Blaedergil's Host by C.M. Simpson (reading well .TXT) 📕

between us and the door, because I’d have hated to see what would have happened if we hadn’t had that much cover. The pack of bodies, combined with the shelter of the bodies of those we’d already killed, protected us from the sudden burst of light and shredding shards that filled the room. It didn’t stop us from being covered in enough ichor and innards to last us a lifetime.

“You all right?” Tenravin.

Honestly, I didn’t know whether to kiss or kill him.

“I’m good,” the soldier replied. “A simple thank you will suffice.”

And I caught a glimpse of what I looked like covered in bits of arach.

“Charming,” Mack said, as I lost the breakfast from far too long ago.

Tenravin laughed.

“You might have cleared it away from your mouth, but I’m still not kissing you.”

I gave him a very silent finger, and then headed for the door. Redecorating the cell was going to be a bitch.

“Ship secured,” the Skymander team leader said, once we’d checked every compartment, room, corridor, and vent shaft we could reach. “All crawlers eliminated.”

I wished I could be as sure. If he heard that thought, the team leader ignored it as he turned towards us.

“Our Lord Skymander thanks you,” he said. “You are to wait with us, until our ships have returned.”

He wrinkled his nose.

“Let us pray they will not be long.”

38—Contracts & Opportunity

The Skymander team lead’s hopes were answered, and I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to ported, anywhere, as then. We were back on board the Shady Marie in a lot less time than it took for the arach splatter to start to stink—and under the showers shortly after.

Doc insisted we use the ones in med bay to make sure we hadn’t picked up anything while on the arach ship, and Tens brought us both a change of combat armor and under garments.

“Skymander requests your presence at your earliest convenience,” he told us, and I guess Mack interpreted that the same way I did, because we were both in the control center, five minutes later.

Skymander was pleased.

“I have awarded bonuses for completion,” he said, “...or I will, as soon as you hand over the files and serum you promised. My shuttle will arrive shortly.

It arrived as he spoke, and Tens supervised its docking, having one of Mack’s security teams escort Doc and the serum to meet the Skymander envoy in the shuttle bay.

“You are welcome aboard,” Doc told him, as Mack and I watched the meeting on a secondary screen. Skymander waited patiently on the main screen, although I was certain he, too, watched the exchange, right down to when his men verified the serum for what it was.

“Thank you, but we are under orders to return in time shortest,” the envoy said, and Doc stepped back.

“If that is all?”

“Thank you, Doctor,” and the envoy wheeled about and returned to the shuttle.

Doc and the security team retreated to the observation deck, and watched as the shuttle left.

“Thank you,” Skymander said. “The files have arrived, and are confirmed complete.”

“We have no need of them,” Mack said.

“Please go over the final contract and invoice,” Skymander said. “There are some points of negotiation, and I am available for the next half day standard.”

“Thank you,” Mack said. “I will be in touch to render approval or negotiate as required.”

Skymander inclined his head, and cut the call. Mack breathed a big sigh of relief, and then looked around at the control center.

“You are dismissed,” he said. “There will be a meal in the caf, and we’ll debrief once I’ve finalized the contract.”

I left with Tens and Case, but we went our separate ways once we hit the corridor. For a moment, I felt at a loose end, but I headed for the caf, and food, figuring it might be a good idea to eat. After that?

After that, I didn’t know. Returning to my cabin had no appeal, so I figured I’d hit the rec room or gym. Maybe in that order, given I’d have a bellyful of food. It seemed like forever since I’d had any time of my own to kill.

“Don’t get used to it, Cutter.”

Yeah, whatever, Mack.

As it turned out, I’d just hit the rec room, when Mack called us back. He’d finalized the contract with Skymander, and was ready to debrief. That took a goodly part of the afternoon, but it was worth it.

After we’d gone over the mission details, Mack sent us the details of what we’d earned.

“Go over them before you hit your racks. Any disagreements, come and see me, soonest. We’ll sort them out.”

I nodded, pretty much lost for words. The numbers scrolling through my implant were... They were far more than I’d expected.

I turned the figures over in my head, as I headed back to the cabin, and then I verified them on the computer. It was no surprise to find an Odyssey invoice waiting in my in-box. Delight didn’t let any grass grow under her feet. The mission was over, and I had the option of knocking down some of the debt, provided I paid it off in the next four hours.

When I compared what I’d been credited against what I owed, I could have cried. Between the payments from Skymander, the bonus from the Hazernas, Odyssey’s multiple bonuses for contract completion, retrieving Delight, assisting Pritchard, and its compensation for injury, amongst other things, I had enough to pay out every single cent of the Odyssey debt, including the extra penalties I’d incurred.

The only thing was, that once I did, I’d have nothing left. My solvency would consist solely of what I had in my locker and on my back. On top of that, if I paid Odyssey out, I’d have nowhere to stay, no work, and no way of finding any. I pushed myself away from the desk, and Delight’s impatient email.

I didn’t want to answer it. I knew the deadline loomed, but I didn’t want to just pay a portion of it—and I couldn’t pay it all. Once I