Hunters Of The Deep by Randall N Bills

Author:Randall N Bills [Bills, Randall N]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2011-10-12T09:29:28+00:00

17

Beta Aimag Hospice, Near Halifax

Vanderfox, Adhafera

Prefecture VII, The Republic

22 July 3134

The exercise felt good.

Sweat poured from his body as though from an open faucet. A cleansing feeling, washing away his hurt, his frustration, his darkness; keeping unwanted words at bay. The small exercise room might as well not have existed, its only two other occupants beyond his perception; their own determination to overcome their injuries a pale candle to his own, which burned as bright as a DropShip drive plume in a moonless black night.

Amazing what hating an enemy could do.

Petr redoubled his efforts. Knew the witch would likely be by soon to scold him. Tell him to slow down. To pace himself. How could he? He felt as though the universe were passing him by. As though great events for his Clan, and possibly for the rest of the Inner Sphere, were in motion and he’d been sidelined. Stuck on the bench.

He could not accept that.

Almost twenty minutes passed; dehydration and exhaustion clawed at him. Finally, satisfied that he had pushed his body and spirit to the very edge, he relented. Stepped off the machine and stood panting, breathing in the stuffy air, breathing in the smell of his own sweat. Slowly, he became aware of another person in the room, realized dimly that she had spoken to him twice already, and he had not responded. He tried to decide what he should feel about that. Shrugged—felt only a dull echo of the pain only three days past—and walked the four steps to his water bottle—a talisman to be grasped only after a straight thirty minutes of work. Such concentration, his ability to simply push away existence in his need to be reborn, should be lauded. A warrior’s concentration. An ovKhan’s concentration. He nodded his head.

“Merchant saFactor Tia. What news?” She didn’t even blink her flashing blue eyes before responding. Didn’t show any reaction at all to his new and improved look.

Then again, she probably wore such a look during coupling. Business. Always business and everything else a distraction to ignore.

“The negotiations proceed apace,” she began immediately. Blunt as ever. “However, Beta Aimag has made considerable headway, matching our bid point for point. Their interference has dragged out the negotiations interminably, with no end in sight.”

“How did this happen? We began negotiations many days before Beta Aimag even arrived. How did they catch up so quickly?”

“Their saFactor is . . . gifted.”

Though her face didn’t change, Petr understood that to be the highest compliment she’d pay to any other merchant; he’d not drag anything further out of her, even with an assault ’Mech.

“What concessions do we need to make to secure the contract?”

“These merchants are devious. They are playing both ends of the jump drive. Though such a game could lead to an explosive decompression in any other situation, they have recognized the mutual animosity of our Aimags. They believe one side or the other will reach for this contract, regardless of the ludicrous concessions they demand.”

Petr stretched his neck carefully, felt the pull of skin healing quickly.

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