Trading in Danger (11 page)

She would rather have locked in ship repair first, but in the event…

She arranged the loan as quickly as she could, for as much of the purchase price as she could. From the bank, she was able to contact FarmPower and arrange transport of the machinery to orbit—at least “freight on board” in the price meant that delivery was covered, though not transfer to her ship. From the bank’s secure com booth, she let Tobai know what was coming, and when, and briefly explained the political and economic problems involved.

“And yes, I know, we still have to get the ship repaired, but at least we won’t have the cargo impounded.”

“See your point,” was all he said. “When is delivery?”

“Tomorrow or the next day, depending on cargo shuttle availability. They say it’ll take four shuttles, and their estimated load time here is six hours per. They’re starting to move the cargo to the shuttle port now, though—or anyway, they said within four hours. I’ll keep on it.”

“Fine, you do that. If we’re in a hurry, we may need to hire some temp labor, for loading…”

“We can’t,” Ky said. “At least—we shouldn’t.”

She looked at the time when she came out of the booth. Close enough to her courtesy call on the consul. The morning’s calls had all taken longer than she hoped. Her implant reported that she could get by without returning to the Captains’ Guild for a trip through the ’fresher. A simple tuning of pores… her skin tingled, briefly, and for a moment she smelled a sharp herbal scent she couldn’t name, then it vanished.

Someone sneezed, across the walkway, and instantly yanked a screaming yellow sprayer from his pocket and sprayed something that smelled like melons. Ky tried not to stare. Other pedestrians ignored him, Ky noticed.

“Captain Vatta—” That was her escort, who until now had been as quiet as a robot servant.

“Yes?”

“I am receiving information relevant to your safety. It is my considered advice that we proceed immediately to the embassy.”

“What’s going on?” Ky asked.

“I—would rather not speculate,” he said. “My concern is your safety, and I am sure your officials will explain if there is need.”

If the loan department at the bank was worried, and her escort was worried, perhaps she herself should be worried.

“That’s where I was going anyway,” she said. “It’s only a short distance; do you think it’s still safe to go on foot?”

“At present, yes,” he said.

“Good,” Ky said. “Let’s go, then.”

By the time she reached the embassy, she knew something was going on. The streets were oddly quieter; though people were talking, they had lowered their voices. Pedestrians would occasionally stop short—listening to their implants, probably—and then stride on, looking tense. Ky wondered if any of them were reservists being called to active duty. Her escort ducked into the guard’s kiosk; Ky went on into the building.

“Ah, Captain Vatta,” the desk clerk said. “Have you heard the news?”

“That Secundus and Prime are unhappy with one another, yes,” Ky said.

“There’s been a demonstration at Majel Dis, in Secundus,” the clerk said. “We just heard… four deaths confirmed, many injured.”

Ky could think of nothing to say.

“The consul would not commit the discourtesy of failing to greet you, Captain, but he is rather busy and would appreciate it if your visit could be… brief.”

“Of course,” Ky said.

“We will be updating our citizens with whatever information we have, of course,” the clerk said. “We recommend that you authorize an override to your implant, so that we can send to you directly whether your skullphone is on or not.”

“That’s fine,” Ky said. She thumbprinted the form he held out.

“Now,” the clerk said. “Let me show you to the reception room.”

The reception room, a parlor overlooking a small garden planted with native Slotter Key flowers, was centered with a large table, laden with refreshments. The consul greeted Ky warmly, as if nothing were going on, and led her to a pair of chairs near the window.

“Captain Vatta, so pleased to see you. I’m Doss Verdin, senior consul. Does this mean that Vatta Transport is setting up more frequent regular service here?”

“Not to my knowledge, sir; I am on a contract run from Belinta.”

“Ah. Belinta. We have had complaints from that quarter.”

“They blame Slotter Key for the Pavrati not delivering their ag machinery,” Ky said.

“I know,” he said, pinching his nose. “They said so many times. I tried to explain that Slotter Key and Pavrati Shipping were not the same entity, that we had no control over Pavrati, and so on. I understand you’re here on the same errand from Belinta?”

“Yes. Perhaps Vatta can redeem Slotter Key…”

“I hope so,” he said. “You’re aware of the political problems we have here now?”

“I just heard,” Ky said. It didn’t sound particularly bad yet.

“I was wondering, Captain, if perhaps you could do us a favor.”

“Of course, if I can,” Ky said.

“We have four Slotter Key citizens on the beach at present. One of them caught chahoki fever; he and the others were quarantined, and their ship left without them. They’ve been here almost six months; their visas are running out, and although I might get an extension, this is not the best time to ask for one. I wonder if you need any extra crew, or if you’d be willing to take them as supercargo until you can drop them someplace they’re likelier to find work…?”

“We’re not a large ship,” Ky said slowly. But spacers helped stranded spacers, unless stranded for the wrong reasons… and Tobai had said they could use help…

“We don’t have funds to pay their passage,” the consul said. “But we can pay their way up to orbit, and we could offer a small sum toward supplies for them.” He looked grim. “Sabine Prime has a history of impressing foreigners without high status into their military—I can’t stand by and see these people conscripted, and yet I can’t keep them in the embassy.”

