then…"
" Of value," Sigrid corrected, cursing herself; she knew little of negotiation tactics. "If it is something within my power, then perhaps we might have a deal."
"Sigrid…" the captain cautioned. "I do not think it wise—" But Sigrid nodded; it was all right.
Corbin Price bowed his head. "Very well. There is a man arriving at the station tomorrow. He has stolen from us. Services were rendered, but no payment received. His theft hurt our organization. We cannot allow his dishonesty to go unpunished—not good for business. I want to see that he is hurt in return."
Sigrid braced herself. All her life she had been trained as a mercenary, as a soldier, and yes, an assassin. Certainly, she had taken lives and done so without hesitation. But that had been her choice. Her duty. Until this moment she hadn't truly appreciated how it would feel to have someone ask her to kill another. What was it the mercenaries said? For coin and contract?
"He carries with him something we would find of value," Corbin Price said. "I wish you to retrieve it and return it to me."
"Retrieve? Then…then you don't want me to kill him?"
"Kill him? Heavens, no! We are Merchantmen, Ms. Peters, not mercenaries—apologies to present company. No, I don't require him harmed; although, should you leave him bruised, possibly maimed, no one will think worse of you. Retrieving the package will suffice."
Sigrid studied the fat merchant closely. The job seemed simple—too simple—but Corbin Price was quite earnest that she should perform this service for him. Her sensors revealed his heart rate was steady, his skin cool. If his blood pressure was elevated, it seemed more a cause of his diet, his immense bulk and the excitement he felt at the prospect of a deal. But she could sense no duplicity. Her scans registered no lies.
"That's all, then? Retrieve a package?" Sigrid asked.
"That is all."
True.
"And bring it to you?"
"Yes. And bring it to me."
True.
"And you'll give us what we want?" Sigrid asked.
"If you perform this task to my satisfaction, I will be happy to deliver all that you desire."
Something still didn't fit. The man appeared sincere—sincere for a thief, a con artist. But there was more. Sigrid could sense it, but could not put her finger on it.
"What does he carry? What is so important?"
Corbin Price raised a finger. " That, my dear, is on a need-to-know basis. And there are some things you don't need to know."
"Any information you have on a job is information I need, Mr. Price. Let's call it a deal breaker."
"A deal breaker? Ah. Well then, if I have no choice —"
"No. You don't," Sigrid said. "Not if you want me to do this for you."
"All right. It is information he carries, nothing more. A client list, if you will. Information that could prove of great value. Losing it to me will not be looked on kindly by his superiors; something I imagine they will make him suffer greatly for—also of great value to me."
"Why me?" Sigrid asked. "Why not one of your own men?"
Corbin Price looked to the beefy men to his sides and chuckled. "Them? They serve a purpose, but I'm afraid they lack the finesse required for a job like this. The man I seek works for powerful men, Ms. Peters. Dangerous men. The men they answer to more so."
"Incorporated?" Sigrid asked. "Federates?" She was well aware of the power and reach of the Federation of Corporate Enterprises, even in a place such as this.
"Let us just say, they will not part easily with this information. As for my men, we are simple merchants and not much good as spies. You, on the other hand…"
"We will have to inspect the platforms," the captain said. "Ensure they are in working order."
Corbin Price raised his shoulders. "That may prove problematic. The platforms are far too valuable to risk transporting to a place such as this. You understand."
The captain flashed a knowing smile. "Of course."
"They are safe, I assure you. And in good condition. Not new, but functional.
" Of value," Sigrid corrected, cursing herself; she knew little of negotiation tactics. "If it is something within my power, then perhaps we might have a deal."
"Sigrid…" the captain cautioned. "I do not think it wise—" But Sigrid nodded; it was all right.
Corbin Price bowed his head. "Very well. There is a man arriving at the station tomorrow. He has stolen from us. Services were rendered, but no payment received. His theft hurt our organization. We cannot allow his dishonesty to go unpunished—not good for business. I want to see that he is hurt in return."
Sigrid braced herself. All her life she had been trained as a mercenary, as a soldier, and yes, an assassin. Certainly, she had taken lives and done so without hesitation. But that had been her choice. Her duty. Until this moment she hadn't truly appreciated how it would feel to have someone ask her to kill another. What was it the mercenaries said? For coin and contract?
"He carries with him something we would find of value," Corbin Price said. "I wish you to retrieve it and return it to me."
"Retrieve? Then…then you don't want me to kill him?"
"Kill him? Heavens, no! We are Merchantmen, Ms. Peters, not mercenaries—apologies to present company. No, I don't require him harmed; although, should you leave him bruised, possibly maimed, no one will think worse of you. Retrieving the package will suffice."
Sigrid studied the fat merchant closely. The job seemed simple—too simple—but Corbin Price was quite earnest that she should perform this service for him. Her sensors revealed his heart rate was steady, his skin cool. If his blood pressure was elevated, it seemed more a cause of his diet, his immense bulk and the excitement he felt at the prospect of a deal. But she could sense no duplicity. Her scans registered no lies.
"That's all, then? Retrieve a package?" Sigrid asked.
"That is all."
True.
"And bring it to you?"
"Yes. And bring it to me."
True.
"And you'll give us what we want?" Sigrid asked.
"If you perform this task to my satisfaction, I will be happy to deliver all that you desire."
Something still didn't fit. The man appeared sincere—sincere for a thief, a con artist. But there was more. Sigrid could sense it, but could not put her finger on it.
"What does he carry? What is so important?"
Corbin Price raised a finger. " That, my dear, is on a need-to-know basis. And there are some things you don't need to know."
"Any information you have on a job is information I need, Mr. Price. Let's call it a deal breaker."
"A deal breaker? Ah. Well then, if I have no choice —"
"No. You don't," Sigrid said. "Not if you want me to do this for you."
"All right. It is information he carries, nothing more. A client list, if you will. Information that could prove of great value. Losing it to me will not be looked on kindly by his superiors; something I imagine they will make him suffer greatly for—also of great value to me."
"Why me?" Sigrid asked. "Why not one of your own men?"
Corbin Price looked to the beefy men to his sides and chuckled. "Them? They serve a purpose, but I'm afraid they lack the finesse required for a job like this. The man I seek works for powerful men, Ms. Peters. Dangerous men. The men they answer to more so."
"Incorporated?" Sigrid asked. "Federates?" She was well aware of the power and reach of the Federation of Corporate Enterprises, even in a place such as this.
"Let us just say, they will not part easily with this information. As for my men, we are simple merchants and not much good as spies. You, on the other hand…"
"We will have to inspect the platforms," the captain said. "Ensure they are in working order."
Corbin Price raised his shoulders. "That may prove problematic. The platforms are far too valuable to risk transporting to a place such as this. You understand."
The captain flashed a knowing smile. "Of course."
"They are safe, I assure you. And in good condition. Not new, but functional.
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