Sector 6 - Jaril
Vivian Drowel
Vivian paced impatiently in the modest hotel room, waiting for Bartholomew to arrive. She was impatient. Evelyn’s Grace was up in orbit above, and no matter how confident she acted in front of Wade, she understood what it meant.
If they found out she was here, they could kill her without breaking a sweat.
And if they knew who she was, they would.
When the knock finally did come at her door, it was everything she could do not to run and throw it open. As promised, Bartholomew stood in the doorway. He was accompanied by a thin man with pale skin, blond hair, and blue eyes.
“May we come in?” Bartholomew asked and then noticed Traq was asleep. “Actually, out here should be fine.”
Vivian stepped out into the hall and gingerly shut the door behind her. “Who might you be?”
“Oliver Atchison, at your service,” the other man said, bowing low. “I heard you were trying to buy water purifying equipment?”
“And you’re here to sell it?”
“Yes. I have several units I’m willing to part with.”
“I want to deal in trade,” Vivian explained.
Oliver nodded. “Bartholomew told me. You want to trade for your ship.”
“It’s in dock B-7 right now.”
“That’s an older model,” Oliver asserted, rubbing his chin. “But I’m not terribly picky. Would you be willing to let me see the ship first?”
“Of course,” Vivian said. “Though I would like to be present.”
Oliver nodded and glanced over at Bartholomew. “I appreciate you directing this my way,” he said.
“Not a problem,” Bart said. “I’m just glad I could help.”
“Just curious,” Oliver said, glancing at Vivian. “What are you planning to do with all of the purifying equipment once you buy it?”
“That’s part of the deal. I need it dropped off at Garren’s Ridge on Mali.”
“And that’s it?”
“That’s it,” she said.
“Sounds a little too good to be true,” Oliver said. “But I’m willing to float in the shallow end of the pool. Give me a day to talk to my business partners.”
“We can meet tomorrow to discuss it.”
“Of course. Thanks for your time.” Oliver shook hands with her and Bart and disappeared down the hallway, humming to himself. Vivian watched him step into the elevator, wondering what bothered her so much about him.
He was handsome and spoke with a practiced ease. That alone flagged him as unsafe. He was the kind of person who could lie about which planet they were on without even a tremor in his voice.
Vivian hated people like him. On principle. But then again, her animosity was on a personal level. If he was interested in making a fair trade, then there was little she could complain about.
She turned to Bart. “Can I trust him?”
“Oliver? He seems nice enough. Just chance I ran into him on the street.”
Chance doesn’t exist with people like him
“Your ship is worth a little less than a million?” Bart continued. Vivian nodded; she’d never had it formally priced, but that sounded right for the model. “He’s willing to give you one million and a half credits’ worth of equipment in trade. It’s difficult finding anyone willing to sell ships on Jaril, and he’ll have an easier time selling the ship at a high markup than he would selling purifiers.”
Vivian nodded. It made sense and made Oliver sound like an enterprising businessman…still, something didn’t feel right. Maybe it was something he said or did during the conversation. It was like he’d been…studying her. “Was he the only person you asked?”
Bart shrugged. “Didn’t think I’d have to ask anyone else, especially with time so short. What’s the likelihood of someone else being able to come up with twenty purifiers in a few days? Why, do you want me to do some more digging?”
She shook her head. “No, he seems fine.” Oliver seemed like the common underworld scum that took advantage of people. He was handsome and smart, and he knew it. Maybe that was why she didn’t like him.
But she wasn’t in the Republic, and right now his sort of underworld scum was exactly what she was looking for. At least, if she wanted to make a quick deal. “I’m going to get some food and turn in for the night. I really appreciate the help.”
“I told you, it’s no issue. I’ll come by when Oliver contacts me tomorrow.”
Bart shook her hand and disappeared down the hallway, leaving her alone. She went back inside and sat in her armchair. She had a faint feeling of unease as she unclipped her weapon and set it on the table, but it was the same feeling she’d had all day.
Buying one-and-a-half million credits’ worth of purifiers in trade for a one-million credit ship? She’d always believed that if a deal sounded too good to be true, it usually was.
