The Sea is Full of Stars

Shissik seemed surprised. “In my own flat, I hope. I live here.”

The permits and papers took some time to complete, and they went into the ministry restaurant to get dinner. Little was actually cooked in Kalinda, but chefs combined various plant and animal products into a huge variety of meals that tasted unique, most pressed together tightly so they formed a kind of eat-all sandwich, or served in bowls in very thick paste. Nothing much floated away if you ate politely. These were almost always accompanied by a hard-pressed, pillow-shaped cake of sea oats bound in some kind of fatty stock that gave it a soylike flavor.

Once settled in, Shissik accompanied them to their room on a middle floor with an entryway facing the capitol building and the park in front with the huge illuminated oval with a diamond design inside which was the symbol, the “flag,” of Kalinda.

“Our appointments and true work will not start until two shifts from now, about 1800 hours,” Shissik told them. “I plan to go home, check all my messages and my mail, then get some sleep. I realize that you haven’t been on your own much, and this city is not a good place to start. All of the elements, bad as well as good, in any major city anywhere are present here, and you do not know the boundaries us natives take for granted. You were long ago implanted with a broadcast locator chip, so we’ll know where you are. Please stay within a few blocks of the capitol building there, and refrain from roaming the street level areas or below, where the most dangerous element hangs out. I shall be here to pick you up by 1700. Any questions?”

They both tried to talk at once, which usually meant they twitched a lot until one of them gave way. This time it was Ming who won out. “Yes—how can we see or do much of anything without any cash or credit line? We have nothing for even minor incidentals.”

Shissik wasn’t fooled. “Without those things, it won’t be very tempting to roam too far and go into places you shouldn’t. Your credit is good at the hostel restaurant and you have this room. That should be sufficient for the basics. Good day.”

And with that he swam out and away.

Now what? Ming asked.

Can’t do much without money, and you’re Madame Morality so there s not much chance of finding any. Not much we can do but wander around the grounds over there and mope.

Ming thought a moment. I’m also known to be resourceful. What have we got in the luggage?

He went over to the lone backpack and undid the latches.

You should know. You and I packed it. Not much. They don’t exactly give diamond rings to wards of the state.

We’ve got the watch on our arm, she pointed out. Good, solid military issue. And, what the hell, there’s the backpack itself. Won’t net us much, but it might give us a little admission money.

He did not follow her for a moment, then saw what she meant. Of course! Any city this big just has to have pawnshops! Why didn’t I think of that?

Because you’re a rich nephew of a really rich scumbag monster and you have spent time auditing pawnshops but never been in a position to need one. You’ve read my past out of my mind. You should know I didn’t start out undercover on the organized mob task force!

The fact was, he hadn’t paid much attention to the details of those early assignments, just that she’d done them. It occurred to him that he ought to take another look sometime and see what he’d missed. Okay, okay. For this little bit, I’m gonna yield to experience. Go ahead and take control and get us out of here.

Sure hope they have public clocks, though. Without the watch, we’re never going to know what time it is…

They went down to the hostel lounge on the second floor, where low-level bureaucrats were floating around, reading the papers or magazines or involved in low-level conversations. One particularly scruffy type who was leaning on the rail and watching the city pass by seemed a likely source.

“A securities broker?” he said in answer to Ming’s question. “Yes, bottom level, two blocks down. Follow the red number two line north. A bit tight on the expenses, eh?”

“A bit,” Ming admitted. “Thank you.”

She swam out and saw the red routing line below with the symbol for 2 and hung a left, descending down to the first level.

For a race with a strong sense of magnetic force, all directions were given in compass points, even though there were effectively no true magnetic poles. Somehow, you just knew which way was which.

We’ve already disobeyed our keeper by coming down here, Ari noted playfully. Do you think Big Mother’s board is going off and they’re sending out the cops for us now?

I doubt it. If they’re typical, then they have hundreds, maybe thousands, of stakeouts on computer monitoring systems, and going down to the street and two blocks away isn’t likely to cause any alarms. Trust me.

I have to, he responded. It’s not like I can strike out on my own. Besides, you never lie to me.

The “securities broker” was little more than a stall on a back alley. They couldn’t read the signs, and the symbols here were so different they weren’t obvious, but this kind of shop had a universal look and feel to it. The proprietor was a small, slight woman who seemed more well-worn and threadbare than the fellow back at the hostel, and also very pregnant. From the several kids swimming around in and through the stock in the back, it was clearly the other thing she did well.

“These watches aren’t nothin’ to write home about. Hell to move, too,” the pawnbroker commented. “I mean, they’re regular government issue. Best I can do is ten. The backpack, though, is in great condition. Swear it was brand new. That I can take for, oh, six. Total of sixteen credits.”

“Are you trying to steal us blind?” Ming fumed. “Sixteen for both of these!”

The pawnbroker looked around. “Us? You a cop or some-thin’? Licensing Bureau, like that? I ain’t in no trouble.”

“No, but I’m sorry I’m not,” Ming replied, correcting herself. It was too complicated to try to explain, and she didn’t want to start a conversation, only get some cash. “That is robbing someone in need.”

“Yeah? Well, I got needs, too, y’know. You don’t come back, I got to sell them things for a profit. Sixteen, take it or leave it.”

She took it, of course, even though it was hardly enough to matter. It was sixteen credits more than they had before.

As they were leaving the broker commented, “Too bad you’re goin’ fem, doll. You got somethin’ to sell on the street here stayin’ as you are.”

She was startled. “I am?” But she left without waiting for the response.

Think it’s true?

Ari didn’t know. I think she was just reacting to you, that’s all. Still, you keep being the driver and it’ll happen.

Why shouldn’t it? Might be interesting anyway. Doesn’t carry the baggage here it might back home, not when anybody can switch.

But I don’t want to change! At least not now! I’ve never been a guy before!

Well, whatever happens, happens. I’d rather stay a guy, too, for the record. There are fewer men than women here ’cause the population’s a hair low, I guess. Of course, maybe not. She sure seemed to be doing her part for getting everything back in balance.

Yeah, she did, didn’t she? Well, I hope we don’t have to market ourselves anytime soon.