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.He looked at the black coat on the chair.He got up and began the ritual of preparation.First, stretching.Then, two of the most difficult fighting forms he had learned atLung Wang.He then checked the magna rods and placed them intheir pockets.After a quick shower, he was dressed with one smallbag and enough weapons to stop a small rebellion.The coatabsorbed the weight.As always, he wondered if this would be thelast trip.Would this one be the one that he didn t make it out of?Like spinning a roulette wheel, sooner or later, the number wouldarrive.Maybe one spin, maybe one hundred.But if you keptspinning, it would come.He could not think of any of his fellowagents who hadn t been shot or had to have an organ or limbreplaced.Even today, however, they still couldn t sew your headback on.Always that problem, he thought.He looked in the mirrorone last time and went out.The coat swished as he walked.95 Chapter 12Agent Silver walked into the main terminal of Hon Station Theta.The space around Hon was a major interchange for ships and therewere many stations near one another.He had a short wait beforethe ship was to depart.He found a small bar that gave him a goodview of the entire terminal as well as a stunning view of the blastpath of the departing ships and went in.Silver ordered his usualdrink at the bar and barely noticed the woman who sat down nextto him.She was medium height, generous, but not overly large ofchest, her deep, dark hair parted down the middle and traveledalong her backless dress to just above her waist.Her single braidwas rope thick and stopped just under her right ear.Her deep greeneyes under perfect eyebrows told of secrets that men wondered atand women admired.Her temporary markings (all the rage andchangeable once a week) were ancient Asian symbols that randown one side of her back.They spoke of rare beauty that wasundeniable yet dangerous.She wore enhanced pheromone perfumeand it was her special scent.All such perfumes were different nomatter who wore it as no two women s body chemistry was everthe same.Her dress was slit up just far enough to hint of hiddensecrets, but not enough to give the game away.It was colored withlaca bird feathers that were the greenest of green from one anglebut the darkest of violet from the other.She did not walk, sheglided.She wore no jewelry.This, she knew, gave her the effectof being nude without being nude. Hello there, she said.Silver turned and was broad sided by her beauty.He had hadmany women in his travels, some even stunning, but this was adifferent game.This was no accident, he immediately thought.Itwas rare to see such beauty at a jump station. Hello yourself, he managed. I ll bet you could hide a lot of things under that coat, she smiled. Maybe you would like to borrow it, he countered.96 Oh my goodness.Such wit.And you, sitting alone.Imagine that.No friends to play with today? She looked at him with a smile. I should ask you that, Silver said. Me? I just happen to be by myself too. She moved her seatconfidently near his. Manasanan, she said and held out her hand.Silver took it andheld it longer than he should have. Lanian, he said and wondered what such a beautiful girl wasdoing here at a station.But there was something more about herthat he found interesting other than her obvious charms.But whatwas it? A little light conversation wouldn t hurt, he thought. Aren t you a little over dressed for this place, Silver asked. As a matter of fact, I just finished working.I come in here to restmy feet. She unconsciously rubbed her nearest foot. I guess you are not one of the pilots, Silver smiled at her andwanted to drink her beauty in with a stare, but held the urge incheck. Cute.I am the station VIP Liaison.I get to meet all the famouspeople that come through here.May I ask what you are doing? She waved at a passing employee. I am headed to see family, Silver lied just in case this was asetup. Family is it, she asked.She knew that he was lying but thatwasn t important.Against her habit, she liked this gentleman.97 I can t imagine many VIPs coming through here, Silver said. With your talents, surely you could go to any planet.Why notsomewhere glamorous? Some resort or something like that? Silver looked around the room without looking. It is hard for people like me to get normal jobs, she said. Peoplecome to expect certain things.Not my style.Besides, I& andthen they said together am going to get out of this business oneday. They laughed like a nervous couple on their first date.Their eyesmet and a spark flashed for an instant and was gone.The scentremained. People like you, Silver asked.She just smiled and looked at him. What do you do, she asked getting comfortable. Can I get you a drink, he sidestepped the question. Water. She smiled.He ordered another for himself and herwater. Not while you are working, right? Silver was still fighting theurge to stare and he looked at the reflection of the incoming shipson the mirror behind the barkeeper. Do you want to see me fall off of these heels, she asked. Areyou going to tell me what you do? I am in the importing business.Moving things from planet toplanet, Silver said. What kinds of things? She sipped her water. Dangerous things.Hazardous cargo. Silver watched the door. Oooh.That sounds interesting.Mysterious.I like that. Hereyes flashed.98 You like things that are dangerous? An invisible force was tryingto turn his head back to her. No. She laughed again. What kinds of things do you like, Silver asked. I like pretty ships and I like romerian cats.I like moons.I like totravel but I don t get to. She looked out the window at a passingliner. That s a pretty simple list, Silver said.The drink was starting totake effect, he thought.Or was it something else? Better slowdown. Simplicity is best.I have always felt that.Even as a little girl. I am having a hard time picturing you as a little girl. Silver stolea glimpse at her long legs. Well, I was.My, uh, talents, didn t manifest until I was in mytwenties. And what talents are those, Silver asked. I think you already are beginning to suspect. She looked at himwith deep eyes.He felt it inside, somewhere.His eyes began todilate. Now, now.I have to go in a while so none of that, he said.Silver started feeling as if he were floating in warm water.Thewater was the perfect temperature. None of what? Her eyes were getting greener and he could feelher scent enveloping him.It was like deep vanilla mixed with thebest soap he had ever had.The voices around him at the bar startedto fade and he was getting a little dizzy.She was staring at himand it seemed that he heard a humming.Not a humming, but avibration.He could feel his eyes dilating.He was feeling arousedbut relaxed and she was so beautiful surely there was time for& Wait. I am stronger than this, he thought. That is enough.Please stop. OK. She looked at him casually and completely unfazed.99 He felt his eyes go back to normal.How in the worlds could shedo that, he wondered. Hey, I m sorry, she said. I thought that you might want me to. Really, you are very beautiful. Silver s heart was returning tonormal. And if I had more time, who knows? But I really do haveto get to the next jump. Ok, she said. When is the next jump? Silver looked at his chronometer. I have got about thirtyminutes. Really, better take a look at that first. She pointed behind him.Itwas no coincidence that she was seated where she could see theships incoming and outgoing indicators.He turned and looked at the terminal indicators
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