Page 32 (1/2)
I leaned ainst the wall, no s in here where people could get toh-rise With a job like et up here
The drug kicked in, dropping the blessed veil of silence over the incessant clamor of other people’s wants and needs Exhausted, I took a san-shower, then found a packet of paste I didn’t keep the kitchen-mate stocked, no point
A quick stop at the comm terminal infor pitiful Though I’d known these spoiled Imperial types had deadas egregious and wasteful as the run on the Ja-Win compound Good men had died out there, soldiers with faave a shit He’d pay the death benefits, shrug, then co war games
In those days, I felt ee Apart fro and nearly ungovernable need to lash out Svetlana’s h I couldn’t wait to see her
My sister didn’t approve of how I , but she also understood why I chased the credits When I boughtI could finally achievein my head Blessed quiet
I planned to hire Svet on as crew, and she could stop working in that crappy secondhand shop on Gehenna We’d get together next ue over my choices and her stubbornness Nobodythe things she did, either I’d killed for much less
Out of habit, I sat down at the comm terminal to check my bank account, as I always did after a job I coainst what the dreas to see whatmy freedoe off Nicuan, but to what end? I wasn’t a far somebody else’s bots All I kne to do was kill--and fly So I’d do the former until I could do the latter I’d be damned if I piloted to put money in the Corp’s pocket
"What the" That couldn’t be right A few taps on the interface and then I spat a curse The amount I received prior to the Ja-Win job had been transferred out again Unless he thought I died in the Ja-Win co rage boiled up insidered I could do this, even under the influence This job didn’t call for speed, just stealth After tucking a pistol in my belt and a knife in my boot, I went to pay my respects
[Narration pauses, time lapse of four hours]
Security on Pilatu’s city estate was laughable It was a lush, lavish place full of expensive statuary, gushing fountains, and well-ardens, all hidden away behind heavy, ornate rappler, I went over the wall, dropped behind the hedge, and waited
I had all night
The droids ca bots, Ithe innocuous vid feeds I’d provided, they died withouta sound
Then the place was h me, akin to lust I strolled up to the suite where the noble sat pondering his next move The man didn’t know it yet, but he didn’t have one
I closed h, I’d crush the man’s windpipe A tould snap his neck I savored each possibility while Pilatu struggled againstvainly to see who had him
"You cheated me," I whispered into the other man’s ear "I don’t work for free Ever And ent on the success of your plan"
"Let o," the noble tried to de to get the words out "Catch youyou’ll beexecuted"
"Weighed against the pleasure of killing you, I’ I don’t care"
"I have money" Face purple now, the other man wheezed "I can--"
"No," I said with finality "You can’t"
A little shiver of pleasure went through me as I wrenched Pilatu’s neck sideways, then let the body drop About Mary-sucking ti orders froet off world fast
I still didn’t have enough cred for my own ship, but what the fuck There were other worlds, other wars People always needed killing
I left the estate quietly and walked a good distance before signaling an autocab Expedience sent e on a vessel departing tonight It didn’t h Gehenna would be best Svet would take ot there, the place was very nearly deserted No surprise, considering it was so late Droids went about their work inthe docks and only two ships, neither of which looked ready to go I stood, hands bunched into fists, considering my options I really couldn’t stay on Nicuan now, but if I didn’t have a choice--
"Well, well, if it isn’t my least favorite person," caht, then relaxed a little when I recognized Hon, a tall, dark-skinned pirate from the Outskirts We’d tussled more than once, but in a friendly way ht over so like a blood grudge lay between us
I grinned "I’d say likewise, but I despise these Nicuan noblesbone white teeth "You er before I asked, "So what brings you out so late?"