Night's Dawn 2 - The Neutronium Alchemist by Peter F. Hamilton

Author:Peter F. Hamilton
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2010-03-21T03:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 16

The Bar KF-T wasn’t up to much, but after a fifty-hour trip squashed into the two-deck life support capsule of an inter-orbit cargo tug with just the captain’s family to talk to, Monica Foulkes wasn’t about to closet herself away in a barren hotel room. A drink and some company, that’s what I need. She sat on a stool up at the bar sipping an imported beer while Ayacucho’s meagre nightlife eddied around her. The economic downturn from the quarantine was affecting every aspect of Dorados life, even here. It was ten-thirty P.M. local time and only five couples were braving the dance floor, there were even some tables free. But the young men were still reassuringly on the prowl; she’d already had three offers of a drink.

The only cause for concern was how many of them were wearing red handkerchiefs around their ankles, boys and girls. She couldn’t be entirely sure if they wanted to seduce her or simply convert her. Deadnight was becoming an alarming trend; the ESA’s head of station in Mapire estimated twenty per cent of the Dorados’ teenage population was getting sucked in. Monica would have put it nearer to fifty per cent. Given the blandness of existence among the asteroids she was surprised it wasn’t even higher.

Her extended sensory analysis program plotted the tall man’s approach, only alerting her to his existence when he was two metres away and his destination obvious.

"Can I get you another bottle?"

Her intended reply perished as soon as she saw the too-long greying hair flopping over his brow. "Sure," she said, grinning whimsically.

He sat on the empty stool beside her and signalled the barmaid for a couple of bottles. "Now this is far more stylish than our last encounter."

"True. How are you, Samuel?"

"Overworked and underpaid. Government employees get the same deal the Confederation over."

"You forgot unappreciated."

"No I didn’t," he said cheerfully. "That’s the benefit of Edenism, everyone contributes to the greater good, no matter what area we excel in."

"Oh, God." She accepted her new beer from the barmaid. "An evangelical Edenist. Just my luck."

"So, what are you doing here?"

"Negotiating armament manufacturing contracts; it actually says I’m a rep for Octagon Exports on my passport."

"Could be worse." Samuel tried his beer, and frowned at the bottle with some dismay. "Take me, I’m supposed to be part of the delegation from this system’s Edenist habitats, discussing mutual defence enhancement arrangements. I specialize in internal security procedures."

Monica laughed, and tipped her bottle at the middleaged Edenist. "Good luck." The humour ended. "You must have seen them?"

"Yes. I’m afraid the possessed are definitely inside the barricades."

"Shit! I meant the Deadnight kids."

"Ah. Monica, please take care. Our… examination of the Dorados has shown up several cadres of possessed. They’re here, and they are expanding. I do not advise you return to Mapire. Our estimation is that it will fall within another three days, probably less."

"Did you tell the governing council?"

"No. We decided it would cause too much panic and disorder. The council would

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