Time Salvager (Time Salvager #1)(92)
“How many times have these savages aided the fugitive?” Kuo asked.
Levin did not like where this round of questioning was leading. The Valta operative saw situations in black and white entirely too often. Given her low opinion of the natives out here in the wastelands, she might consider these people’s innocent trading with James to be treason.
“At least three, Securitate,” Shizzu said.
Kuo rounded on Levin. “The planetary government must send a worldwide communication of this immediately. All settlements must be banned from trading with these fugitives.”
“That is not an easy thing to enforce,” Levin said. “All it would serve is to prompt the settlements and our fugitive to be more discreet in the future. That only makes our job more difficult.”
“Allowing it to continue only makes our job more difficult.”
“Your ability to point out the obvious is startling,” he said. “Shizzu, inform the leaders of this settlement that James Griffin-Mars is no longer associated with ChronoCom, and that he is now an illegal fugitive within the planetary government. Any further interaction—trade, business, or personal—will be considered aiding and abetting a known criminal and punishable by sanctions to the settlement and imprisonment to the leaders of the community.”
“Auditor Shizzu,” Kuo added, “find all the merchants the fugitive had dealings with and have them imprisoned for treason. If any resist, execute them.”
“Securitate,” Levin said, “these people did not know of James’s crimes. It’s not like he advertised this knowledge when he engaged them. A warning should be sufficient to discourage future dealings.”
Kuo sneered. “You’ve been with these savages for too long, Auditor. You’re soft. This won’t deter them or the other settlements that have betrayed the planet in the slightest. They need to be taught a lesson.”
“I appreciate the advice, Securitate,” Levin said. “However—”
“You are weak and impotent,” Kuo said. “It’s time you learned how Valta maintains their market share. We do not tolerate such abuses.”
“Belay that order, Monitor,” Levin snapped, stepping in front of Kuo and facing her. “Valta has no market share here.”
The edges of her lips curled and he felt the tingle of an exo powering up in close proximity. Where were her bands? He had never seen any on her person. “Are you sure you wish to challenge me on this?” she asked, taking a step forward.
He powered on his own exo. “Punishing the entire settlement in such a manner is criminal. I won’t allow it.”
The two stood toe to toe, exos powered up and flaring. The orange glow of Levin’s exo didn’t quite match the brightness of Kuo’s white. The pitch of her exo was different as well. Every military unit used exo technology in a slightly different way. Levin had no doubt that there was a very real chance that her exo—being corporate military—was more powerful than his, but he stood his ground.
Instead of powering his exo on and supporting Levin, Shizzu took several steps backward and slinked away from the conflict. Levin knew where that damned traitor would be if this came to a head.
“How would you like to proceed?” Kuo asked in a low voice. “Right here, right now, in front of your men? Let me ask you: What acceptable exit strategy do you think could come out of this? Did you actually think you could beat me? But let’s say by some miracle of the abyss you did, how do you think Valta will respond? Stand down, Auditor, you’re not my quarry.”
She was right. Levin’s pride was the only thing keeping his exo powered on at this moment. This was a lose-lose situation. Even if he stood down, any doubts his men had of what little authority he still had would be erased. He had lost his temper and was now paying the price. Kuo must have read his mind. He powered down his exo and felt her white field—hot and cold at the same time—pass through him until it enveloped them both, showing everyone within sight who was really in control.
“I am not unreasonable,” she said, “so I’ll save you some face.” She turned to Shizzu. “Auditor Levin has a point. Delay that order to execute them. Instead, take inventory of what these people received from the fugitive, and take it out from their stock. Burn the grain, destroy the technology, and kill anyone who tries to stop you.” She turned back to Levin. “Satisfactory?”
He nodded.
“Consider this your final warning, Auditor. Next time you power your exo on me, I will finish you.”
THIRTY-SIX
BUILDING THE BASE
There was a bright yellow flash and James found himself floating in space over the moon of Hyperion. This time, he threw up, spewing the contents of his stomach out into space, splattering the inside of his atmos shield. He hunched over and watched as the bile floated away and coagulated on the wall of the perfect sphere. Well, from this point on, things were only going to get worse. He looked down at his quivering hands. They were numb; he couldn’t feel the tips of his fingers or his toes. He wiggled them. Nothing. Nine times in a span of two months; it was too much. And through all this, he hadn’t taken any miasma pills.
“Did you get what I asked for, pet?” Grace’s voice popped into his head.
“The entire stockroom, including the magnetic siphoner and gravity converter,” he answered once he was done heaving and found his voice. “I’m impressed the Technology Isolationists managed to hide a depot on Hyperion. I’d have thought with the moon’s chaotic rotation, no one would put a base there.”