Note37
It was a warning, Skade, telling her to back off or face the consequences.
Note38
The shipmaster threatened to do just that, but Bax ignored her. She promised the shipmaster she wasn’t going to steal hydrogen, but made it pretty clear she wasn’t about to turn around either.
Note39
Or very lucky,
Note40
Clearly the shipmaster didn’t have the ammunition to back up her threat. She must have used up her last missile during some earlier engagement.
Note41
Yes. Once Bax shone her radar on to the Demarchist ship, the shipmaster had no choice but to make some kind of response. Firing a missile would have been the usual course of action — she’d have been fully within her rights — but at the very least she had to warn the freighter to back off. That didn’t work — for whatever reason Bax wasn’t sufficiently intimidated. That immediately put the shipmaster in a compromised position. She’d barked, but she sure as hell couldn’t bite.
Note42
Clavain’s right. She has no missiles. And now we know.
Note43
Why, Skade? Is there something that makes this ship unusually precious? If so, isn’t it a little odd that no one told me?
Note44
But even if he had, he wouldn’t know everything, would he?
Note45
But I’m Closed Council and even I don’t know exactly what you’re doing here. What is it, Skade — a secret operation for the Inner Sanctum?
Note46
There’s clearly more to it than that, though.
Note47
No. We’ll wait for both ships to come out the other side. Assuming either survives, then we’ll act.
Note48
Skade… ?
Note49
No, Skade.
Note50
Release control of the weapons. Do as Clavain wishes. It will serve us better in the long run.
Note51
Release the weapons, Skade.
Note52
No, Clavain.
Note53
You’re still a valued asset, Clavain.
Note54
Clavain.
Note55
Not much. All dead.
Note56
Recently. No sign of injury. Appears deliberate.
Note57
No survivors, Clavain.
Note58
Clavain?
Note59
We’re picking up a general distress message from the freighter.
Note60
She isn’t, but she might soon be. Her ship has engine problems — a tokamak failure, it seems. She hasn’t made escape velocity, and she hasn’t managed an orbital injection either.
Note61
Clavain… you realise we can’t possibly acknowledge her call.
Note62
That would set a precedent. We’d be endorsing illegal activity. At the very least, we’d have no choice but to recruit her.
Note63
Clavain!
Note64
Where have you been, Clavain?
Note65
Outside? Beyond the Mother Nest?
Note66
In a spaceship?
Note67
Can I see it?
Note68
What did you do in the spaceship, Clavain?
Note69
Whom did you help?
Note70
Why did she need your help?
Note71
What was the lady called?
Note72
Why was she coming out of the gas giant?
Note73
Why did she have two names, Clavain?
Note74
Me, Clavain, me!
Note75
Why should he know about it, Remontoire?
Note76
If Clavain consented to join us, there’d be no need to talk about him behind his back, would there? The problem’s his, not mine.
Note77
Hidden agenda? We only want what’s best for Clavain, Remontoire. As his friend I would have imagined that you’d have grasped that.
