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Van Rycke was smiling broadly, as if the loss he had just announced was in some way a gain. "No to Combine!" "Combine?" the Captain echoed and his puzzlement was duplicated around the circle. How did Inter-Solar's principal rival come into it? "We've made a deal with Combine," Van Rycke informed them. "I wasn't going to let I-S cash in on our loss.
Before he caught the rich scent of the paste inside them Dane had already identified each as luxury items from Casper chemical products which sold well and at high prices in the civilized ports of the Galaxy. The Cargo-master turned the boxes over, exposing the symbol on their undersides the mark of I-S. "These were offered to me in trade by a Salarik.
But the I-S ship might be cruising in company, ready to summon aid, men and supplies. Dane drew a deep breath, the Eysies must be sure of themselves, not only that, but they must want what Sargol had to offer to the point of being willing to step outside the law to get it. The I-S Captain took a step forward. "I think we understand each other now," he said, his confidence restored.
But it was when the Eysie moved out to meet the Captain that Rip's fingers closed about Dane's upper arm in an almost paralyzing grip. "He knows " Dane had not needed that bad news to be made vocal. Having seen the exploits of the Salariki duelists earlier, he had already caught the significance of that glide, of the way the I-S champion carried his net.
He half expected the I-S officers to leave after an answer such as that. For a Company Captain to be forced to wait upon the convenience of a Free Trader must be galling in the extreme. And the fact that this one was doing just that was an indication that the Queen's crew did, perhaps, have the edge of advantage in any coming bargain.
At a gesture from their Cargo-master, the I-S men set down a small chest. Groft, his chin resting on a clenched fist, lost none of his lazy air. "They are received," he retorted with the formal acceptance. "And no one can have too much good fortune. The Howlers of the Black Winds know that." But he tendered no invitation to join the feast. Kallee did not appear to be disconcerted.
They are special master keys of our own designing. Box 1044 is used because of its nearness to those private booths, in the universal set-up all I-S banks use. That box is our means of confidential communication. "After you get into the vault ostensibly to get into your own box, use these to open box 1044. There's a little electronic gadget in each box 1044.
They had left the trade enclosure of the Salariki barely three-quarters of an hour ago. But below now stood the bebadged Captain of the I-S ship and his Cargo-master. "I want to speak to your Captain " snarled the Eysie officer.
"We keep on the Old Man's course, get lost in the asteroids until we can do some heavy thinking and see a way out. But if I-S gave us this prize package, some trace of its origin is still aboard. And if we can find that why, then we have something to start from." "Mura went down first and then Karl. Nothing in common," the old problem faced Dane for the hundredth time. "No.
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