affected the equations and Promise had emerged from Susumi space close enough to the station to set off the proximity alarms.
“It are being a good thing, too,” Presit said, steering them around a corner and along the outside curve of the central hub. “They are finding you fast, before you are being dead. Ex-Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr are dead are being a story, sure, but not enough of a story for me to have been dragging my ass out to the edge. Ex-Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr are removing the pirate scourge from known space, now that are being a story. A better story than merely an observational piece about pirates are being bad,” she added, turned, and waved off two people hurrying across the concourse toward them. “Yes, this are ex-Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr who are helping to discover the little gray aliens and are helping to be ending the war. Yes, she are smaller in real life. No, her hands are not usually being pink. Yes, she are being in a hurry right now, but my assistant are giving you my burst and you are watching Sector Central News for what she are up to next. Presit a Tur durValintrisy are having the whole story. Ceelin!”
Torin concentrated on walking and taking the slate off her belt at the same time. After three tries to input the codes, she finally managed to access the Promise’s data storage. Requested as evidence by the Wardens, the ship had been tethered to a buoy just off station.
“What are you doing?”
Actual Federate syntax out of Presit’s mouth sounded wrong. “I’m copying everything from the last three tendays to my slate.”
“What are you going to be doing with Craig Ryder’s ship?”
“Nothing. It’ll be here, waiting, when I get him back.”
“You are being sure about that?”
“Given the speed the Wardens work at? Yes.” If she couldn’t free Craig any faster, if wouldn’t matter what she did with the ship; he’d never be returning to it.
“He are not going to be happy about the hole,” Presit said thoughtfully.
Torin would kill to hear Craig be unhappy about the hole. Literally.
Presit’s pilot was also Katrien, his fur paler than both Presit and Ceelin, the markings around his eyes extending down into his ruff. He was sitting outside the air lock chewing a stim stick when they arrived.
“Merik a Tar konDelasinskin are being at your service.” He tapped his index fingers together, a gesture Torin had never seen before. “I are being a big fan. I are watching your vids a hundred, no, two hundred times.”
“It are being my vids,” Presit snarled, pushing past him and into the air lock. “She are just being on them!”
The ship had been configured for Katrien. Torin couldn’t stand erect in any of the three compartments. Fine with her. Sitting was also good. Torin had nothing against floors.
“Hey!” Presit’s eyes were level with hers, the light levels low enough she’d removed her glasses. Had they not been narrowed so dramatically, Torin could have still seen her reflection in the gleaming black. “Where to now? The pirates who are having Craig Ryder could be being anywhere. Space are big.”
“No.” She decided against shaking her head when she felt her brain wobble. “They have treasure. They’ve gone to ground.”
“Again, could be being anywhere.”
“True. So we do this one step at a time. The salvage operators are taking the damage. They’ll have the most information. We need to go to Salvage Station 24; the coordinates are on my slate.” She couldn’t get her slate off her belt. “Fuk.”
“Ceelin!”
Small fingers snapped it free and pushed it into her hands. Torin frowned at the screen.
“If you are not able to find the equation, I are taking you back to the doctor who are no doubt going to be unbearably smug.”
Torin refused to rise to the challenge in Presit’s voice. “I don’t need to find it.” Activating the DNA reader by pressing her thumb twice in the lower right corner, she unlocked the memory. When she held the slate toward Presit, the reporter actually took a step back.
“You are being sure? This are giving me access to . . . everything.”
“I don’t have time to be unsure. Get us to the station. They’ll give us the pirates. I’m ...” Katrien feet—the same matte black as their hands—had long, prehensile toes. They didn’t look as dexterous as Krai feet, but they were close. Presit’s toenails were also metallic blue.
“Hey!” A small finger poked her shoulder. Hard. “Torin?”
She couldn’t remember her eyelids