Free Balance of Terror by K. S. Augustin

yer been out there?” Gauder pointed to the tavern’s wall. “Been out beyond Toltuk, beyond Colken? Out in the real Marentim?”
    She stared at him mutinously and refused to answer.
    “Findin’ you in a city’s one thing. Gadgets, technology, informants. Lots o’ all that floatin’ around. But out there,” he jerked his head, “out there, yer more likely to die from exposure than a Republic laser in yer neck.”
    “So what are you suggesting?” Srin sounded reasonable and genuinely curious, which was more than Moon thought herself capable of. She gritted her teeth.
    “Yer help me with the visits I have t’make. And rather than yer getting’ off this rock in six months, yer get off this rock in three.”
    Srin licked his lips. “What kind of help?” Beneath the cover of the tabletop, he held Moon’s hand but she felt the tremors moving through his bones. She knew she had pushed him and his physical capabilities since early morning and wondered how long he could hold out. Suddenly, from the trembling in his limbs, she knew she had to end this discussion. Now.
    “We’ll do it,” she interrupted.
    Gauder lifted a thick eyebrow and turned slowly to face her. “Yer don’t even know what I need doin’.”
    Moon swallowed. “It can’t be too much of a mystery, can it? Maybe someone to help drive your vehicle, or fetch supplies, or…things.”
    He gave them the hint of a smile. “So yer not just a yabberin’ mouth then.” He nodded. “Yep, that’d be the size of it. Be my assistants and I’ll get yer to where yer goin’ in half the time. As yer say, I need ‘things’ fetched.”
    “When do we leave?” she asked.
    “All fired up now the deal’s done, eh? That’s the way I like to do business too.” He drained his glass and stood. “Right now if it suits yer. Let’s get goin’. Oh, one more thing.” His gaze sharpened and he indicated Srin with a jerk of his chin. “You. Are yer a cripple or somethin’?”
    Srin’s hand tightened on Moon’s for a second – let me handle this – before he answered. “I’m recovering from a long illness,” he said calmly.
    “Not a permanent condition then, yer lookin’ as if yer about to collapse?”
    “Just temporary.”
    “’Cos I don’t tolerate layabouts.”
    “Wouldn’t dream of asking you to.”
    “Good. Then we understand each other perfectly.”
    “Yes, we do.”
    “Let’s pay for our drinks then and we’re off. The sooner we leave, the sooner yer get to leave, eh?”
    Moon and Srin followed in his wake.
    “Amen,” Moon muttered to herself, but nobody else heard her.
     

Chapter Six
    The three of them caught a taxi to a “compound”, as Gauder put it. While en route , their burly companion made a muttered call to someone. Somewhere near the end of the conversation, the dialogue devolved to shouted imprecations before Gauder flung his comms unit away from him, sinking into the opposite seat with disgust.
    “Just makin’ some plans,” he said with a wink and a lightning-fast change of expression when he caught Moon watching him.
    That didn’t reassure her at all. Next to her, Srin dozed off and she tried to make it appear as if she was doing likewise.
    The sun was high in the sky when they reached their destination. Moon stepped out of the vehicle gingerly, after shaking Srin awake.
    “Here we are,” Gauder declared. “This is all mine. Beautiful, ain’t she?”
    A lot of adjectives sprang to mind, but “beautiful” wasn’t one of them. As the taxi moved off, and at Gauder’s cheerful gesture of welcome, Moon walked into a compound, turning slowly. She took in the particulars of what could only be described as a junkyard, from the high opaque metal gates at one end, to a small parade of rusting vehicles piled in leaning columns, and a pair of large sheds clad in rippled panelling.
    “The Republic can come here any time they like, but they won’t find what they’re after.” He winked broadly again and laughed.