"I know that nobody on Schwartztarr is going to buy the fardling laser crystals. I'm not stupid either. If the authorities want to think I'm a moron, fine, let 'em. But you know why I'm here, so what's your excuse?"
"Okay," he said in astonishment holding his hands up palms out. "C'mon, you had to know that twenty-five thousand was way too high for a low-risk job like this, huh? You're not stupid, right? Look, you can only lose here. Just take the credits and maybe I can find you somethin' else to do for us. Huh?"
Joat glared at him, her lips a tight line. Then she nodded.
"But I want payment now."
"Okay," he said sullenly.
She called up the branch of her bank that did business on Schwartztarr and spoke the keying phrase that opened up an account, then hit a key that transmitted her account number and the location of the home branch along with her account's most recent update in a single rapid burst. Withdrawals, of course, were much more complex.
Her contact slid over to her terminal and entered a credit chip, transmitting authorization to delete five thousand from it and transfer it to her account.
She handed him the datahedron.
"I don't like being cheated," she told him.
"No, well, life's a lesson, y'know. Separates the smart from the stupid," he said. His grin disappeared behind goggles and face-mask as he fastened his parka.
Joat stood and followed him down through the corridors.
"Sayonara, stupidissimo," she muttered as the hatch closed behind him. "Think he bought it?" she asked Rand.
"He gave every indication of doing so. What will his reaction be when he discovers what we've done?"
"Violent, I expect," Joat said. "Why do you think I locked the hatch?"
She picked up a note screen and stylus and sat down facing her largest screen. "Play the recording of that Nomik Ciety hedron, would you, Rand?"
Rand began playing back the recording and Joat sat quietly, scribbling a note now and then on her belt unit. The hedron described Ciety's lifestyle and career, noting that very little was known of his past; presently he seemed to be living up to the Middle-Level Organized Crime stereotype. There was a long section on his known associates and henchmen which also lacked significant background information.
As the information rolled by, augmented by numerous holos of Ciety and his people, Joat struggled to concentrate. Now that the shock of rediscovering him was past, she was able, to a degree, to achieve an emotional distance from the man on the screen.
When it was over she sat for a while, her face expressionless, and stared into space, struggling to keep the memories out.
Amos first! she told herself fiercely over and over. Amos must come first!
"They've obviously spent a great deal to erase their early histories," Rand observed.
Joat blinked and nodded.
"Yes," she agreed leadenly.
"You were most inattentive the first time we played this, Joat. That's quite unlike you," it observed.
She turned her chair to look at it. Its lights were a flickering mix of colors-Rand's "neutral" face.
"You noticed that?" she murmured.
"I don't think the others did," Rand hastened to reassure her. "But you became quite pale for a moment, and when Joseph touched you, your reaction was uncharacteristically violent. Just now your heartbeat is elevated. Is there something we should know?"
"Maybe," she said thoughtfully. "I'll have to think about it."
"You're a good cook, Joe," Joat yawned.
"It is a manly skill," Joseph answered seriously, sliding the sausages onto her plate.
"Alvec?"
"He will return later." Joseph waved the frying pan under the cleaner, then racked the utensil. "Joat… he went away with this woman that he met. She was an amazon, Joat, truly. As tall as Amos and as muscular as I am. She had an expression on her face that had me stammering an apology the instant that I saw it."
"What'd you do?" Joat asked, interested.
"Nothing. I knew that I had done nothing to offend her, but still, I'm sorry came dribbling out of my mouth before I could stop myself. And then Alvec introduced her as his Rose and she melted. She giggled and covered her mouth with her hand like a shy maiden, and she blushed bright pink! If you saw her, Joat, you would imagine that such a woman would have to think hard for a good five minutes to even remember how to blush." He paused for a moment. "Do you know, she could have been the sister of the Rose he met on New Destinies."
Smiling fondly, Joat nodded.
"Yeah, they're a lot alike, every Rose in his 'bouquet'-that's Al's term for the bunch of them-is just like the next one. Y'know, he's stayed friends with all of 'em, and there must be scores of them by now." She shook her head. "You're right, it's remarkable."
"Has he ever failed in his wooing?" Joseph asked.
"Not that I'm aware of. See, he's completely sincere, he really adores his Roses." She grinned. "That's very seductive."
"Ah, yes, I do see." He pursed his lips thoughtfully. "I do not think that I would be so easily seduced though."
Joat suppressed a smile, thinking, How the heck would you know? After the dance Rachel led you, would you even recognize a seduction that didn't include a slap in the face?
"Are you susceptible to romance, my friend?" Joseph prodded.
She folded her hands on her stomach and stared at the ceiling thoughtfully.
"Oh, I suppose I enjoy a nice episode of boot-licking flattery as much as the next person. But I'm not inclined to let it turn my head like Al's Roses do. I'm no kind of flower when you come right down to it."
"I think of my Rachel as an althea," Joseph murmured, his face dreamy. "A flower of very subtle beauty."
Joat blinked. Joseph as a romantic was always a revelation to her. And to be honest, Rachel's beauty was of a very subtle order indeed, for Joat herself had never seen it.
"All women resemble some flower," he insisted. "Even you, my friend."
"Yeah, well, maybe one of those flesh eating ones," Joat conceded, grinning. She shook her head ruefully. "You know, I think you're all incredibly brave."
Joseph looked at her questioningly.
"Channa and Amos," she clarified. "And you. I can't see how you do it, no matter how much it hurts, you just keep coming back for more. It amazes me."
He still looked puzzled.
"Amos and Channa's love does bring them pain," he agreed. "But it also blesses them with much joy. As to myself, you puzzle me, my friend. I am very happily married. Why do you include me in your number of the brave?"
"I was thinking of the early days of your relationship with Rachel. Everything is great now, but I haven't forgotten the sight of her hitting you in the face 'till her hand bled."
He cocked his head at her.
"I must ask you to be fair, Joat. My Rachel was not at her best at the time."
Joat spluttered into her coffee.
"You have a gift for understatement, Joe. I think you're brave because no matter what she did, no matter what she said, no matter how much it hurt you, you were there for her and you never stopped loving her." Her eyes revealed the puzzled amazement that she always felt when she thought about this. "I can't imagine leaving myself open like that. I can't help but think, what's the matter with these people, do they like pain and misery? Oh, and let's not forget the humiliation."