Ship Show: A Humorous Space Opera (Reassembly Book 3) by C.P. James

Author:C.P. James [James, C.P.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-03-15T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

THE NO IN KEYNOTE

The so-called Grand Salon was an enormous stadium hanging off the back of the convention center. Not as big as the one on Zorr where they watched Sumbakh, but large enough to hold a hundred thousand attendees with room to spare. Voprot found a section nearby for oversized species, which, ominously, hosted a handful of Gundrun military brass. Doc and Parmhar were seated in front of him, Oz, and Denk.

A square stage sat in the middle of the floor under colorful hovering lights. Black steps came up through a hole in the middle, and a projection of “IASS 2427” drifted lazily back and forth.

Parmhar still didn’t have his funding. He’d been crestfallen to learn of Geddy and Oz’s unproductive evening but held out hope that Tatiana would come through before the show was over.

The previous night ended with Geddy and Oz helping Tati back to her suite at the Baroness, a luxurious property adjoining the convention center. Her drunkenness wasn’t an act, but her willingness to end the night early certainly was. They left her on the bed, promising to return shortly, but she passed out immediately.

They hadn’t seen Rader at the keynote, but you couldn’t have picked out anyone in a venue this large unless they were nearby. Oz clearly wasn’t ready to talk about him yet, and the only information Geddy gleaned from him was that the keynote was somehow significant. Otherwise, they’d still be in bed.

“What did he say to you, exactly?” Oz asked.

“He said, ‘See you at the keynote, brother. It’s really happening.’”

"What's 'it?' What do they have to do with the keynote?”

“I have no idea. What’d he say to you? More to the point, what did you say to him?”

She tilted her head, an irritated look crossing her face. “Why?”

“Why? Because he’s a freaking …” he lowered his voice, “you-know-what.”

“He doesn’t know anything about our mission if that’s what you mean. We swapped a few stories. It wasn’t a big deal.”

Before Geddy could read anything into that, the house lights dimmed, and a spotlight picked up a sharp-dressed Zihnian as he ascended through the hole in floor of the square platform.

A booming announcer’s voice came through the PA. “Please welcome the president of the Intergalactic Association of Ship Suppliers, Meihen Soupadou!”

The small man’s ash-gray skin popped against his blue uniform, presumably the sort that IASS leadership wore around the office. He acknowledged the welcoming applause.

“Greetings, attendees, and thank you. Before we begin, I’ve been asked to make a brief announcement. A gray Nichuan light transport, transponder number 892373Q, has exploded.”

A four-armed Nichuan sprung from his seat on the floor and limped hurriedly down the aisle toward the exit, drawing sniggers from the crowd as Soupadou continued.

“Welcome to IASS 2427!” He gestured grandly about him as the auditorium filled with applause. “On behalf of the association board of trustees, thank you for coming.

“I know you’re anxious to hear our top-secret keynote speaker, but first, one of our members has asked for a few minutes of your time to make an important announcement.

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