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Skyler turned to hio"

Chapter 13

Gateway Station

3MAY2283

ALEX WARTHEN LAID three gray slates on the table

"What’s this?" Russell asked He angled his head to get a better look, and took a noisy sip of his vodka Each panel showed a sche at each screen in turn, Alex said, " the Elevator Past, present, and future Future being later today, if we all agree on the plan"

Ten Backward had been cleared for the , not that the tavern had seen , even alcohol, was on ration until things settled down

Sofia Windon, the only other council enuinely motivated to retain her former position, loomed at Alex’s shoulder The others had faded ahen Russell disbanded the group Good riddance, as far as he was concerned

The wo and difficult to dismiss

"Okay," Russell said "Station nore the stark difference between the maps from before and after the farms were stolen The platforms made up the bulk of the Platz-built stations, and their absence after the traitors fled stood out like h Russell when he coaps between the lonely habitat stations were partly filled in again

"The farroups of four," Sofia said, "at specific altitudes The higher up, the ht As you can see, a few ood, right?" Russell looked at each of them "Why not move them all to the top?"

Sofia shook her head "The scientists had all this tuned to perfection Soht, yes, while some provide better yields on a h," Alex Warthen said "What I’d like to do is re-cluster them all down here, closer to Earth"

Russell slurped his drink again "Why?"

"Logistics As long as we’re in a state of eency like this, the closer the farms are the easier it will be to move--"

Russell held up a hand "Look, do whatever the fuck you want, eh? What the hell do I know about crop yields? I got you the far details like this is exactly why I told the council to piss off in the first place"

"You said you wanted allto explain--"

"Approved then Jesus fucking Christ Do the needful, as the blokes in Rancid Creek say"

A technician rapped his hand on the open door to the tavern "Mr Blackfield?"

"What now?" Russell barked

"Tania Shar for you"

Russell took in the words like a sweet song Hefor me I deal with the runaways, you deal with the day-to-day"

"Provided we get your approval on everything first," Alex said

"Not everything The big stuff"

"Can you define ‘big’ for us, please?" Sofia asked

Russell considered telling her to look at her own ass in the ment," he said "No, don’t do that Until we’ve learned to work together, assu I’ll tell you what is and isn’t"

Alex and Sofia exchanged a glance, then Alex sighed "So not everything, just the big stuff, which is everything"

"Noe’re getting so stuff, please" Russell winked at hi, really Shore-leave requests, we can prioritize those"

"All declined," Russell said evenly "That is big stuff We’ve got a mountain of work to do, shore leave can wait If anyone bitches about that, have one of ht Let me knohen the farms have been reattached"

The tech wanted Russell to take Tania’s call in a cramped little communications rooed, Russell beckoned him to follow and strolled to Section H, the portion of the station Neil Platz used to use as a satellite office He thought itat Neil’s old desk, even if it wasn’t his true office on Platz Station Mentally he set that place as his next destination

As he strolled through the vacant area, a large ht his attention instead Red carpets surrounded a sunken area in the center lined with black leather couches and chairs A wet bar lay open on the wall to his right, e staff, probably

None of this held Russell’s attention He walked instead to the far wall, which didn’t exist An illusion of course, but a daood one The transparent panel that spanned the entire back of the room must have cost a fortune Russell’s stoht of Earth below them Darwin, and the rest of Australia, lay partly in shadow, the ti just after dusk

"Put the co back

While the technician worked, Russell took in the entire horizon of the planet Tania was out there, so with Zane Platz and who kneho else

"All set," the tech said "Let me knohen you’re done"

"Oh, of course I’llpriority," Russell said "How about you just come back in an hour"

"Yes, sir," the man said He slipped out of the roo breath The blue crescent of the planet below begged to calm him, and he decided to let it Show Tania a face of control, even one of relaxed a it in the faint reflection on the glass Satisfied, he turned and went to one of the leather chairs He carefully arranged the colobe behind hi across the other, and took the call

"Good evening, Miss Shars under each eye ruined her otherwise flawless face Her black hair had been pulled back in haste, judging by the uneven strands that fraht nod

"I’ smoothly; is this a social call then?"

The tics in her facial expressions proved a fascinating puzzle to decipher Russell noted her lips purse slightly, her eyes narrow He wondered if a recording of the call could be reviewed later, for a deeper study