The device gave a strangely modulated beep, and the chit was returned to Sato. The elSha made no comment, so Rick assumed it had passed muster, as he knew it would. While Rick had little of the time he’d spent in the Winged Hussars, he knew the Horsemen were an upright group and couldn’t imagine the ship’s safes being filled with forged credits.
The GenSha and Kaa partners worked for just over 10 minutes to complete their tasks, then the reptilian held out three Yacks which, to Rick, looked identical to the one he’d had before…well, before he woke up in a lab.
Sato accepted the three computer cards, and the elSha came in to hold out his clawed hand.
“Let’s have the credits.”
“Once I check the goods,” Sato said.
“What, you don’t trust us?” the GenSha grumbled.
“I trust you just as much as you trusted my credits,” Sato said dryly as he took a slate out of his belt carry pouch.
Touché, Rick thought. Well played. Once again, Sato’s ability and savviness in the situation sent mixed signals. He hadn’t noticed the danger of the Pushtal but was astute enough to realize he needed to verify the fake IDs. In some ways, it made his job as the rogue scientist’s bodyguard more difficult, because he didn’t know at any time how capable his companion might be. Rick had already decided Sato would be less than useless in a fight.
Sato checked the three Yacks, one after the other, with his slate. Rick guessed Sato had some sort of verification software he was using to evaluate the Yacks. When the scientist inserted the last of the three, he paused, staring at the screen.
“What?” the GenSha demanded as Sato continued to stare. “They’re perfect, I assure you.”
“They aren’t perfect. However, they’re serviceable,” Sato said, finally coming out of his reverie and removing the last card. “Everything seems to be in order.” The elSha again held out a hand, and Sato placed three one-million-credit chits in his hand, then after glancing at Rick, added a fourth.
“We should charge you a changing fee,” the alien said as he went to a heavy case mounted to a wall and opened it.
“We paid double your asking price for a simple rush job,” Rick pointed out.
“Simple?” the Kaa hissed.
“Consider it a small concession,” Rick finished, not deigning to acknowledge the Kaa’s comment. The elSha returned and began counting out piles of chits on the table where the Kaa and GenSha had worked. The GenSha was already doing something else; the Kaa might have been watching the transaction. Since they lacked normal eyes, Rick had no idea.
The one-million-credit chit was broken into a considerable pile of smaller denominations, ranging from a single 100,000 credit chit, down to a formidable pile of 100s, and everything in between. Sato quickly made them disappear into the same bag he’d had the rest of the big value chits in.
“Thanks,” he said and turned to leave.
“If you’re caught with those, you better not finger us,” the Kaa warned.
It doesn’t have fingers, Rick thought with amusement. “Or what?” he asked. “You think what you’d do to us is any worse than what the Peacemaker Guild Enforcers would do?”
The GenSha gave a single, grumbling chuckle, sounding a little like a rock rolling onto one side, proving he’d been listening. The Kaa hissed something that didn’t translate and went back to his work. They were ushered out by the elSha.
“Thanks for the credits,” he said. Sato nodded and moved out of the alley into the promenade.
“See you around,” Rick said, spearing the little reptilian with his brightly glowing blue gaze. The elSha’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, and he slammed the door.
* * *
Sato’s mind was anywhere except the present. If he’d been in a better mindset, he would have realized how bad an idea this was. Thanks to thinking things through, they now had reasonably usable identification, and thanks to Rick’s on-the-spot work, they also had some small denomination credits. The latter was something he’d overlooked. Taking a Rick was a good idea after all.
The parts of his mind centered on mundane matters guided his feet as they moved out of the alleys off Karma Station’s promenade and back into a more populous area. He didn’t keep an eye on Rick because he was confident his companion knew his role in their relationship.
When he turned off the promenade, there was a short tunnel to reach their hotel. Since Humans only made up a fraction of a percent of Karma’s business, it meant hotels, restaurants, and bars catering to their species were rare, and often out of the way. This was no exception.
“Hey, rich Human.”
Sato almost walked right into the hulking alien. He came to a sudden stop and backed up a step before he realized it hadn’t been one of the two huge aliens who’d spoken, but the short one between them. An elSha. In fact, the elSha who’d handled the door where he’d gotten the fake IDs.
“What’s going on?” he demanded.
“I have these two friends who need some money,” the elSha said. “And I was thinking, hey, I know a rich Human who will be happy to help.”
“Yeah, help us, rich Human.”
Sato looked up for the first time at the other aliens, both half a meter taller than him, vaguely lupine in appearance, with sharp facial features, and more teeth than any being had a right to. “Besquith,” he said.
“Nice of you to notice,” the other one said.
“Rick,” Sato said and half turned. Nobody
