The Privateer by William Zellmann Read Free Book Online Page B

would be able to handle the purchase of two eight-millimeter sunstones.
    As soon as he had grounded and taken care of the port formalities, he walked two blocks from the port before grabbing a hovercab to the headquarters of Peng Gems.
    An attractive young woman operated the reception desk. When he asked about meeting with a gem buyer, she seemed unimpressed, until he mentioned sunstones. Suddenly she became very attentive, and began pressing buttons on her console. In only moments, a small, middle-aged man hurried to the reception desk with a large, if insincere smile.
    "A very good day to you, sire . . . uh . . ."
    "Averano," Cale supplied, using the name of a long-dead pirate.
    "Of course, sire, of course," the little man ushered him down a short, deeply carpeted hall and into a small, but tastefully decorated office. The large real-wood desk supported a small sculpture John Smith would have estimated at fifty thousand Alliance credits.
    The small man ushered him to a comfortable-looking chair facing the desk. "I'm Ricardo Fong," the man said as he hurried around the desk. "I understand you have a, uh, high-value gem to show me." The smile never wavered but the man's eyes gleamed with avarice.
    Cale smiled. "Two, actually," he replied casually, "both about eight millimeters in size."
    The smile slipped. " Two ?" Fong rose again. "Sire Averano, am I to understand that you can offer two sunstones?"
    Cale's smile faded. "Yes. But can Peng Gems afford to purchase two eight-millimeter sunstones? I am prepared to sell them one at a time, if necessary, but I would prefer a single transaction."
    Fong looked shaken. "If I may see the . . . uh . . . merchandise?"
    Cale reached into his shirt pocket and removed a small packet. Feng hurried to place a piece of black velvet on the desk. Cale unwrapped the packet and the two sunstones rolled out onto the velvet, seeming to glow in the room light. Fong hurried back around the desk, snatching a well-used jeweler's scanner from the center drawer. With it, he hovered over each of the stones. After a moment, Fong released the scanner and dropped backward into his chair with a thump. He looked dazed.
    After a moment, he roused and began frantically pressing buttons on his console. "I'm sure Peng Gems would be willing to make an offer," Fong said weakly, "but of course such a large transaction would require the personal attention of sire Peng himself."
    Fong carefully folded the velvet over the stones, and watched helplessly as Cale returned the gems to his pocket. Fong's eyes followed them hungrily. Then, seemingly rousing himself, he ushered Cale down the hall to a lift shaft. Fong looked briefly into a sensor, and then urged Cale into the shaft. They rose some thirty stories before the shaft disgorged them into a small empty area facing a single large real wood door. The door was heavily carved with fanciful creatures. The walls of the small reception area were also covered in real wood. Cale suspected the intricate carvings concealed several weapons.
    Another retinal scan and the large door swung silently open. The large room it revealed contained only a large real wood desk and three heavily padded chairs. The carpet's pattern identified it as from Songhast, and was the deepest Cale had ever seen. Since Songhast was hundreds of light years from New Chin, and a carpet this size would take years to complete, Cale knew he was looking at an artistic treasure. He began to believe that Peng Gems actually could complete the deal.
    The man behind the desk was almost obscenely fat, and was firmly ensconced in a float chair, which seemed to be struggling to maintain its flotation.
    "Well," the man said impatiently, "Let's see them! Let's see them!" his voice was high-pitched and irritating.
    Cale smiled slightly, but made no move. "Sire Peng, I presume?"
    Fong looked shocked, but the fat man merely frowned. "Of course, of course! Let's see them. Two sunstones, y'say?"
    "Yes," Cale replied, "both