Part 2 (1/2)
”Trader Olanek and Second Mate Collier came into this building to speak with you, sir,” she said. ”I was outside, supervising the unloading. After a time, the second mate came out and asked me to go with her to the warehouse. She said the Trader wanted something out of one of the rooms. When we arrived, she put a card in the lock and asked me to help her push the door open, since it was stuck-”
”Like as not,” Liam muttered. ”d.a.m.n thing hasn't been opened this tenyear.”
”And then,” Priscilla concluded, ”she hit me over the head and left me there. When I came to, I tried to gimmick the lock with a couple magnets off my ruler.”
Master Farley was staring. ”Hit you over the head and left you? And you her mate? Why would she do such a thing?”
”How do I know?” Priscilla snapped, then dredged up a painful smile. ”Look, do you mind if I sit down?
My head does hurt.”
”Surely, surely.” He looked a little fl.u.s.tered. ”Liam...”
The warehouseman loosed her with reluctance and placed the chair close to the desk before taking up a position directly behind it. She sat carefully, hands curled around the plastic armrests.”Thank you.”
”You're welcome.” Master Farley sighed, drummed his fingers on the rubbed steel top of his desk, screwed his eyes shut, and opened them again. ”You'll be having some ID on you, of course.”
She nodded, earning a flash of pain and a renewed flurry of dots. The hand that held her identification out trembled, she noted, and she was aware of a flicker of anger.
Master Farley took the packet and fed the cards one by one into the unit beside his desk. He studied the screen carefully, sighed, and turned back to her.
”Well, your papers are in order. Cargo master for Daxflan, out of Chonselta City, Liad-plain as rain.”
He shook his head. I'll be right out with you, la.s.s. I can't see the why of leaving you like this. A cargo master is an important part of a trade vessel. All this about being hit on the head and left-it don't add up. And I'll tell you what else: Trader Olanek was here, and we had a very pleasant chat. But I never saw this second mate you be speaking of. Nor I never saw you.”
”You don't believe me, in fact.”
He waved his hands soothingly. ”Now, la.s.s. Admit it don't seem so likely.”
”I do admit it,” Priscilla told him. ”I don't know why it was done any more than you do. Perhaps the second felt she had a grudge-but nothing to warrant cracking my skull.” Which means the Trader ordered it, she thought suddenly, crystally. Dagmar wouldn't have mugged her and left her-not without orders. It was more in her style to try rape, if she had thought Priscilla had insulted her. And if the Trader had ordered it, that meant...
Master Farley's chair creaked as he changed position. ”Well, then, la.s.s, I'm just bound to say that done's done. There doesn't seem to be any harm you've done-is that so, Liam?”
”Yessir,” the warehouseman said regretfully. ”Happens that's so.”
The port master nodded. ”Then the wisest thing to do is give you back your ID and send you on your way.” He pushed her cards across the desk.
Priscilla stared at him. ”Send me on my way,” she repeated blankly. ”I'm stranded. I don't have any money. I don't know anybody here.” The Trader had ordered it. Which meant that her deduction was correct: Daxflan had been carrying illegal drugs in enormous quant.i.ty. Never mind how he had gotten at her data, locked under her personal code. He had found it, given her credit for being able to make the deduction-and acted to remove a known danger.
”Best you go to the emba.s.sy,” Master Farley was saying with apologetic kindness. ”Likely they'll send you home.”
Home? ”No,” she said, suddenly breathless. ”I want to go-I must get to Arsdred.” That was Daxflan's next port of call. And then? she asked herself, wondering at her own urgency. She shoved the question away for the present She would take one thing at a time.
”Arsdred,” she repeated firmly.
He looked doubtful. ”Well, if you must, la.s.s, you must. But I'm not the one to know how you'll go about it. You said you'd no money...”
”The s.h.i.+p in orbit now-Dutiful Pa.s.sage? Is she a trader?”He nodded, blinking in confusion.
”Good.” She took a deep breath and forced her aching head to work. ”Master Farley, you owe me no favors, I know. But I want to apply for work on Dutiful Pa.s.sage. Will you help me?”
”It's not me you need to speak to about that, la.s.s. It'll be Mr. Saunderson, who's the agent.” He puffed his chest out a little. ”Dutiful Pa.s.sage stops here every three years, regular.”
A s.h.i.+p that listed Jankalim among its regular ports of call? And a Liaden s.h.i.+p, too. Priscilla paused, trying to picture conditions less appealing than Daxflan's. Imagination failed her, and she smiled tightly at the port master.
”How do I get in touch with Mr. Saunderson?”
”His office is just in the city,” Liam said from behind her. ”Anyone can tell you the way.”
”That's so,” Master Farley agreed slowly. Then he squared his shoulders and stiffened his mustache.
”You can use the comm to call him from here, if you like to.”
Her smile was genuine this time, if no less painful. 'Thank you so much.”
”That's all right, la.s.s. Pleased to be of help,” he muttered, cheeks going pink. ”Liam here will show you to the comm room.” He made a show of turning back to the unit beside his desk, and Priscilla stood.
Liam looked as if he would have liked to grab her arm again, but satisfied himself with walking close behind her down the short hall to the communication room. He showed her the local screen and, after a moment's hesitation, punched up Mr. Saunderson's code. Priscilla smiled at him, and he flushed dull red.
Mr. Saunderson was old, his face a translucent network of wrinkles from which a pair of obsidian eyes glittered. He listened to her name and the statement mat she had been employed until recently on Daxflan and heard her say that she was interested in employment on the orbiting s.h.i.+p.
”It is my understanding, Ms. Mendoza, that Dutiful Pa.s.sage is fully staffed. However, if you would care to hold on for a few moments, I will ascertain whether this understanding is correct.”
”Thank you, sir. I appreciate your trouble.”
”Not at all. One moment, please.” The elderly face was replaced with an image of an unlikely landscape, portrayed in various shades of tangerine and aqua. The picture had not been calculated to soothe raging headaches, and Priscilla closed her eyes against it.
”Ms. Mendoza?”
Priscilla snapped her eyes open, cheeks flaming.
Mr. Saunderson smiled at her. ”The captain professes himself interested in an interview, Ms. Mendoza, and wonders if you would honor him by a visit.” He cleared his throat with the utmost gentility. ”He does indicate that Dutiful Pa.s.sage employs a very able cargo master. He does not wish you to visit under a misapprehension, or if you cannot accept any other position except that of cargo master.”
Priscilla hesitated, wondering what positions the captain had in mind. But she was determined to get to Arsdred.
She looked at Mr. Saunderson, who was patiently waiting in the screen, and tried to visualize him whetting the captain's supposed appet.i.te with a glowing description of her, bruised face and all. Thevision brought forth a grin.
”You're very kind,” she told the old gentleman carefully. ”I am willing to accept any crewing work that might be available on Dutiful Pa.s.sage. When and where may I visit the captain?”
”I shall send 'round Ms. Dyson, our pilot. Is twenty minutes convenient? Good. She will convey you to Dutiful Pa.s.sage. I will inform Captain yos'Galan of your coming.”
”You're very kind,” she said again.
”Not at all.” Mr. Saunderson smiled. ”Good luck, Ms. Mendoza.” He cut the connection.
Priscilla sighed and leaned back in her chair. She had twenty minutes until Pilot Dyson came to collect her. She looked at Liam. ”Is there someplace where I can wash my face and hands?”
He snorted and jerked his head. ”Down the hall, first door on the left. Nothin' fancy, it isn't.”
”As long as it's functional.” She levered herself up and went past him into the hall. He followed and leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, watching as she opened the door and entered the 'fresher.