TriPoint, a Union Alliance novel by Caroline J. Cherryh

“I copy, “ Austin said. “Thank you, Beatrice. “

He tried clumsily to adjust the air-flow. People talked to Medical, then, talked about broken arms and a suit puncture, one man dead. They said the cargo doors were shutting. But motion imminent had just gone off his faceplate display.

Nothing seemed real to him. Crew movement was all drifting now, leisurely. He heard Beatrice Perrault say,

“Evidently the robot respects a freighter ID. Or its direction, as nav believes. Sprite is, at any rate, sacrosanct. That gives us a new problem. “

“Screw that,” Tom said. New panic closed on him. Indignation. He shoved to get clear. “They’re not attacking my ship. “ He couldn’t break Tink’s grip. He shoved the channel selector with his chin. “Austin, damn you, that’s my ship, dammit, that’s my mother’s ship—”

“Put Hawkins in contact, “ Austin said faintly. “Beatrice. Dan. Do it.—Tom. “

“Sir. “

“That’s a word I like to hear. We still have them outgunned, Thomas Bowe-Hawkins. Remember that. Tell mama hello. “

“Yes, sir,” he said.

“Stand by. “ Voice he didn’t know. But after that:

“Go ahead, Hawkins. Talk them out of shooting. Or going away. The old hulk doesn’t like either one. “

* * *

Chapter Twelve

Contents – Prev

—i—

“TOM, “ SAJA SAID, A FACE ON THE vid. “Tom. Tell me again. Tell me why it’s your choice. “

“Yeah, well… “ Breath still felt as tight as it had in the suit. “Dammit, tell Marie I want to talk. I’ll tell her. All right?”

“She says,…”

“Yeah, screw what she says until she says it to me. Tell her get the hell on the com and talk to me. Now.”

Silence, then. He sat there, on Corinthian’s bridge, with Saby and Christian standing over him, and Austin sitting—a broken leg, four broken ribs and a broken arm, was Austin’s tally, give or take. One man hadn’t been lucky. Came of fools interfering with operations. Came of a mistake he’d never in his life forget.

But they’d delivered the last of the cargo. Austin insisted. Said he’d never failed a contract and he wasn’t starting now. Flour and blood every damn where, iron rods floating all over the hold. Couldn’t get that out of his memory.

Hadn’t even realized his ankle was broken. He’d been that scared. That numb.

New image came on. Marie stared at him. He stared back, a light-second removed.

“So?” Marie said. “You staying with Corinthian?”

“Yes, “ he said. “—Met a girl, Marie. “

“A girl. “ Marie snorted. “You damn fool. “

“Yeah. I know. But you’d like her, Marie.”

“Austin there?”

That surprised him. That really surprised him. He looked at Austin. Austin turned his chair, reached across the board and put the aux com live.

“Hello, Marie. What can I do for you?”

While, across the bridge, missiles were armed and the scan was locked warily on Sprite.

“Hello, Austin. You want him?”

Austin shrugged. “Not my choice.”

“What do you want?”

“To get clear. That’s all. You speaking for Sprite, now, Marie? I hear so.”

“Damn right. “

“Well, captain Hawkins, you’re clear, you’re free. My navigator says you could even cut a deal. I’ll give you a password, in fact. Tell Miller Transship you want the deal I had. Whisper the word Tripoint. Somebody’ll be in contact, if you’re polite. Just sit at Viking and wait.”

“You’re out of your mind. “

“It’s clean money, all legitimate salvage. Real old dates. And we’re out of this route, for good. Got another offer. So it’s all yours, captain Hawkins. Comfortable living. I do suggest you upgrade your armament, if you take the offer. And rig a cutoff for that damn ID.”

“Go to hell. “

“Go to hell yourself, Marie. Love you.”

“Tom?”

He punched the switch. “Marie. Yeah?”

Marie didn’t say anything right off. Just stared. Punched a few buttons. Maybe the image-capture. It looked to be. He pushed that button on Corinthian’s board. Froze that look, that motion, for keeping, for the rest of time.

“You stay out of trouble, “ Marie said. “Keep yourself honest. Hear?”

“You take care of yourself,” he said. “Mama. You take care.”

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