Trayla nodded. “From the admiral herself. I don’t even think my handler knows why I’m needed, it’s that top secret. Apparently the Garmman are behind it? There’s a large Garmman presence on Balco, given its proximity to the space boundary.”
“Eazi’s been watching this house since he rented it. He’d let us know if anyone suspicious came around.” Fee knew he had satellites orbiting Balco, but he’d also given Fee some discreet cameras to set around the outside and inside of the house so he could monitor things even more closely.
“So what’s the plan?” Trayla asked. “I’ve been told you need security until you can arrange a meeting with Hi-Lan Baruke, and there’s a possible hit out on you.”
Fee flicked her gaze over to Natta, but if he knew more than that, he wasn’t saying.
“Hi-Lan Baruke doesn’t know I’m here. I needed to leave Larga Ways for a few days according to my security chief, and my team there think I’m spending some time on theIllium. Instead, I’m going to wander around Distani while I wait for Baruke to let me know when we can meet face to face.”
“Why keep Baruke out of the loop?” Natta asked.
“He knows why I want to speak to him, and I don’t think he’ll be in much of a rush to set something up. But if he knows I’m here, waiting for an audience, he’ll definitely try to watch me, and I want to be able to move around without Balcoan eyes and ears on me all the time.”
“Areweallowed to know why you want to speak to him?” Trayla asked.
“He made a commitment to supply Paxe with the materials and parts he needed to rebuild his Class 5. And for some time he hasn’t been delivering.” Fee wondered again if it was out of Baruke’s control, or deliberate sabotage.
“So he knows you’re going to be asking him to fulfill his end of the agreement.” Natta gave a slow nod. “And if he can’t, he won’t want to meet.”
“Yes. So as I can’t be on Larga Ways, I thought it would be a nice break for me to spend time waiting for confirmation of the meeting with Baruke in Distani, because I’ve never had the chance to visit.” Fiona walked into the small but well-appointed kitchen, and poured herself some water. “Just as everyone on Larga Ways thinks I’m currently on theIllium, so will Baruke when Eazi contacts him on my behalf. So hopefully I’m going to be invisible down here.”
“And what do you actually want to do?” Natta asked.
“I am planning to stroll around, shop, do touristy things, and, if it so happens I hear any chatter about why there are so manydelays in the materials Paxe needs for his Class 5, so much the better.” She tilted her head. “Have either of you heard anything about the delays?”
“I’ve heard there are issues with production in some industries,” Natta said, slowly nodding. “But nothing specifically related to the new Class 5.”
“You think the delays are intentional?” Trayla asked.
“It looks that way to me, but I want to be sure of my facts, which is why I need to talk to Baruke in person.” Fiona leaned back against the counter. She looked at the time, and realized it was almost midday. “Got a good place we can go for lunch?” she asked.
“Which one of us is going to sit with you?” Natta asked.
Fee turned to Trayla. Turned back to him. “Up to you two. I don’t mind.”
“Me.” Trayla tugged at her jacket. “I met you at the port and anyone watching will expect us to be together.”
Fiona inclined her head. “Guess you’re eating at a table for one nearby,” she said to Natta.
He sent her a salute. “I know a good place. Let’s eat!”
CHAPTER 5
It was a nice afternoon.
They had lunch at a cafe by the river, sitting at a table on the little balcony upstairs, while Natta, behaving as if he didn’t know them, took a table near the entrance.
Then Trayla took her through a few of the little laneways full of eclectic shops, far more whimsical and frivolous than those to be found on Larga Ways, given its lack of space and high rents.
She found a pair of earrings that contained gleaming black and silver metal twisted together, almost exactly the same colors as her black bracelet and silver necklace.
“That ties those two together nicely,” Trayla commented, and Fee realized she should probably let Trayla and Natta know what both items did, in case they were attacked.
Eventually Fee felt herself beginning to drag, and they bought food from a little kiosk on a side street to take home for dinner, with Natta using a skimmer to fly past them, then double back, looping around them in a protective circle while looking as if he had not a care in the world and no connection to them whatsoever.
As they made their way along the river front, with a lush park on their right and the water to their left, Fee drew in a deep,appreciative breath. “I had forgotten how wonderful it is to be walking on-planet.”
She stretched out her arms, lifting them above her head. It was as if the weight of gravity was a caress. “Balco is similar to my own planet in size and gravitational pull. I love it.”
