Part 26 (2/2)

”And what happens until then?” Kosta demanded.

Both of them looked at him. ”I'm not sure what you mean,” Qhahenlo said.

And here's where it hits the blades, Kosta thought, bracing himself. ”I mean I'd like to go ahead and publish this,” he told her. ”At least as a preliminary report. I think it's important that the hunters.h.i.+p crews know what's happening out there.”

A slight smile twitched at Qhahenlo's lip. ”And you're worried the Gabriel Corporation may take exception to you stirring up trouble?”

”Why would they?” Gyasi put in before Kosta could answer. ”You've found a problem no one else has noticed. They're more likely to thank you for pointing it out.”

”Oh, of course,” Kosta snorted. ”Corporations always appreciate someone showing them up as incompetent or negligent.”

Gyasi shook his head. ”You're missing the point, Jereko. This is Gabriel we're talking about here. They can't act that way.”

”Why not?” Kosta demanded. ”Because they provide a vital service?”

”No,” Qhahenlo said. ”Because they deal with angels.”

Kosta looked at her, feeling his arguments catch somewhere halfway down his throat. ”But the corporate heads don't actually handle the angels themselves.”

She nodded. ”Yes, they do. Every single one of them, every single day. That was one of the first conditions the High Senate set up when Gabriel was created, precisely to make sure that the standard corporate fixation with bottom-line profits didn't take hold there. And it worked. Gabriel genuinely cares about the health and safety of its employees, including the hunters.h.i.+p crews.”

”Translation: go ahead and write it up,” Gyasi murmured.

Kosta took a careful breath. ”All right. I will. In fact, if you'll both excuse me, I'll get started right now. Thank you, Dr. Qhahenlo, for running the data for me.”

”You're welcome,” Qhahenlo said, nodding gravely. ”We'll keep you up to date on what's happening.”

”Thank you,” Kosta said again, rounding the desk toward the door. ”Hopefully, I'll have my credit line back in a couple of days and be able to keep track of it myself.”

”I'm sure you will,” Qhahenlo a.s.sured him.

I was sure, too, yesterday, Kosta reminded himself as he headed down the quiet corridor toward his office. But that was yesterday, and yesterday he didn't have information the Gabriel Corporation might not want people to hear. It would, he decided, be very interesting to see their reaction when they saw his paper.

And to see what, if anything, they did about it. To the hunters.h.i.+ps, or to him.

CHAPTER 23.

The wrench slipped and clanged against the edge of the access f.l.a.n.g.e, narrowly missing Chandris's knuckles in the process. ”Nurk,” she gritted, lowering the tool and flexing her fingers. ”It keeps coming off.”

”That's because you're not setting the line-lock solidly enough against the connector,” Hanan told her, his voice calm and soothing. ”If it's tight enough, it won't slip.”

”Well, I can't do it,” Chandris growled, offering him the wrench. ”If you can, you're a genius.”

”Hardly,” Hanan huffed. But it was a pleased sort of huff. ”Let me show you.”

Chandris stepped aside, maintaining her frustrated scowl as Hanan busied himself with the wrench. His hands, she could see, were still not a hundred percent steady; but she could also see that her modified little-miss-helpless routine was doing wonders for his morale. With any luck, he wouldn't catch on to what she was doing until his nervous system had gotten back in synch with the exobraces' electronics.

And when that happened, it would be time for her to leave.

”There,” Hanan grunted, stepping back and gesturing with a slightly shaky hand at the wrench handle protruding from the access hatch. ”Try it now.”

”Thanks,” Chandris said, getting a grip on the wrench and giving it a tug. This time it stayed on. ”That's it, all right.”

”Just one of those things you pick up with experience,” Hanan said modestly. ”You'll get it in time.

That is, if you stay.”

”Where else would I go?” she countered, keeping her eyes on her work.

She sensed Hanan shrug. ”Back to running, I suppose. You were running when you first came here, if you remember.”

With a final tug, Chandris got the connector loose. ”I'm not much interested in running anymore,

thank you,” she told him, in a tone carefully designed to discourage further questioning.It was a waste of good voice control. ”You know, you never did give us any details about this crazy man you said you were running from,” Hanan commented. ”He must have been really crazy for you to have run all the way to Seraph to get away from him.”

”He was,” Chandris said briefly. ”You have a spare grommet there?”

”Sure.” He found one, handed it to her. ”Tell me about him.”

”Why?”

He sighed, just audibly. ”So that maybe we can help you find a way to get clear of him. Before you

leave us.”Chandris felt her throat tighten. ”Who says I'm leaving?””Ornina. She was right, you know: we do need you here.”Chandris snorted. ”That's the trouble with you two. You talk too much to each other.””She talks and I listen, anyway,” Hanan said, a hint of his usual flippancy peeking through. ”I'm serious, though, about wanting you to stay. For starters, who else will play this helpless-maiden

routine with me if you go?”

Chandris grimaced. So much for him not catching on. ”Maybe that's why I want to leave,” she growled. ”Maybe I'm tired of playing games. Ever think of that?”

For a long minute he was silent. Chandris finished attaching the new connector, then set the wrench's line-lock on the next one and broke it loose. ”We're all running from something, Chandris,” he said at last, quietly. ”Did Ornina ever tell you I wanted to be a surgeon?”

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