Hollow Space Book 1: Venture (Xantoverse) by Grant T. F. & Barnes C. F

Author:Grant, T. F. & Barnes, C. F. [Grant, T. F.]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Anachron Press
Published: 2014-07-27T16:00:00+00:00

***

Bookworm watched the kronacs heft four bags each and race across the dock toward a panel Tai had levered off the back wall. Algae lights gleamed dully in the dark levels beyond the hole.

“Leave it,” Tai said when Bookworm started to lift one of the heavy sacks. “You’ll only get in their way.”

Bookworm dropped the sack beside his gun cases. “What’s through there?” He pointed a thumb at the hole in the wall.

“Dark levels,” Tai said. “Places that nobody has mapped and hardly anyone goes, safest place for this sort of booty.”

“If hardly anyone goes into these dark levels, then how do you know about them?”

“I’m useful like that.” Tai pulled him to one side as the kronacs raced back across the deck, grabbed up more bags, and rushed back toward the dark levels.

“Kronacs work hard.”

“Yup. Fast, strong, and hardworking. That’s your average kronac.”

“They treated my books with”—Bookworm considered the word—“reverence.”

“Our books, and paper books are rare. To see so many…” Tai’s voice died away.

“My books,” Bookworm said. “You are getting half what they earn not half the books.”

Tai glanced at him. “Fair enough.” He leaned in until he stared into Bookworm’s eyes through the faceplates in between. “But remember that I do get half the proceeds. I like you, Dylan Meredith James, but a deal is a deal, and blood is the cost of breaking one.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“Reminding you,” Tai said. “All this is costing me money. Happy to spend it, but only if I get paid.”

It didn’t take long for the kronacs to move the sacks of books through into the dark levels.

“Time to go,” Tai said.

Bookworm picked up the gun cases.

“You should probably leave them aboard the ship,” Tai said.

“I thought I could store them with the books.”

“Better not. Better if there’s nothing to connect you to the books stored along with them.”

“I thought this was a safe storage area.”

“As safe as anywhere else on Haven, but still.”

“I’ll keep my guns handy, thanks.”

“Fair enough.” Tai led Bookworm through the hole in the wall.

Scaroze was waiting on the other side, the other kronacs having already dispersed. He whistled something.

“Yeah,” Tai said. “You deal with that. You know the form. So sorry it was an accident; Tairon Cauder will pay. Yes, it was stupid. Yes, that is bad fuel, but he didn’t intend to use it himself. No, I’m not sure where he is.”

Scaroze whistled again.

“Nah,” Tai replied. “Don’t even mention Bookworm here. Let’s not get them thinking too hard.”

Scaroze laughed and left, closing up the panel behind him.

Tai took off his guns, stripped off his spacesuit, and strapped his guns back on.

Bookworm did the same.

“Here.” Tai handed him a pair of green-tinged glasses.

“What are these?”

“Night-glasses, to help you see in the dark.” Tai reached up and pressed a pad on the side of the algae light. Its soft glow died away until they were standing in pitch blackness.

Bookworm put on the glasses over his own spectacles. Instantly he could see the edges of the space they crouched within: dark shapes, angular lines, shadows where pitted holes opened in the floor.

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