"The Makings of a Deal"

[Shane 0]

Simon turned back to Troy, having not moved from his place behind the desk. "My organization has a great deal of information, Doctor Parson. On whether we have the information you seek, you will simply have to trust me. Is there much downside to letting this opportunity go?"

 

"No," spoke Shane suddenly in his low, deep voice, "there's not." The big cyborg stepped up from the back of the group and starred down Simon, the servos and gears in his massive arm whirring as he moved. "The captain will be easy to take care of once we're aboard the ship. He'll have the parts we need with him and he'll be trapped within the confines of his own ship. But before we make any bargains, what I want to know is why? You got something against Manning?"

 

Simon allowed his bespectacled gaze to turn to Shane for the first time, though he'd been aware of the cybernetically enhanced giant from the moment he and his companions entered the utility tunnel underneath the Quantum Trinities office complex. An interesting factor in the equation, this one, he thought. "I was wondering when we would hear from you ... Mr. Tayjer. Of all our assembled guests, your past may in fact be the most interesting."

 

Shane's eyes narrowed at the sound of the name "Tayjer". It was as he suspected; the man knew of at least a portion of his personal history. Too much. He remained silent as Simon continued.

 

"To answer your questions and alleviate your suspicions ... no, Manning is of little concern to me. I bear him no grudge nor do we have any shared history. But he holds many ideals which do not agree with those of the Rainmakers. Further, I fear that he would ultimately put a price on his assistance that we simply cannot afford to pay -- knowledge of the whereabouts of his missing child. I fear that for all his bluster about evading the authorities and getting paid, that is his only real concern -- a piece of information that we do not possess."

 

"I see in you in similar case, Mr. Tayjer. You have made little secret of your disdain for the Federation. That is your only true ideal, perhaps? I wonder if that ideal is strong enough to get in the way of suitable payment for your cooperation. But unlike Manning, you have me at a loss -- I am unsure what price would move you. Your enemies are too numerous to pinpoint. Your happier past cannot be recalled by any means at our disposal. Is it money that moves you? A ship and a crew? Or ... perhaps you wish to be concealed? What is it that you want, Mr. Tayjer?"

 

The big man silently considered Simon a moment. He had dealt with men like this before and knew how the game was played. If you couldn't buy someone off, then you eliminate them and leave no loose ends. That's what was happening to Manning and what might happen to him if he didn't play his cards right. "Keep yer mouth shut about my past." he said finally, "Pay me the standard professional fee for the killin' on top of that and you can consider yer job as good as done."

[Pher 0]

Pher hoped she was hiding her disgust. It was good, of course, that he thought her a gold digger. Heck, she'd been away from home long enough that perhaps she was a gold digger at this point.

 

But he was making a typical revolutionary's mistake. If one tore down the vile old tower, a new and perfect tower is supposed to spontaneously leap into the sky in the place of the old one. The Federation didn't think it had enough fleet to defend the nebula. Death and destruction wouldn't change that. He was also a manipulator and a betrayer, rather than a team player.

 

Pher quietly resolved to tell the others not to invite him to any revolutions. Meanwhile, maybe she should try to get a pretty bauble out of this?