“What are their records like?” Ky asked.

“Ordinary,” the consul said. Ky’s implant lit, and she looked over the files he’d just sent her. Experienced, licensed in their specialties, no black marks from their last two employers—all that their traveling records held.

“I can do it,” Ky said. “But I’m ashamed to admit I’ll need that honorarium for extra supplies. Belinta demanded that I purchase the cargo, and we had a bit of trouble on the way so we also need some repairs. Supplies for another four people are just out of range.”

“We can stretch to that,” the consul said. “And thank you. They will thank you as well. Shall I send them up, or do you want to meet them?”

“I want to meet them,” Ky said. She was not going to foist onto her loyal, experienced crew some strangers she hadn’t even met. “Are they here?”

“Yes. We’ll just have a cup of tea and—” His face went blank. Then he shook his head. “I’m sorry, Captain, but it’s urgent and I must respond. I’ll have them sent in. Take as long as you like chatting, but I would recommend you have Zar arrange their shuttle tickets and your honorarium as soon as possible. Things are getting nasty over on Secundus.” He left the room, and a few minutes later the clerk—Zar?—ushered in three men and a woman, all in spacer clothes. They looked at Ky and the woman gave a tentative smile.

“Captain Vatta? Of Vatta Transport?”

“Yes, I’m Captain Vatta… you’re Specialist Lucin Caliran Li, environmental, right?”

“Yes, Captain. Thirteen years experience. We were hoping—wondering—if maybe—”

“The consul explained you were all stranded thanks to chahoki fever—your ship left you behind.”

“That’s right.”

“And you need a ride somewhere—I said I’d meet you and we’d see.”

“Thank you, Captain. Left us high and dry, they did, and only the minimum in our drop account, too. We tried to get work, both shipside and downside, truly we did…”

“I believe you.” The record the embassy had kept showed that; the consul clearly thought they were honest and diligent. They had even taken over work in the embassy garden, to the chagrin of the former gardener. “It’s a small ship,” Ky said. “We’re headed to Belinta with a load of agricultural machinery. After that Leonora, and after that Lastway. But at either Belinta or Leonora you might be able to find another berth. I can’t pay you—”

“That’s fine, Captain. Just to get away from Sabine, that’s enough.” Li turned to the others. “This is Specialist Seth Garlan, also environmental, Technician Paro Hospedin, drives maintenance, and Specialist Caleb Skeldon, cargo.”

Ky knew that already from the files the consul had given her, and was interested that Li introduced them in strict order of seniority and the others said nothing as she did so.

“Well, let’s just chat a little. Specialist Garlan, you have seven years ship service, is that right?”

“Actually twelve, Captain, but only seven in environmental; I was hoping to make pilot, but turned out to have an immune problem with the pilot implants. Legacy of a childhood bout of tick fever, they thought. My family had a farm up on theNorthCoast.” He grimaced. “And yes, I was the one who got sick here.”

“Well, you’re out of quarantine now,” Ky said. She knew vaguely that tick fever was a problem on Slotter Key’sNorthCoast, but otherwise nothing about it and it wasn’t relevant at the moment anyway. “How about you?” she said, turning to Technician Hospedin.

“My training’s from Pearce Institute,” he said. “I have an A-class certificate in drives, for both insystem and FTL drives; six years onboard experience. My last requal exam was eighteen months ago, just before signing on
Apple Blossom Song
, the ship that left us here. Most of my shipboard experience has been with Plackman-Moreson 8800 insystem drives, and the Rollings series G FTLs, but I did my onboard apprenticeship in an old R-class freighter with PM-42s for insystem and a II-C FTL.” His voice had the pedantic rhythms Ky associated with drives specialists.

“Our FTL’s a Rollings F-230,” she said. “It’s needing replacement of the sealed unit, and possibly more.”

His face sharpened. “If the sealed unit goes bad in a Series F,” he said, “you’re looking at cavitation damage in the main chamber as well. The back-buffer wasn’t nearly as good in that series…”

That was whatQuincywas afraid of, she knew. “We’re looking into it,” she said. She glanced at the last man, who spoke up without waiting for her to ask.

“Caleb Skeldon, Captain. Cargo specialist. Mostly I’ve been in charge of refrigerated holds, and I have only three years onboard experience, eight months of that on
Apple Blossom Song
. Before that I worked for a downside shipping firm, warehouse inventory and maintenance.”

All very straightforward, as were they all. Ky saw nothing in their faces or demeanor that rang warning bells. She ignored the fact that Skeldon looked to be about her own age, and had chiseled features, wavy blond hair, and a dimple. Aside from the light hair, he could have been Hal’s brother. That was irrelevant. She was an officer, after all, and his looks meant nothing to her. What mattered was that these four were Slotter Key citizens in a jam… The little voice in her head that said
Here you go again, leaping to rescue
could surely be ignored this time. She was doing a good deed, that was all. And at the request of the consul. No one could disapprove of that.

