|34|
Manacles clicked and dropped from his ankles and wrists.
"You can either walk in decently," the burrell announced, "or I can throw you in."
"I've done nothing—" he was thrown in. Blue silver dust scintillated under his eyes, Thane pushing his chest off the mine's ground.
"Go find the others and they'll keep you busy," the burrell said, giving Thane a headshake as he turned to go.
"Others…what others…" Thane stood from the dust, brushing his sash once before turning about to understand his new imprisonment.
"How is this better," Roun walked with wet footsteps across the dock, minding the seams of hexagon gridwork depressing with his weight and the humans. "I would rather live on Rakhana than in this dark, damp place…..Dahnna shouldn't be here."
"It's not an honor to be uplifted by another planet?"
"They're feeding her remains to whatever's meant to live off her….Some type of composting," Roun muttered.
"Steaming ashes sounds novel….like riding a cloud to heaven," Aaron offered.
"Heaven….Hayalah to us," Roun said, he taking a sigh out with those words…."I don't know….what Dahnna was thinking—"
"Who said Dahnna, whatever, who said she even wanted this."
"Precisely….Why are you on my side?"
"I just think it's a crap policy."
"I think we're wandering too far from the ship." They were along the section of docks where tunnels opened into a mountainside…Laura and Aaron were impressed by the black polish of the architecture weaving around the entrances, lit by a lurid glow from within.
"What about her brother?"
"I knew it." Roun turned to them. "I want to see him before we leave. You'll help."
"What?"
"I think we shouldn't overextend our visit," Aaron mumbled beneath his mustache. "Let's go back to The Duke, we're not there when Feron returns with the bounties, the Primacy will be tickered."
"I'm feeling lucky…" Roun looked at Laura, "….Come on, I'll be able to find someone around here like to speak some hospitality…help me find Dahnna's brother before I go home empty-handed."
"Roun, I think you're trying to take over my mission."
"What mission, you're a ferry for Narcissus…You know he and I go a long ways back?"
"How would I know that…It doesn't matter. My priorities don't lie in a sphere, looking for whatever dissing courts—"
"Dissonance Courts," Aaron supplied correctively.
"Thank you…" Roun narrowed his eyes at the man. He refocused on Laura. "You want credits…ducats?"
"You have nothing to pay with."
"He has connections?"
Roun nodded, Laura casting a vehement green glare at Aaron.
"You want reach, I'll get you introduced to Nuru…you don't know Nuru, do you?"
"Nuru…yes," Aaron coughed into his fist, "…That's been one of our aims."
"I don't know," she glanced at Aaron, "…Narcissus says not to, to avoid Nuru."
"Narcissus hasn't the privilege to get into Nuru….you're saying you do—he does, Laura."
"Laura, I'm on a first name basis with Pilar Sousan….he's the leader of the city. The land."
"It's opportunity, Laura…we discussed this—The Duke needs inroads even though she flies."
Roun nodded eagerly, "…Yes, she does—and I'll get you in there."
"Feron will kill me…" she pinched her nose.
"Because?"
She looked into his eyes. Roun understood.