"We could sit on the data. Wait until a better time presents itself," Kira offered, knowing she hated that idea.
Jin made a rude noise. "Absolutely not. We didn't go through all this just to keep it to ourselves."
Jin didn't wait for her to argue, sinking until he hovered inches off the ground before arrowing away. He wove between the crowd's feet as he headed toward the lift, no one the wiser.
This wasn't the first time they'd used such a tactic. People tended to notice Kira, but they always forgot about Jin. It allowed him to get away with things Kira never could.
Kira gritted her teeth but didn't follow, knowing their tail would be more focused on her. Hopefully, the distraction would give Jin enough time to purchase the part and get it to the ship before anyone realized he was gone.
She wasn't really worried about the wizards taking notice of his absence. They'd assume Jin was a normal AI, smart but ultimately unable to operate without direction. But the humans—Spitzy in particular—would be suspicious. They knew what he was capable of, knew his reputation and history. He was as dangerous as Kira. More so in some ways.
Kira looped around the terrace, walking with no apparent destination in mind. She stopped at small shops along the way, pretending to browse the merchant's wares before moving on. Most of it was junk, the type of thing meant for the souvenir-happy tourists.
A line of children on a tour followed their guide like little ducks as she explained the history of the station, pointing to the different reference points. Kira followed for a short time, smiling at the children's antics before eventually leaving them behind when they stopped to take photos in front of one of the monuments to those soldiers who didn't return.
After that, she flitted from stall to shop and back again, never staying anywhere long, never letting her guard drop.
To most, she would appear to be sightseeing, interested in watching the gondolas and hovercraft as they flitted from terrace to terrace.
In reality, she took the opportunity to keep an eye on her tails, using every small reflection to watch the people watching her.
The humans’ motivations were easy to guess, but the wizards’ interest was a mystery. One she couldn't yet solve. She had a habit of destroying the things she couldn't understand.
Nothing good ever came of someone with unclear motives stalking her. She itched to be off the station and far from them.
She'd done her time in the trenches. This was her retirement, and she refused to get drawn into whatever this was.
If O'Riley wasn't the only station in this sector with the parts she needed, she never would have stepped foot on it again. The station was like a curse. Every time she visited, it brought nothing but upheaval to her life.
Not this time. This time was going to be different. Even if she had to trample a few obstacles in the shape of people to do it.
She checked her watch. Had enough time passed for Jin to have ordered the part they needed? If she finished her business too early, they risked being stuck on the ship while station security made it impossible to leave.
She waited five more minutes before heading to the lift and taking it two levels down.
She chose one of the cafes with an outdoor space, wanting to sit at a table with a view of the terrace and atrium. The cafe was small, a charming cross between the little eateries of old Europe and the internet cafes of the late twentieth century. A bit of old-world flare mixed with the efficiency and comfort of the modern era.
This time of day in the station, the cafe was mostly empty. A blessing after the chaos of the terraces. A few people dotted the space, their heads bent as they sent or received messages from those off station.
A common fixture on any station, the cafes were civilian owned but government sanctioned. They were necessary so the masses could keep in touch with family and friends when traveling.
Most ships weren't equipped to communicate over the distances needed to reach any of the colonies or stations dotted throughout human space. Their reach was limited, a solar system or two in most cases.
It was possible to upload your files to the broadband satellites from the ship when you stopped at any station, but transmission was slow and laborious. It could take a week or more, depending on the data load and whether a bigger fish paid for priority transmission.
That's where the cafes came in. For a fee, you could piggyback off the station's network, one usually kept in much better repair than the civilian side.
Normally, Kira would never pay the exorbitant rates, but the data package she needed to upload was large and it would take forever using the equipment on her ship. The content was also a bit sensitive and she didn't want to chance it being traced to theWanderer. At least here, she had some anonymity.
Kira paused along the edge of the tables where they spilled out onto the terrace. The cafe was nice. Much nicer than some of the dives in the stations she frequented. Each table had a console and the waitstaff were all dressed in freshly pressed uniforms.
Kira took a seat and swiped the microchip embedded in her wrist over the payment scanner. Fifteen minutes ought to work.
The waiter was there as soon as she finished the transaction. "Can I interest you in any beverages or food today?"
"A chai tea would be great," Kira said.
The man gave her a friendly smile and walked away.
