Part 19 (1/2)
”Is that all?” Aldriena said sarcastically.
”No, actually there is one other ...” Bren said. He trailed off as Aldriena raised an eyebrow at him.
”We want you to help us capture one of them,” Nicole said.
”You'll have everyone after you seize the base!”
”No, we want one of the aliens.”
”One of the spinners? How can I help you? You have huge armored robots that trundle around blowing the s.h.i.+t out of everything that moves. And a whole brigade of marines-”
”Only two battalions, actually,” Nicole said. ”Although we are getting more soon.”
”Oh. Well. I now see why you need me,” Aldriena said.
”You can get on the station to deliver a s.h.i.+pment,” Bren said. ”If you can find out where the spinner or spinners are, that alone would help. Better yet, if you can get close to one, you can use a glue bomb on it.”
”A glue bomb won't-”
”This isn't a normal glue grenade,” Nicole said. ”It's a lot more ... industrial. A robot stopper, almost like instant-set concrete.”
”Except lighter,” Bren added. He winced. That probably went without saying. Surely, Nicole had noticed his tongue-tied mien. He'd lost whatever chance he had to stand out in her eyes on this one.
”Sounds dangerous,” Aldriena said. ”If I use it, I could get stuck myself and asphyxiate. If I miss, then sure as h.e.l.l the spinner isn't going to be happy.”
”Then don't miss,” Nicole said.
”Well. I survived a group of h.o.r.n.y s.p.a.ce rangers, so what do I have to lose, going up against a deadly alien monster?”
”Is that a yes?” Nicole asked.
”I'm gonna need some Momma Veer and my gun. C4B.”
”What?”
”Never mind. I need a Veer skinsuit, not that cheap s.h.i.+t you give your grunts. You guys have some good guns somewhere too, right?”
Nicole frowned. ”I'm sure we can dig one up.”
”Okay, well how much does this job pay?” asked Aldriena.
”You know there's going to be a huge political whiplash about all of this when it comes to light,” Nicole said. ”You can come out unscathed if you help us get what we want. Otherwise, you'll look like part of the problem.”
Aldriena sighed. ”Didn't anyone teach you s.p.a.ce force types that you can get more with a carrot than a stick?”
”That is the carrot, miss,” Nicole said. Bren started. He hadn't realized that Nicole could sound so forceful. ”You don't even want to know what the stick is.”
Bren watched Aldriena bristle.
”The UNSF does regular news feeds about the base incursions now that everyone knows we're out here,” he jumped in. ”You're scheduled to be part of the next one. You'll be painted as some kind of traitor ... unless we prevent that.”
Bren figured an operative like Aldriena didn't want to have her ident.i.ty widely advertised. Surely, Black Core would be more likely to take her back into service if she kept a low profile.
”Very well,” she said. ”But I still say you're making me choose between a small stick and a big stick. I don't see any carrots around here.”
”We'll draw up a contract. Payment only for the completion of your objectives,” Nicole said.
”At last! A vegetable!” Aldriena said.
Eleven.
Cinmei sat on Chris's bed. Her slender body hid from his eyes beneath a turquoise robe. Even though Chris felt a crus.h.i.+ng load of worry and fear from his situation, he stared at the smooth brown skin of her shapely calves where they descended from her garment. He caught the scent of cinnamon that followed her around the quarters. Perhaps if he leaned closer, he could sample the scent better.
He forced his fantasies to submerge. He had to have his wits about him to get home alive.
”Well? Tell me your plan. How are we gonna do this?” he asked.
”Shuttle. We will be on.”
”How can we do that? They'll never let us.”
”Have others who help. They fool computer.”
”And Captain?”
”We go during challenge.”
”Tomorrow?”
”Yes. Best time. Only one chance, I think.”
Chris felt helpless. He had no network of people here, no experience in smuggling anything, certainly not people. He felt the VG security people were competent. He'd seen one or two greedy employees relegated to subsistence level for trying to cheat the company payroll. Only the strongest lasted very long at subsistence. If the low calorie diet didn't get you then eventually you'd get sick and die without any medical attention. Yet, Cinmei had offered a way out, and he didn't think he could escape alone.
What choice do I have?
”Has anyone you worked with escaped before?”
”No. Haven't tried.”
”I wonder what Alec will do if they catch us,” Chris said. ”I mean, I wonder what Captain will do.”
Cinmei didn't answer.
”Where are you from?” Chris asked.
”Beijing.”