The broker did not touch it.
“No.” She shook her head to emphasize her disdain of Madelaine’s payment method.
“Why not?” Madelaine blinked. “This is a recognized intergalactic emergency credit—”
“Not here it isn’t.”
“I’ll have you know that it is backed by—”
“Don’t care,” the woman said and stepped back from the counter.
Jack leaned one elbow on the counter. “Ma’am, I don’t mean to interrupt a beautiful cultural exchange, but we are in a little bit of a hurry.”
The broker looked at him. “Then you should have brought real money.”
Madelaine’s jaw tightened. “Whatdoyou accept?”
“Gold. Silver. Palladium slats. Old empire coin. Blood opals if they’re clean, half-price if they’re not. Or station weight.”
Jack held up a finger. “When you say station weight, I feel like you might not mean a fun souvenir token.”
The broker smiled without warmth. “Labor. Collateral. Salvage rights. Secrets.”
“Secrets?” Jack repeated.
“They have to be very good ones to garner any kind of trade.”
Madelaine slid the credit device back into her jacket. “We don’t have those currencies or any viable secrets to share.”
“Then you don’t have fuel.”
“We have a ship,” Jack said.
Madelaine whipped her head toward him. “We are not trading the ship.”
“I wasn’t offering the ship. I was establishing that we arrived in one. For conversational context, let’s say.”
The broker’s gaze sharpened. “Paladin Courier craft? If it’s new enough, maybe. They’re small, but fast. I’d take the guidance core.”
“No,” Madelaine said immediately. “Not a chance.”
Jack held up both hands. “I am sensing the guidance core helps us not fly into any passing suns.”
“It does exactly that and so many more things that we need. The answer is no.”
Jack turned back to the broker. “Then I agree with the lady. Sorry, can’t give it up.”
The broker shrugged. “Then move along.”
Madelaine stepped closer to the counter. “There must be another arrangement we can make.”
“There is. Bring gold or one of the many other currencies I mentioned up front that we accept.”
“We don’t have gold or any of the many other currencies you mentioned.”
She shrugged. “Then bring someone who does or prepare to get a new vocation on The Halo to pay for what you seek.”
A low voice behind them said, “I have the currency required for the transaction.”
