Bits of Flower by Foner E. M

Author:Foner, E. M.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Foner Books
Published: 2023-02-01T00:00:00+00:00

Twelve

“What are they doing?” Delphi asked Bill. “It looks more like a gaming tournament than a side session of an academic conference. And wouldn’t it have made more sense to do this when the students didn’t have the week off to visit Earth?”

“You’ve got me, but they aren’t missing any excitement by not being here this morning,” he said. “With those headsets covering their eyes and ears, the attendees have been sitting there with their mouths half open since they put them on. Vivian was just here, and she said they’d be breaking for an early lunch in ten minutes, so we’re going to be busy.”

“You’re staying to help?”

“All of the aliens who come in to eat at Harry’s cafeteria are down on Earth for business so I have the whole week off,” Bill told her. “The same thing happens when we stop at Union Station.”

“You never told me they were all in business,” Delphi said. “I had the impression they were here on some kind of EarthCent-related outreach thing.”

Bill double-checked the salad makings to be sure that everything was prepped while coming to a decision. “I wasn’t going to tell you this because it has nothing to do with work and I’m not sure I’m allowed, but Flower hasn’t interrupted over my implant yet, so either it’s okay or she’s too busy to listen in.”

“That sounds serious.”

“It’s not exactly a secret, but EarthCent made a deal with a bunch of alien intelligence agencies to let their spies travel around on Flower to keep an eye on our sovereign human communities. It saves their governments a lot of money, and they pay some of it back to help defray the ship’s expenses.”

“I don’t understand,” Delphi said. “Firstly, I thought that Flower was making money hand over foot, and secondly, why would you be in on it?”

“Flower is making money now, but she wasn’t when the deal was first set up, and apparently EarthCent thinks that we’re scoring a lot of points with the aliens by demonstrating we don’t have anything to hide. I’m in on it because, well, I’ve got another part-time gig as a sort of, I don’t know, a spy’s assistant?”

“You’re asking me because you aren’t sure?”

“I’m sure,” Bill said, glancing over to see if any of the guests had removed their VR headsets yet. “I wasn’t crazy about the idea, but the captain asked me to try it, and I was already friends with some of the aliens.”

“So EarthCent hosts intelligence agents from the other tunnel network species, and when they’re not busy spying at our stops, they hang out in your cafeteria and drink. They sound like some guys I know.”

“It’s not just guys, and they all have real jobs,” Bill told her. “Jorb runs the dojo, Razood has a blacksmith shop, Avisia teaches etiquette, or whatever they do in a finishing school, Belle is a journalist, the—”

“Belle hangs out with your spies?” Delphi interrupted

“You know her?” Bill made a face. “Don’t tell her I blew

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