Slip Point Read Free Page B

legs so that he’d notice if anyone moved it. “What’s he doing here?” she asked.
    “Couriers are picky about which ships they ride on. They’ve got good relationships with a lot of independent ships, but you can’t schedule your jobs with their routes perfectly all the time, and you’ll have to ride with a stranger at some point. He’s here checking out some captains in person, trying to see if they’re trustworthy. Buying plenty of drinks for others, but I only brought him the one.”
    “What about her?” Shayalin let her eyes slide over to a young woman lingering at a standing table by herself.
    “Just looking for companionship. See how she takes a look at every man who walks in? She’ll try to catch the eye of one of the better-looking ones.”
    Shayalin was impressed by the bartender’s observations. Perhaps this could be a suitable life for her, pouring drinks behind a bar, talking to people of varied origins and destinations, sussing out their stories. But no, she would never be satisfied by the thrills of someone else’s life. It was time to get on with her own.
    She drained the last of her water and set the glass on the bar. “Where’s the Alioqui docked?”
    “Lower quadrant, past the Cyclops being repaired. Can’t miss it,” Wei said. “Be careful on your way to Urioq.”
    “Thanks.” She practiced a cocky smile on her and left the bartender shaking her head.
    It took her an embarrassingly long time to figure out how to reach the lower quadrant, with so many identically smooth walls and little clue as to which doors led to private spaces or to public elevators. But once she made her way down and to an outer corridor, the bartender was right—the view was filled with the skeleton of a battleship, a repair crew busy along its metal joints and skin.
    The sight was disconcerting. For all her obsessing about ships, she’d thought of them foremost as a way of getting off Centuris and less as a collection of mechanical parts. It was like witnessing a dream in the middle of assembly. But not her dream, not yet. And she didn’t want something the size of a Cyclops, anyway. Too unwieldy.
    As though she could be choosy at this point, she thought wryly, and walked to the next dock over.
    The merchant ship there was considerably smaller and shabbier, but Shayalin immediately felt more comfortable about it. It carried its age with the air of a vessel a bit worn but still cared for—the sheen of its metal had faded, but its name was freshly painted. Well-loved, her mother would have described it. Several people were involved in loading its hold, and one man stood at the bottom of the ramp, consulting a tablet. He had a familiar calm air amidst all the movement.
    “Mohit?”
    He turned and broke into a smile. “Shayalin. Couldn’t beat our price, eh?”
    “You won on charm too,” she admitted.
    “Hope you didn’t run into any trouble,” he said, his face concerned.
    “I took care of it,” she said. “Or rather, Wei did.”
    “Good woman. I hope you tipped her well.”
    “Tipped her?”
    He chuckled at her bewilderment. “Never mind, I suppose they don’t do that where you’re from. She’ll figure that out. But we should settle up—our policy is half up front.”
    She produced her chip, and he trotted over to a console where he ran the exchange of credits through. She declined to look at her balance, knowing it would be far less than she’d like.
    “Welcome aboard the Alioqui ,” he said with a broad smile. “Or rather, you can head in now or take a look around the station for—” he checked his chrono, “—the next six hours. We’re just about to get the last of our cargo in early.”
    It was tempting to explore further, but the thought of bumping into Jayce quelled that notion. She owed him so much—an explanation, a farewell and even congratulations—but she just couldn’t bear to face him right now, especially after the way she’d up and left him in kneejerk panic. She