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"Can that ship of yours reach the island without a drop from the Elevator?" Prumble finally asked

Mentally Skyler calculated the electricity burn The ship’s ultracapacitors could handle it, but it would take a few days to spool them unless he paid Woon for a feed The subtext concerned hi the Elevator htcliff’s radar Given the inspection yesterday, Skyler wondered how easy that would be "Depends," he said at last

"Good answer Read this"

Skyler took the plastic sheet and scanned it "Toenail clippers? It’s a how these pricks live"

Prulasses "The interesting bit is on the last page Care for a drink?"

Skyler nodded He scanned the entire list:

Titaniuram

Seeds (citrus), any type/quantity--100 per seed

Gauze and bandages--negotiable

Zigg ultracapacitors, all sizes--6,000 per

Cartridge filter pack for Aqua-Solve M7 es, covering all oods Vitamins, electronic components, chee:

Pru ites (cubeSTOR preferred), Torafuku Observatory, Toyama, Japan Full setverification)

The ae of this request will be denied by myself and my client should it be confiscated

If this item is not delivered to me at Clarke’s on 16 January, I will contact other suppliers

Skyler whistled, took the offered glass, and threw the drink back in one gulp

"That last was encrypted"

Skyler felt the alcohol war "Not fooling around"

"And time critical," said Prumble "Three days, or he shops it elsewhere"

"ElsewhereGrillo" Skyler uttered the name of Prumble’s chief competitor like a curse Grillo ran a crime syndicate that all but ruled Darwin’s eastern sluer crews, using the old football stadium as an air base

"Grillo, naturally" He handed Skyler a pencil and a sheet of yellow paper torn froer "Write it all down"

While Skyler copied the list, Prumble sipped his own drink

"It’s risky," Skyler said "Thereout there But the payment …"

Prumble nodded "Risk and reward"

"What are these numbers?"

"No idea," Prumble said "You know these scientists They speak their own language"

"No kidding And ‘NEO’?"

Prued "The verification bit concerns me You may retrieve the item, only to have it declined"

"Still, two hundred thousand in stamped council notes If this pays off, it s"

"Well don’t rub it in, damn you"

Prumble went back to the map on the wall "And if it doesn’t pay out, certainly your costs will be covered by some of the other items If you can find them," Prumble said "Japan is still fairly ripe Notanywhere near that duer over the city of Toyama "This is hundreds of kilometers from there Rural Are we in business?"

"Can you front h, not without Woon’s reactor coupling"

Pruh clenched teeth "Skadz never asked for that"

"He had a s"

"Had Past tense," said Prumble An uncoht hioods in your truck"

"Then we’re in business First thing tohtcliff will clear us"

Prumble removed a stack of bills from his desk and passed theh mental estimate, Skyler nodded He stood and stuffed the money inside his jacket

"You can let yourself out," the fat uards"

Chapter Five

Darwin, Australia

13JAN2283

A few dozen swagate