"We wouldn't take less than ninety thousand for that sort of hazardous work."She flicked a quick glance at Lars.Even the fifty thou would take them anywhere in explored space for as long as they could stand being away from Ballybran.
Lanzecki inclined his head briefly, but the slight upturn of his lips told Killa that he had expected her to haggle."Sixty.The Guild will have expenses…"
"You should have asked for those above and beyond the danger money," Killashandra said with a snort of contempt."Eighty-five."
"We might have to keep you in isolation on your return from Opal…"
"Why else have I been paying dues all these years?And don't you trust Trag's evaluation?"
"As I always trusted him.He was, however, only in the chamber with the stone for a relatively short period."
"How long?"Lars asked.
"Three weeks."
"And you want us to believe that it didn't affect the symbiont?"
"Presnol says not.A simple bronchial infection killed him.Those on the exploration ship-examined by remote probe-died of a rampant lymphatic leukemia which no medication available to any nonaltered humans could combat.There were no indications of lymphatic failure or alteration in Trag."
"Three weeks might not have been long enough for the problem to develop."
Lanzecki shook his head."Not according to the data in the log of the medic on board the exploration ship.Initial symptoms of fatigue, headache, et cetera, appeared in the second week after contact."
Killashandra kept staring at Lanzecki.After the Trundomoux black-crystal installation-a traumatic memory she hadn't been able to eradicate-and some other little special assignments, the memories of which had been reduced over the years to feelings of annoyance rather than specific complaints, Killashandra had an innate distrust of any Lanzecki assignments.
"Eighty buys our time and effort," she told him with terse finality.
"Plus… ." and Lars held up his hand, entering the bidding for the first time."A half percent of Guild profits arising from viable merchandising of this as a product."
"What!"Lanzecki's blast of surprise startled Lars off his perch.
Killashandra threw her head back in a burst of laughter as he pulled himself back onto the worktop."Boy, you're learning!"
"Well, I don't see why not," Lars told her, but he was watching Lanzecki's face."If we're risking our asses for the Guild, we should see some of the profits!"
"It may be nothing more than a pretty stone!"Lanzecki bit out the words.
"Then there'd be no royalty to be paid."
"It could be sentient," Killashandra put in.
"Whose side are you on?"Lars demanded.
But Lanzecki grinned.
"Done!"And before either crystal singer could protest, he caught Killashandra's hand and slapped it down on the palm pad, effectively registering her agreement.Then he extended the unit to Lars Dahl, who grinned broadly and made a show of wriggling his fingers before placing them down on the pad.
"We could have held out for more," Killashandra said with some disgust.
Lars parted his lips in a broad grin.Bargaining was usually her province, and she was very good at it.He was rather pleased with his initiative in adding the percentage: not too much for Lanzecki to reject out of hand, but if the rock was proved useful, they could easily never have to cut crystal unless they needed to renew the symbiont.Still, eighty thousand credits and a royalty was enough to salve pride and greed.
"So, if unaltered humans can't land on this planet, how do we?"Killashandra asked.
"Brain ship's been allocated."
"Our old friends Samel and Chadria?"Lars asked.
The names titillated Killashandra's memory but produced no further recall.
Lanzecki gave Lars a patient stare."Not them."
Killashandra winced, for his attitude plainly indicated that pair were no longer alive.She wondered, but only briefly, how long ago their demise had occurred.Brain ships had life expectancies of several hundred years.Could she have been cutting crystal for that long?
"They had an awkward accident," Lanzecki amended, and Killashandra relaxed."I'll inform the Agency that you've taken the contract."
"So there've been no tests or assays or anything completed on this stone?Even by Trag?"Lars asked."Discounting its effect on humans?"
"Trag felt it was sentient."
"Trag did?"Killashandra was astounded."Then it is."
"And you treat that as a possibility only, Killashandra Ree," Lanzecki said, sternly waggling a blunt finger at her.
"You bet!"She began to feel better about the assignment.If blunt ol' thick-skinned conservative Trag had felt something, she rather supposed that she and Lars would have much better luck."A silicon sentience has been postulated."
"Will it say it's sorry it killed the team?"Lars asked sarcastically, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Does crystal?"Killashandra responded with a snort.
"At least crystal sings," was Lars's soft rejoinder.
To Lars, Lanzecki passed a flimzie and a thin tape cassette."That's all we have on the silicon, and the relevant log entries."
"So when do we go?"
"Your transport, the BB-1066-" He held up his hand when Killashandra started to interrupt him."The Brendan/Boira.Boira's on sick leave, so Brendan's willing to undertake the journey."
"Truly a B-and-B ship," Lars said dryly.
"And I suppose you expect us to depart immediately?"Killashandra asked irascibly.
Lanzecki nodded briefly."Brendan's been patiently waiting your return."
"We just got in," Killashandra protested.
"From a holiday," Lanzecki pointed out.
"Holiday?"Noting Lars Dahl stiffen on his corner of the worktop, she grinned impudently."Well, from one point of view, but I'd like time to get the salt off my skin and a bit of crystal out of my blood."
"A tub-a double one"-Lanzecki's grin was malicious-"and sufficient radiant fluid are aboard the 1066.With eighty thou to your credit, you can surely see your way clear to a precipitous departure.Everyone you might know-bar Presnol-is out in the Ranges."
Killashandra sniffed her displeasure at what seemed suspiciously close to being part of a maneuver to shanghai them.
"If you'd bothered to keep in contact, you'd've had more time," Lanzecki pointed out.
"C'mon, Killa," Lars said, dismounting from his perch and draping an affectionate arm about her shoulders.
"I suppose our sled isn't ready?" she said, eyeing Lanzecki sourly.
"It is."Lanzecki never took kindly to any suggestion of Guild inefficiency."And you'll earn more from this-"
"As well as easy credit for the Guild," Killa put in.
"Not to mention that we're the best ones for this little errand," Lars added.
"That, too," Lanzecki unexpectedly conceded."Only this time"-his pointed finger stabbed in Lars's direction-"I want on-the-site accounts recorded in Brendan's memory circuits from the moment you land on Opal."
"This time," Killashandra said, smiling in saccharine obedience, "you'll have 'em.We'll just dump our gear and grab a few personal things from our quarters."
"Brendan's stocked your usual brands, and being a B-and-B ship, he's amply supplied with more than the usual trip paraphernalia.Leave for Shanganagh from here.Now.There's a shuttle waiting."
Killashandra unslung her duffel and launched it at Lanzecki, who neatly caught it.Lars merely slipped the webbed carry strap from his shoulder.
"Everything needs cleaning," he said.
Lanzecki nodded."Get out of here!"The phrase combined imperative order as well as gruff farewell.
So they left Lanzecki's office.Being more diplomatic than his partner, Lars nodded briefly to Bollam, who stared back with no response.