Dark Matters - Michelle Diener Page 0,12

lose, either way, with their plan to shoot at him. Whether they actually damaged him, or just tried to, the Tecran politicians would find it difficult to ask a favor of him afterward.” Dray looked at Dimitara as he spoke, answering Bane's question while agreeing with her.

“It would certainly help people like that go undetected if our jobs are made harder because of resentment and lack of cooperation with the general Tecran population.” Yolandi gave a decisive nod.

“So, will you speak to Bane?” Dimitara asked, and Dray could see she already looked exhausted, and they were still a day's journey from even reaching Tecra.

“I won't hang back, but I'll pretend to. There are two moons that circle Tecra. I'll land on Gyre, the larger one, and cloak myself.” Bane's voice was calm. “I'll stay there unless I think I have to move, for whatever reason.”

Dray wondered if Bane had spoken into all their earpieces, but no one reacted. His lips twisted, because this favoritism was going to ostracize him if it became well known.

“Bane says he'll make sure no one can see him.” He didn't know why he didn't give Bane's exact location, but he was from Battle Center, and he never gave out information unnecessarily.

Dimitara gasped. “He's listening? Will he talk to me?”

Dray shrugged. “Ask him. I don't have any control over him. I thought he might have given his reply to everyone, but clearly not.”

Dimitara grimaced. “Thank you for agreeing to this, Bane. It will help the team's objectives greatly. We appreciate it.”

Dray could see Dimitara was hoping for an answer, but none came and she slumped down in her chair.

“I'm grateful he's so willing to be accommodating.” She blew out a breath. “That is a huge concession, and it'll give us quite a bit of leverage with the Tecran government.”

“You going to tell them right away?” Zutobi asked.

Dimitara shook her head. “I'm going to have a bath, have some dinner in my rooms, and get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, before we reach the Tecran solar system, is soon enough.”

Dray grunted in approval, and Yolandi gave an elegant nod of her head.

“Keep them guessing for a bit. It'll make them even more grateful,” Zutobi agreed cheerfully. “And given the work ahead of us from tomorrow, I think I'll follow your example, Ambassador.”

She stood, and Yolandi stood with her.

“I just have a few technical issues to discuss with the ambassador,” Dray said, and they nodded and left, although he knew they were curious.

“If it's bad news, I don't think I want to hear it.” Dimitara rubbed at her temples.

“It's not bad news. I want to know how much resentment there'll be if the rest of the leadership team learn Bane has chosen me as his liaison.”

“Oh.” Dimitara sat up a little straighter. “Quite a lot of resentment, I'd guess, although it's not as if they weren't expecting him to favor the Grih. He's been living within your space boundaries up 'til now, his three surviving . . . friends are all aligned with the Grih, and the woman who freed him, my friend Rose, is very much part of Grihan life.” She lifted her hands and shoulders in a 'what are you going to do' gesture.

“True. But I'd prefer to keep it as quiet as possible, please. It could impact on my role within the team, and I'd rather that not happen.”

She nodded. “I won't say anything. If you're happy for me to pretend Bane spoke to me personally, I could do that.”

Dray nodded. “That works.”

He got up.

“Why do you think he has chosen you as his liaison?” Dimitara asked him as he reached the door.

He turned back. “I'm from Battle Center, so maybe he's just more comfortable with me,” he said with a shrug. “After all, Bane was created as a weapon of war.”

Chapter 7

Lucy stared out at the glittering ocean and huddled deeper into her cloak, grateful for the warmth of it, and for the scarf that had the dual benefit of hiding her mouth and nose and keeping her face warm.

The zipu had proved to be a system of fast, individual carriages that ran on a single, humming strip of metal. Each carriage held a maximum of four people and she'd had one to herself most of the way in to the city. She'd gotten out at the first station that had a crowd waiting on its platform, keeping her head down as she wove through what looked like early morning commuters.

The city center didn't