They had come down onto a curved landing area and numerous small runners were parked on either side.
“They’re saying you need to meet them at the pilot’s door,” Eazi told her.
Fee gathered her luggage together and strode to the door. She opened it to the customs official and blinked in surprise as a waft of unprocessed air blew over her, carrying the scent of water.
The smile she sent the officer was blinding.
CHAPTER 4
She was almostdizzy with delight at being on-planet.
The air was sharply cold, but she didn’t care, and the sunlight felt amazing on her face.
On Larga Ways, the sun was filtered through the enviro dome that covered the way station. This was a reminder it was not the same as being on a planet.
She walked beside a luggage hover that the custom’s official had assigned her. It would carry her bags until she reached the port’s main exit doors, then return to the hover ranks.
As she stepped into the main building, which echoed with announcements and the conversations of hundreds of people, she caught a glimpse of a Grihan man watching her from the crowd. He withdrew into the cluster of travelers milling around near the little cafes and shops that were housed inside the space port authority and she lost track of him.
A woman stood watching the doors, holding up a sign that said Welcome Feenra Planer! She moved around as if she were excited.
She was Grihan, as Fee expected, and around Fee’s own age. Her hair was a creamy white, tipped with blue. When her eyescut to Fee as she approached, Fee could see them widen in surprise, but when she smiled, it looked authentic.
“Trayla!” Fee had been given her name in advance, and she increased her pace as she headed toward the woman, hands extended. “It’s been so long!”
“Don’t remind me!” Trayla almost hopped in place in excitement and then grabbed Fee’s hands with her own. “Oh! It’s so good to see you, but let’s catch up where it’s less noisy.”
She lifted one of Fee’s two bags off the hover, and Fee took the other one then touched the button to send the luggage hover away.
“I can take the other bag.” Trayla held out her spare hand as Fee slung the bag onto her shoulder.
“I’m good. Thanks, though.” Fee easily settled the bag.
“Let’s get out of here.” Trayla gestured toward the exit and shortened her steps to keep abreast of Fee.
The only wrong note to this whole outing was that Fee’s height meant she looked too young to be Trayla’s contemporary. She hoped her disguise would make people less inclined to question it, though.
“You know the city,” Fee said conversationally. “Did I choose a good place to stay?”
Eazi had found the short-term rental for her and she was sure it was a good place, but they had decided to behave as if they were under surveillance from the moment she landed.
“It’s near the city center, beside the river. You can’t get better,” Trayla said as they stepped onto the concourse.
They got in the queue for a personal runner, loaded the luggage when it was their turn, and then jumped inside.
Trayla entered the address Fee gave her into the nav unit, and as the door shut and the runner slowly accelerated out of the port authority and turned into the main thoroughfare, they both leaned back in their chairs with a sigh of relief.
“Nice to meet you,” Fee said, putting her hand out again. “I appreciate your helping me.”
Trayla smiled back. “Are you kidding me? I was pretty sure I was about to be recalled before my superior officer contacted me to say I was needed.”
“I’m glad. I think I saw Natta, the other operative the admiral assigned, in the terminal. Has he made contact with you?” Fee recalled the Grih who’d faded into the background, and guessed he’d taken the role of watching for trouble, where Trayla was going to be sticking close to her.
“He hasn’t. I knew there were two of us, but no one got in touch so I took my own initiative.” Trayla looked behind them, as if to see if there was anyone following. “What did he look like?”
“Grihan, obviously, hair was brown with black tips, wearing all black.”
“Ah. I did see him.” Trayla nodded. “He stopped next to me as if he were waiting for someone to come through, and complimented me on my sign.”