“Well,” she said, sitting back. “Let me tell you about me and my ship, and then if you want to come with us, we’ll talk to that clerk about arranging your transport up.” They nodded; Skeldon opened his mouth as if to speak, but subsided at a glare from Li. “I’m one of the Vatta family,” she said, “but I’m here on a private contract, not a family contract. The ship’s old, but until the problem on the trip here from Belinta, she seemed sound. And we’re having that repaired.” She hoped. “Our contract calls for us to deliver a cargo of agricultural machinery to Belinta; we’ll leave as soon as the cargo’s loaded and repairs are finished. It’s a several-week trip. Our crew capacity is twenty, and our environmental system could handle twice that number easily. At the moment, we have ten crew aboard. Any questions?”

Li spoke for them all. “When may we go up, Captain?”

“Let me ask that clerk,” Ky said.

Zar must have been listening in, because he had all the preliminaries taken care of. “This afternoon’s shuttle is all booked, Captain, but I have them listed on tomorrow morning’s, on the embassy account.”

“Good,” Ky said.

“And I can cut you a check for their share of mess expense from here to Belinta, also on the embassy account. Standard government reimbursement. I’d suggest you purchase supplies quickly; the situation’s getting nastier by the minute.”

“Right,” Ky said. “Can they stay in the embassy until the shuttle leaves?”

Zar nodded. “It would be advisable. They’ve been in transient housing—you have anything back there? If so, I’ll send a uniformed runner for it.”

“We didn’t want to leave anything, the way things were,” Li said. “Our duffel’s with us.”

“Good,” Zar said. “I’m afraid the accommodations aren’t great—you’ll have to share space with the embassy’s guard detachment, and we’ve cancelled all leave and liberty. Captain, if you’ll come this way—and Li, I’ll send someone to take you to the guard quarters shortly.”

“Thank you, Captain Vatta,” Li said. “We hoped—and of course Vatta…”

“Come on, Captain,” Zar said.

“We’ll have them escorted to the shuttle station tomorrow,” Zar said when they got into the next room. “Shouldn’t be any trouble, I hope. It’s a big help, your taking them off our hands like this. We really don’t have room here to shelter them; we’ve got a half-dozen merchant families, resident here for years, who are coming in tomorrow for the duration, plus the children of a dozen more, and we’re going to be crowded. We’re setting up dormitories upstairs…” He shook his head. “But that’s not your affair. Let’s see about that check—wait, here’s the schedule of standard payments. If you need to file a protest…”

Ky’s implant compared the cost of standard rations from a chandler at the orbital station to the reimbursement.

“No, that’s fine,” she said. “Do you have a comset I can use to contact my ship and let them know what’s coming?”

“Of course, Captain Vatta. Secure set, right over here—” A cabinet in the corner of the room. While Zar began the surprisingly lengthy process of transferring embassy funds to her account, she contacted Riel Amat on board ship, and explained the situation, sending along the personnel files, and told him to go on and order supplies.

“Are you sure about this, Captain?” Amat asked. “Four strangers? And with a war starting?”

“The embassy vouched for them; it was an official request. They were stranded because of a quarantine matter—their ship wouldn’t wait. And now they’re subject to conscription, the consul said.Garysaid we’d need help reconfiguring those machines to get into our holds. The embassy’s paying their mess expenses—”

“But no passage fee?”

“No. And yes, I know we need the money. But they’re our people, Riel.”

“I hope so,” he said. His lips were tight. She wondered if he thought he should be in command.

“Besides, Dad always said the government reimbursement schedules were generous. There’ll be a little left over after you order the supplies.”

“I hope that, too. All right—I’ll place the order right away. Four additional. When are you coming back up?”

“When I arrange financing for the repairs. Let me speak toQuincy—” Riel cutQuincyinto the circuit, and Ky spoke to her. “What’s your estimate now, anyway?”

“I can tell you more in another twenty-four hours. Teardown’s slow on this old girl. Last people who put ’er together meant her to stay that way. Listen, Captain, if there’s war brewing you’d best come back up here—it may be time to contact Vatta headquarters and arrange repairs through them. I know this wasn’t your assigned mission, but—”

She could just imagine her father’s reaction. “I’ll see what I can do here,” she said. “You don’t have the full specs on the repair yet anyway. I’ll be careful.” She signed off before either could say more, and came out of the booth. Zar handed her a hardcopy of the transfer; her implant agreed that the money was in the ship’s account. Maybe this was a sign that things would now go right.

“I’m sorry, Captain Vatta, but it’s against our policy to extend credit to independent captains for major repairs.” The Helmsward Yard had seemed the perfect combination of quality and value for their repairs. Until she said she needed to arrange financing.

“But I’m not an independent—I’m part of Vatta Transport, Ltd.”

“But your application states that you are incurring this risk as an individual…” The finance officer looked at her from under bushy gray brows. “Are you representing Vatta Transport, Ltd., or yourself?” It was clear he wasn’t entirely sure of her identity at this point.