Hard Luck Hank: Screw the Galaxy Read Online Free PDF Page A

about a few men and their
guns.” He waved off the idea as if he were sweeping it away with a broom. This
was the problem with having a Wallow.
    “They’re going to want their money. And they’re
going to come here looking for it. A battle like that is going to cause a lot
of damage, which will piss the dust out of Garm. And it’s going to bring
unnecessary attention when a transport hauler vanishes.”
    “Garm has an interest in the completion of this
as well,” Zadeck said coolly.
    “Yeah, but it’s not complete. Killing two dozen
men won’t make it complete. Because they’re just going to send more and next
time it’s going to be assassins.”
    I’ve been in on double-crosses before. It’s
part of the life. But I don’t like them. You don’t want to be the guy known for
setting up betrayals. I made those sailors a promise and I wanted to deliver as
best I could.
    “So then you’re telling me I have to pay the
full amount? What did I need you for, then?”
    “Now you ask me! Pay them 80% of what you owe.”
    “Did you already negotiate this?”
    “No, but that’s what I think you can get away
with,” I stated plainly.
    “Isn’t that just something you made up? Why not
70%?”
    “Because that won’t work.”
    “How do you know?”
    “Because this is what I do for a living,” I
said with irritation. “Look, I’m happy to go give them whatever you want.
You’re calling the shots. But if you want the opinion of the guy who has put
together nearly every one of these deals for the last 170 years, 80% will make
everyone relatively satisfied.”
    “Fine. Fine.” Zadeck went to his desk where he
kept his tele—odd place for it—and punched out some credits. He gave me a
token.
    “I’ll also need about 5 grand for the hotel
bill.”
    “Then it’s more than 80%,” Zadeck said.
    “Yes, and my fee will make it even more. But
it’s well under 100%. No one died. No property was damaged. And your reputation
will still be solid on and off station.”
    “And what is your fee?” Zadeck asked slyly.
    “My fee is whatever you feel I deserve.”
    I stared him square in the eyes.
    I loved this part. You could see him stewing as
he looked down at his tele. Belvaille was a small town, especially at the top.
If Zadeck were to become known as cheap, that could have a pretty serious
impact, especially among his current elite clients.
    This liquor shipment was obviously the biggest
deal he had done, and he was trying to make a power move into the upper echelons.
And I was a guy who lived in the upper echelons—or at least at the fringes of
it.
    He beamed 35,000 to my tele. It was a very
generous price and I was absolutely ready to treat Zadeck with respect and let
bygones be bygones.
    I thanked him and said I would take care of the
sailors. Once paid, Zadeck dismissed me like I was a household servant. That’s
fine, everyone has their quirks.
    Outside the office, the bouncers walked with me
and I filled them in. They had gossiped like mad after I arrived, as news of
the shipment was already circulating. I chewed the fat a bit and took my leave.
    I decided to wait until tomorrow to break the
news to the sailors. By that time they would have had a chance to celebrate
being off-ship for a while. The way I figured it, they’d party a bit then head
back home after they were sick of the place—Belvaille was not exactly a premier
tourist attraction.
    Outside I was pleased to not see Wallow. I had
nearly exited the block when I heard him behind me.
    “You! Hank! Don’t come back.”
    Not sure how something that big could move so
fast—I certainly couldn’t—but out of nowhere he was suddenly looming overhead.
    “I’ll go where I please,” I said, quite tired
of this whole block and its residents.
    I opened my eyes and saw a fruity-looking man
with a gem-studded eye patch kneeling over me. His name was Gastolionep, and he
used to be station muscle until he got his eye shot out and now he was a butler
for