Anne McCaffrey Ship 07 The Ship Avenged

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least crediting the work she was doing against the debt.
At least that. If she won't return the
Wyal to me outright, at least let me work it off.
Though so far, Joat was paying her own expenses.
She'd seriously considered enlisting Simeon's aid in getting through to Bros,
but had been too ashamed to send her father anything from her Rohan address.
Or from any of the other ports she'd been in lately.
I will not whine.
When she entered the bland waiting room at N. Ciety, Research and Development,
there were two rather nondescript individuals seated in the lounge area, but
no one was behind the reception desk.
She huffed impatiently and put her hands on her hips, frowning.
"Excuse me," one of the men in the lounge said, rising and coming over to her.
"Are you Captain Joat
Simeon-Hap?"
A sort of icy foreboding swept over her in a numbing tide.
"Who wants to know?"
They looked like accountants, mild and innocuous, with smooth, chubby faces.
They smiled little, amused smiles at her response. Joat was willing to bet
they were carrying weapons and that they weren't amused at all.
"Why don't we just cut the crap and get right to the point," the taller man
said. "We represent New
Destinies and we've come to repossess your ship in lieu of the debt you owe
for a fine levied against the
Wyal."
Her mouth went dry and it felt as though all her blood had run down into her
extremities.
After what seemed a long time she croaked, "What?"
"We're foreclosing on your debt," the smaller one said slowly.
"But . . . Nomik Ciety bought the debt from New Destinies. I was working it
off for him."
"I'm sorry," the tall man said. "We have no record of any such purchase." He
actually did look marginally sympathetic. "You can file a complaint, and if
there's been an error, you're certainly entitled to recompense." He paused.
"Now, we'll require you to vacate the
Wyal immediately.
Obviously you'll only be allowed to take personal possessions. Any items which
might be considered integral parts of the ship will naturally have to remain."
Rand!
she thought for the first time.
What's going to happen to Rand?
This wasn't supposed to be happening. She'd never believed that CenSec would
let her down like this, not once.
"Let me talk to Silken," she said, trying to keep her voice from shaking.
"She's running things here, perhaps she can explain this."
And it had better be good or I'm going to rip her pretty, little face off.
She sat behind the receptionist's desk and after a moment got the comp to
release Silken's private number. A few moments later Silken's face, looking
thinner, sharper and deeply annoyed filled the screen.
"You!" she said in astonishment.
"Me," Joat confirmed. "There are two men here claiming that there's no record
of Ciety's purchase of my debt from New Destinies. Do you know what's going
on?"
"Ah, yes," Silken murmured, leaning back with a half-smile. "I've been so busy
that I'd forgotten.
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When Mik told you that he'd bought your debt he had every
I intention of doing so. But," she made a little moue, "your extremely
negative reaction changed his mind." She shrugged and said indifferently, "Too
bad. But its not like it makes any difference. You never could have paid it
off in any case."
"I notice you didn't forget to use me to ferry your friends around," Joat
snapped.
"I told you, I forgot." Silken's eyes were disdainful, as yielding as stone.
"Even you have to admit I
have a great deal on my mind,"
"Yeah, like how to keep my Uncle from drooling on the carpet."
Silken went white.
"You heartless, spiteful, cruel, vicious bitch," she said, each word a
separate insult, sincerely meant.
"You're right," Joat said, ashamed. Suddenly, she understood Silken's malice
so completely that she was utterly disarmed. Enough so that she couldn't
forgive her own. "That was uncalled for, I'm sorry."
"There's nothing that could happen to you that would make you sorry enough to
appease me," Silken told tightly. "That damn ship is the only thing you care
about and I'm glad you're going to lose it. It's not enough, it's not nearly
enough, but it will do for a start.
"I'll be watching you," she continued, fire beginning to kindle in her cold
green eyes. "And whenever it goes sour for you, whenever you lose or miss out
or get passed over," she tapped her chest with one slender finger, " that's
me. My work. I promise you. You don't know what sorry is, you slime-hag.
But you will."
The screen went blank and Joat just sat there, staring at it.
One of the repo-men cleared his throat awkwardly and she looked up. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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