Free An Ancient Peace by Tanya Huff Page A

we talk to this . . .” She glanced down at her slate. “. . . Bufush on Abalae who sold the biscuit maker and we find out who sold it to them and . . . Did you have something to add, Alamber?”
    He grinned. “I was just going to ask what we do when the dealer won’t talk to us.”
    â€œWhen?”
    â€œStrangers asking about the sale of illegal artifacts? Oh, yeah. That’ll lead to a happy discussion of provenance and origins over tea and cakes.”
    â€œPatronizing
serley chrika
,” Werst muttered.
    â€œThey’ll shut up tighter than Werst’s asshole,” Alamber continued, ducking Werst’s swing. “Best we’ll get is an offer to exchange contact information in case something comes up and they’ll back run that to find out who’s asking. They don’t find what they like, they’ll drop a worm to scrub us or they’ll load incriminating data and tip the Wardens.”
    The voice of experience, Torin acknowledged. Perhaps a little too experienced. “Ressk?”
    He jerked, his gaze flicking up from his slate. “You asking about Werst’s ass . . .
Chreen!
”
    Torin got another coffee during the digression. “Can you deal with a potential information hack?” she asked, when both Krai were back in their seats.
    â€œWhen you say deal, you mean back hack it, right? Use their hack to slip into their system?”
    She did now. “Yeah, that’s what I mean. If we can get a name on Abalae, we can get a ship. If we can’t get enough for a ship, we get what we can and head for the next dealer. But
when
we get a ship . . .” Because there was no point in assuming they wouldn’t, and fukking hell that word wouldn’t quit. “. . . Ressk and Alamber can trace how it came into the system through the traffic buoys.”
    Ressk swept both hands back over the bristles on his skull and down to cup the back of his neck. “You know that’s illegal, right, Gunny? Not sliding through a battleship’s firewall to mock the feed from the Wardroom illegal but the kind of illegal the Wardens understand. This is . . .”
    â€œWhat it’ll take to stop a war.”
    Torin saluted Werst with her coffee . . . “That’s exactly what it is.” . . . and turned her attention back to Ressk. “Can you get in and out of the traffic buoys without getting caught?”
    â€œProbably?” He leaned in to catch Alamber’s gaze. “This is more you.”
    â€œI was working a program to crack the buoys for Big Bill, but I needed a working buoy to finish.” He glanced around the table and added, “You have to race the security resets.” When Ressk snorted, his hair flattened. “I was simplifying for my audience.”
    â€œAnd your audience appreciates it,” Binti told him. “How far did you get?”
    â€œI told you.” His shoulders began to rise. “I needed a buoy to finish. I didn’t have one.”
    Torin could read Big Bill’s response in the lines of Alamber’s body.
Worthless
had probably been the kindest word used. She caught Craig’s eye, and the two of them had a silent conversation about how unfortunate it was that Justice had the former crime lord tucked away out of reach.
    â€œGot it with you?” When Alamber nodded, Ressk pushed his slate over. “Share up.”
    â€œBecause you’re just that good?”
    Ressk showed a bit of teeth. “No complaints so far.”
    â€œThree more days in Susumi to work it out, gentlemen. Will that be long enough or should we have Craig jump us in and out of the Core a few more times?” Torin smiled as they turned identical expressions of pique on her, equally annoyed by her lack of faith in their combined abilities.
    â€œIn three days we’ll own those buoys,” Alamber