98 While Everyone Sleeps (1/2)

”There are eight of you altogether, you and seven others, correct?” Samir asked the sergeant. The sergeant nodded with visible reluctance. He seemed to be regretting he hadn't given Samir a higher number.

”There's at least kilo of fish and a kilo of mixed vegetables and fruit for you and each of your men,” Samir told him. ”Plus an extra kilo of both just for you. After all, you're their leader.”

As he had hoped for, the bribe successfully stopped the sergeant from trying to haggle for more. Arjun Varma turned round and signaled to his driver, who had respectfully stayed behind and stood by the parked jeep still half-full of Madan and Kali's belongings. Unpacking it was taking a lot of time, maybe because Madan was the only one doing it. Kali stayed hidden in the room Samir had allocated to them, most likely sunk in depression. Moving into a raw concrete box from a home they'd presumably made comfortable for themselves had to be a downer.

The sergeant and his driver were much more efficient. They each grabbed a handful of the bulging shopping bags and plastic bundles that contained the food imported from the New World, and carried them all to the jeep in one trip. They started shouting at Madan to hurry up the moment he appeared in the house entrance next to Samir. Samir was glad of the intervention: he expected Madan to have a lot to say to him, and judging by the look on Madan's face most of it wasn't going to be nice.

The sergeant came up to Samir and extended his hand for a handshake.

”I'll see you on Friday morning, then,” he said, pumping Samir's hand up and down.

”Yes.”

”You're sure it won't take longer than an hour?”

”That's with the safety margin added,” Samir said. ”We should be done in half the time. Now, listen. I want to ask you something.”

”Yes?”

”You said you were confiscating implant kits and hiber beds practically every day.”

”Well, yes,” said the sergeant uncomfortably.

”You'll all need female companions over there. I don't care who they are. They may be your wives, they may be your lovers. But you'll all need women. That means sixteen implants, and extra hiber beds, maybe one for each couple. It's still a lot.”

Arjun Varma was grinning when Samir fell silent. The idea of having a female companion of his choice in the New World was very appealing.

”You want me to keep back a few?” he said. ”For our own private use?”

”You can put it like that,” said Samir. He would have preferred the sergeant to put it in another way. He didn't like the suggestion that he and the sergeant had become equal partners.

”Done,” the sergeant said. ”It will be a couple of implant kits at a time, you understand.”

”Of course.”

”I'll see you on Friday, and I'll bring my men.”

”Good.”

”Will you have some food for us?”

”That will be up to your own selves in the New World,” Samir said. ”They'll get the tools to fish and gather wild foods right away, and they'll be directed to the right spots. After that, it will up to them - or you, however you prefer it.”

”Do you think they'll be able to send some by the evening?”

”Oh, for sure,” Samir said. ”Twelve hours equals five full New World days.”

”Good,” said the sergeant. ”When should we bring our women?”

”Sunday should be all right.”

”Sunday, fourth of March?”

”Yes. We'll talk more about it when I see you again.”

The sergeant walked back to the jeep with Madan, who had just reappeared to unload the final batch of his belongings. Samir quickly retreated to the house and began putting his room in order. It stank of fish and there were plenty of fish scales and plant rubbish on the floor where all the food had arrived. Samir could have told the kids to do the cleaning - he'd put them all in the next room. But they were all sleeping so sweetly on the silvery mats, sleeping and smiling. And anyway he wanted to appear busy for as long as possible, to put off the inevitable conversation with Madan.