Hell's Heart Read Online Free PDF

pounce.
    Disruptor rifle raised, she stepped carefully around and saw the plump Leotis, on his hands and knees, bedecked in rich garlands of jewels and latinum he had plucked from an open strongbox. His pockets bulged, and when she gestured for him to rise, gems spilled forth from them. Guiltily, the Orion removed more baubles and placed them on the desk. “Sorry,” he said in a breathy drawl. “Just cleaning up. I wasn’t expecting guests.”
    She’d been advised correctly: Leotis was a parasite, a scavenger, living here on his horde. She knew the behavior, even if he was her first pirate. The creatures that lived on carrion back home made for poor game; if they were any good at fighting, they’d kill for themselves. “You are Leotis?”
    â€œYour servant.” He eyed her. “I don’t know you. My ship’s life sign sensors aren’t getting a good read on you in that getup. Are you their leader?”
    â€œWe have no leader.”
    â€œI need someone to bargain with.”
    â€œWe do not bargain.”
    â€œIt’s that way, is it?” Leotis sighed and began removing the necklaces. “You’re welcome to my cargo—just leave me my ship. And my crew.”
    â€œThey’re mostly dead.”
    Leotis’s face froze. Then he shook his head. “I was afraid of that. Such a waste.” Green hands clasped together for a moment—which was all the time he spent in grief. “Well,that’s that. So tell me, whom do you represent? I know everyone working this region—but I’ve never heard of anyone who could beam through raised shields before.”
    Valandris ignored him. Seeing that her companions were in the doorway, watching Leotis, she turned her attention to the data terminals in the room.
    Leotis made his own conversation. “Perhaps you’re new to the game, then?” He tut-tutted. “The Hyralan sector isn’t what it used to be, my friends. It was different in my father’s time. Starfleet’s eyes were on the Neutral Zone, not us. But now most routes lead from one Federation world to another, and Starfleet watches them all. Oh, they do!” Nervous eyes followed Valandris from station to station. “Bad times, indeed. The only action we see is when some fool goes off course—”
    â€œOr when you have inside information.” Valandris looked back at him abruptly.
    It took a moment for her statement to register with Leotis. Then, comprehending, he opened a drawer in his desk—an act that prompted Raneer and Tharas to raise their disruptors in alarm. But the portly Orion produced a padd rather than a weapon. “Yes, yes,” he said, in the bubbling tones of a merchant who’d realized he had something to sell. “This was to have made our whole year.” He offered it to Valandris, who took it.
    She studied the mundane information on the padd. It detailed shipping schedules for an event management service operating out of Hyralan. Leotis explained he had come by it quite by accident; a small-time hood had stolen the padd from a locked office, reselling it to pay off a debt. Soon, the professional organizer would depart for a function, her ships’ stores laden with everything needed to stage a classy meeting on a world where replicators were limited in number. Leotis might find a few of those ships worth stealing—or he might hold their crews for ransom.
    â€œValuable fineries and delicacies on those freighters,” he said, “coveted by the connoisseur. I can see you are resourcefulpeople. Consider this data a gift to welcome you to the region.” He smiled broadly, displaying as many golden teeth as he could manage. “Now, if you would see your way clear to leave me my ship, and a few of these minor trinkets so I can hire a new—”
    â€œShut up,” Valandris said. She touched the communicator on her wrist. “Valandris to mother ship.