Dragoon's Honor by Blaze Ward

Author:Blaze Ward
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781644703908
Publisher: Knotted Road Press

THE THIEF

PART 1

Afia got the note to wake Bethany up as soon as she got to the suite regardless of time and shrugged. Stations ran around the clock, like ships did, so folks were forever coming and going. You caught folks coming on duty or going off as needed.

She’d stolen one of Del’s cookies he was using to bribe Flight Control, so she wasn’t all that hungry. And she’d caught a nap on the shuttle.

Bethany she found stretched out on a couch, instead of in her cabin, so Afia went ahead and poked the babe quietly.

“Need food?” Afia asked when Bethany’s eyes opened.

“Yes, but you and Suvi needed an update first,” Bethany said. “Here, in private. Suvi, could you confirm?”

“Stand by,” Suvi said from inside Afia’s jacket. “Yes, we’re good. No changes from checksum. What’s up?”

Afia settled and listened to Bethany talk. Probably repeating the Dragoon’s story word for word, knowing the Librarian.

“Yeah, I’m with you two,” Afia said as Bethany finished. “Man’s up to no good. Got a few ideas, but nothing I could prove.”

“Shangdu,” Suvi said simply. “That’s why you’d need that sort of access. No idea what he might want to steal around here, but the man sounds like a thief to me. And I’m kinda an expert on the topic.”

Afia laughed. Understatement and a half, considering all the things that Suvi had done in her time.

“Money?” Afia asked.

“Most of what folks do is bring either cash themselves or a letter of credit with some bank somewhere,” Bethany replied. “Small players would have walking-around money and travelers cheques that the local bank would bundle up and haul back somewhere for credit that they use to buy supplies, with very little actual money changing hands physically.”

“At Shangdu, we were after paper in a box,” Suvi said. “With the Khatum’s Hellenic-style helmet as a way of getting in the door. Does the station store art objects?”

“Sometimes,” Bethany acknowledged. “Again, things that important players have brought with them, as it was in your case that time. Hang out here and make a deal in a place where everyone is on neutral and safe ground.”

“Did he steal something and is doing that trade with someone else?” Afia asked. “Not us, so I’m not sure why he’d be interested in Djamila.”

“To find out how dangerous Prince Javier is, maybe?” Bethany asked. “If our boy is smart enough to hire experts like her, then he’s not a man to underestimate. Plus, maybe he has something interesting to steal?”

“Shit, I’d like to feed him a pig in a poke if that’s the case,” Afia laughed. “Like you folks did the Khatum that first time.”

“She does consider it a trophy,” Suvi noted. “I’ve seen pictures of her wearing it. And nothing else.”

Bethany’s eyes got big, but Afia just laughed at the Librarian.

The Khatum was good people. Nice lady, and had gone out of her way to be friendly with all of them, and not just because of Javier.

Altai was home now. Afia would protect that, and her.

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