in the dock master’s office and get a berth assignment. They’re not exactly convenient, but they’re cheap. Three hundred a month. Shore-ties for power, water, and air at station rates. You can arrange a fuel tender to top off your tanks for a fee.”

“I won’t be using much fuel.” She paused a moment before asking, “What’s security like?”

Kondur smiled. “Nobody will touch her. I’ll see to it.”

“That seems generous.”

He shook his head. “Looking out for an asset I hope to use later.”

“Me or the ship?”

He chuckled. “Both, of course.”

She nodded and granted him the point. “Fair enough. How’d you know I was an engineer?”

“Natalya Regyri. Class of ’63. Top ten in the class. Top engineering student. Top-rated martial artist. Natural-born shuttle pilot. Even attracted TIC recruiters who became frustrated by your unwillingness to join their merry band.”

Natalya felt her eyes widen. “That’s pretty specific.”

“I try to stay informed when strangers come to call. Demetri’s daughter rates even higher.”

“Zoya?”

“Ms. Usoko is an interesting case. Top ten in the class. Medium marks for a deck officer, but strong showing in her leadership index. Recruited to Trade Investigation last February. Currently on assignment.”

Natalya blinked. “Meaning here with me.”

Kondur nodded.

“That doesn’t bother you?” she asked.

He laughed. “If I had a problem with TIC on station, I’d have to fire half the staff. They have no jurisdiction here and I occasionally find them useful.”

“And you have your own people in their pockets, too, I take it?”

“I’m a simple businessman, Ms. Regyri. Long ago I found it prudent to know what people were saying about me.”

“Is it going to be a problem for Zoya to be on this run to Siren?”

“If it were, I wouldn’t have offered it. At least a third of the crew are probably TIC informants.”

“So where do we go from here?”

“Get your ship settled. Report to dock twenty. Captain’s Tommy Trask. He’ll be expecting you sometime during day watch on the seventh.”

“Fair enough.” Natalya slipped out of the booth, not knowing why she felt like things might be breaking her way. She needed to visit a certain toad-faced yard man, then break the good news to Zoya. She laughed quietly to herself. “I just hope she thinks it’s good news,” she said under her breath.

Chapter 15
Dark Knight Station: 2363, June 7

Natalya led Zoya along the large ship docks until they stood in front of number twenty. She glanced at Zoya before pushing the call button.

“I still don’t know about leaving the
Peregrine
unattended,” Zoya said.

“Not like we got a lot of choice. We need to get her repaired and we need credits to make that happen.” She shrugged. “Kondur’s word is fine with me.”

“You didn’t get it in writing.”

“No.” Natalya sighed. “I didn’t.”

“Will you get enough from this run to pay for the repair?”

“No, but the fuel coupling is a common part. I can probably buy one in Siren for a couple kay.”

“Why’s he charging so much?”

Natalya looked at Zoya. “He’s got the only part in a billion klicks. I can’t fly the
Peregrine
without it. He’s gonna be pissed if I come back with my own and install it myself.”

“He just cost himself a repair job?” Zoya asked.

“By being greedy. I’d have paid him to do it for ten kay. Maybe even twenty. Two hundred?” She winced. “Not with an option like this available.”

The lock clamps thunked and the heavy door rose to reveal a spacer in a relatively clean shipsuit showing shiny new able-spacer pips on the collar. He stood inside with his hands on his hips and stared hard at Natalya before giving Zoya a deliberate up-and-down gaze. “Yeah?” he asked.

“We’re here to see Captain Trask,” Natalya said. “Mr. Kondur sent us.”

The spacer’s attitude relaxed a bit and he nodded his head into the ship. “Come on, then.” He led them into the ship and up to officer country where he knocked on the cabin door.