Bear, Greg - Beyond Heaven's River by Bear Greg

Author:Bear, Greg [Bear, Greg]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-10-30T15:33:05+00:00

Beyond Heaven's River

“No. Jason’s one of us, usually. Thanks for your concern.”

“Gracious madam. Here is Mr. DiNova.”

A man appeared in the center of the room looking tired and upset. DiNova was just over a meter and a half in height, stocky but trim, with fierce eyes, a short chin, and a scalp half bald, half covered with wiry white hair. “Anna. You’re not clear yet.” His delivery was rapid and husky.

“Gives me an advantage, Jason. Wait a second and it’ll all come through.”

“Ah. Okay.” His eyes focused on her, and he looked around the room. “Fancy. But we’ve got important things to talk about. I gave you one month for Kawashita — is he here?”

“Packing.”

“And you’ve gone over by two more months. You’ve lost two billion in revenues because of that and put two acquirable planets on USC’s list. You’ve got to tell me what’s coming up. I understand taking the USC guy under your wing on Kawashita’s planet, but isn’t this going a bit far?”

“Probably. Kawashita is a friend now, Jason. You know I give friends more time than I should.”

“I’ve got a schedule for the next six weeks, and I’d like you to examine it before it goes into ship’s planning.”

“Transmit it and I’ll look it over.”

“Are you going to start a scene with this guy?”

Nestor’s face hardened. “Don’t push it.”

“You ordered me to push it whenever necessary. I think it’s necessary. Does he go with us, become part of recreation hours like the rest of the entourage, or do we —” He stopped. “Hell, I don’t even want to suggest an alternative. You might take me up on it.”

“Kawashita is an honored guest of the Peloros . He’ll stay with us.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m interested in what’s going to happen to him, and because I like him.”

“Yes, and so do I, but if I let my interests get in the way of my work, you’d have every right to restaff my Beyond Heaven's River

billet.”

“I’m glad you can’t reciprocate. I have plans for Yoshio, don’t worry.”

“He holds a single planet, and not a very important one, as it turns out. I’ve had to turn down meetings with five Independent Consolidations reps — and at my guess, that means we’ve passed up business with a hundred planets. Anna, is this called love, or some new kind of insanity?”

Nestor turned away from DiNova’s image and climbed into the screen nook. “Jason, you’re getting personal.”

The man held up his hands. “All in the line of duty. Remember. Don’t restaff until I start insulting you during rec time.”

“I’ll okay ship’s planning as soon as I get it. And I’ll send check-ins with my position every few hours.

Hire a security team, or send one down from the ship — make them discreet. We’ll probably be back by week’s end, and unless you’ve got plans to put Peloros on starshine duty —”

“Nothing at the moment, but I may have to hire her out as a dance hall to pay the orbit rental.”

“— unless that happens, I don’t think I’ll be needed for a week.

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