Andre Norton by Redline the Stars

Author:Redline the Stars [Stars, Redline the]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Space ships, Solar Queen (Imaginary space vehicle)
ISBN: 9780812519860
Publisher: Tor Books
Published: 2023-11-18T00:00:00+00:00

14

The three apprentices, Jasper, and Rael were at the table when Jellico and Van Rycke strode into the mess the following morning. The Medic had Sinbad on her lap, cradled against her left arm. He was eating daintily from her other hand, which she held cupped before him.

“I thought he was beginning to look a little rotund,” Miceal remarked.

Rael glanced up. “He’s a hero again, fortunately an unwounded one this time. Someone,” she added pointedly, “was careless about reattaching the nets properly when he returned to the ship last night”

“Ouch,” muttered the Cargo-Master.

Weeks put down his fork. “Any good leads?” He had been with the Solar Queen a long time, and he knew full well that these two would not have been abroad in the wee hours merely to sample the kind of delights Happy City had to offer.

Van Rycke’s eyes danced like Terra’s sky on a sunny day. “A charter, my friends, a nice, fat, easy charter that’ll completely fill our bulk cargo holds.”

“What’re we carrying and to what port?” Dane asked eagerly.

“Equipment and chemicals to the dome mines on Riginni.”

He held up his hands when the faces of the four men at the table fell. “I’m not overjoyed, either, at the thought of revisiting her again so soon, but it’s a good run, and there could be at least a couple of others like it if we move fast enough.”

He lowered his large frame into the chair nearest him.

“We encountered one Adroo Macgregory, who is founder, president, chairman of the board, and just about High King of Caledonia, Inc. That’s the biggest conglomerate on Canuche. He’d already realized there was a fine market for his products in those new mines and had personally arranged via transceiver a large sale of everything from digging and crushing equipment to construction materials to chemicals of various sorts. He’s eager to move fast, before some competitor can edge him out. There’s no time to buy or license a freighter long-term, so he was planning to utilize several of those currently in port for his initial few runs. After witnessing the stampede Rael started in the market yesterday, though, Macgregory decided to give the Queen a shot at the whole charter, on condition that we’re prepared to accept delivery and lift within the next couple of days. We carry through on that, and we’ll get the work as long as we’re willing to take it and he’s still hiring independents, which he does warn won’t go on forever.”

He fixed the woman with a wicked grin. “Our agreement’s only verbal as yet. He won’t actually seal it until he has our Doctor Cofort present as well.”

Seeing the mischief on the pair, Rael merely arched her brows. “Now that’s a remarkable display of pure democracy!” she declared. “Imagine wanting not only the Solar Queen’s most exalted officers but also a lowly unskilled hand to officiate at so important a transaction!”

Jellico chuckled. “Actually, Macgregory wants to make a change in your employment status. He intends to offer you a place in his sales organization.

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