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Cam is dipping a grilled cheese sandwich into a bowl of tomato soup when he feels the summons. He goes ahead and grabs it. Doesn't even drop the sandwich.
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from_scratch
Cam browses. Eventually, he has enough books to last him a while and makes them on a format compatible with his computer and holes up in the bathroom for the night so Mark can sleep.
unmarred
Mark sleeps.
He politely knocks on the bathroom door after he wakes up in the morning.
He politely knocks on the bathroom door after he wakes up in the morning.
from_scratch
Cam emerges. He's got a coffee cup but otherwise doesn't seem to have been much affected. "The market for terraforming is huge," he remarks. "I'm going to be very busy."
unmarred
"Maybe I'll get my brother a freshly renovated planet for Winterfair. If you don't mind doing an extra one on the side."
from_scratch
"As long as it's not too far out of my way, sure, why not. It shouldn't take me more than a few weeks to do basics on any rock that starts with adequate gravity."
unmarred
"We'll see. No point staying on the planet any longer; let's go up to the orbital transfer station and wait for Bel. Maybe it'll be early."
unmarred
Mark spends the shuttle ride pondering exactly what he is going to say to Bel Thorne, over exactly what medium.
When they get there, he nips into a public comconsole booth and sends a text-only message to the Ariel:
When they get there, he nips into a public comconsole booth and sends a text-only message to the Ariel:
Captain Thorne,There. The station's comm system will send it as soon as the Ariel appears within lightspeed shouting distance.
I will pay you fifty thousand Betan dollars for a one-way ride to Jackson's Whole, myself and one other passenger, departing immediately.
If interested, meet me in the public concourse of the orbital transfer station. I will recognize you.
whyexit
And Thorne appears in the public concourse after the Ariel has docked, looking intrigued, accompanied by an ensign who's apparently there to watch its back.
whyexit
Thorne double-takes.
The ensign's apparently more forgetful or less informed and says, "Admiral Naismith!"
The ensign's apparently more forgetful or less informed and says, "Admiral Naismith!"
whyexit
"You're the clone," says Thorne. "I don't think I ever caught your name. You want to hire the Ariel? You and your friend?"
whyexit
"Hate to tell you this, but the Ariel's a touch recognizable to some people on Jackson's Whole. As would be you. I came by to see what the message was about and to recommend you somebody else's ship."
unmarred
"Hm. How would you like—no, on second thought, how would you like to discuss alternate options in private? Aboard the Ariel, say. I trust anyone Miles trusts. They are," he adds, "interesting alternate options."
from_scratch
"I'm Cam, by the way," mentions Cam as Thorne leads them to its ship.