Kris Longknife's Bloodhound, a novella Read Online Free PDF

around for someone. 
    Taylor had his computer do a quick visual check to verify the woman was indeed the one he’d called, then waved at her.
    The woman exuded caution as he approached Taylor’s table.  The agent stood and offered his hand.
    “I am Taylor Foile.  Honovi suggested I talk with you.”
    The woman took his hand.  The shake was tentative and calculated, perfect for an uncomfortable engineer.  “I’m Annie Smedenhoff.  Yes, Honovi called and said I should talk to you.  Why?”
    “The Prime Minister’s son didn’t tell you?”  Why wasn’t Taylor surprised?
    “How much of your life do you trust to the net, Mr. Foile?” the engineer shot back.  “Especially after the latest upgrade of what they call ‘security’?”
    “I’ll concede the point.  After all, I’m here talking to you in person.  Do you trust we can talk here?”
    The young woman pulled a thin pink box from her purse, punched the single, green button on its face and set it in the middle of the table.  A moment later, Taylor noticed two small, glowing dust motes. 
    “Yes, I think we can talk,” the woman said.
    “Were you followed by, ah, them?” Taylor asked.
    “No telling, but now, no doubt, they will not be telling, will they?  By the way, I’m recording this conversation.  Are you?”
    Taylor had not expected this level of paranoia.  However, he’d been warned enough that he was venturing onto dangerous ground if he tried to follow the Longknife princess’s question.
    “On official business, yes, I do.  However, as it turns out, I am on vacation at the moment,” Taylor said, as he reached into his pocket and removed an old fashioned pad of paper and pen.  “Today, I may take notes on the more complex issues in your area of technical expertise.”
    “So Member of Parliament Honovi Longknife calls me up and asks me to meet with you, on your vacation, huh?”
    “On my vacation I am attempting to unravel a riddle of sorts.”
    “A riddle.  Of sorts,” Annie said, and punched for a cob salad on the computer menu at the table.  Taylor took the moment to order a Ruben sandwich, no fries.
    “Yes, a riddle.  I don’t know if you know, but Princess Kristine Longknife went to call on her grandfather Alexander a few days ago.”
    Annie smiled.  It was a nice addition to her face.  She wore no makeup except maybe a touch of lipstick.  The smile added a glow to her face and a slight dimple on her left cheek.  “So that was what the commotion was all about.  I knew someone at the yard had to go collect a shuttle from, what was it, the Matsu ?”
    “The Imperial Musashi Battleship Mutsu ,” Taylor corrected.
    “Yes,” she said, and Taylor had the distinct impression he had passed a test of sorts.
    “The shuttle is being refurbrished down to the glue on its skin.  I understand it will then be returned to Mr. Alexander’s own Tower of Power.”
    Their meals arrived on a self-propelled trolley.  They removed their food.  Foile settled up their tab with cash and the trolley rolled off.
    “You are, ah, seeking your privacy,” Annie said.
    “What privacy I may have.  No doubt there are cameras recording our presence in the room.”
    “But there is too much ambient noise for them to separate our conversation from so many others, at least at the moment.
    A few feet away, another dust mote glowed bright for a moment, then dissipated.
    “The Longknife princess went to extremes to talk to her grandfather,” Taylor said, going straight to the point.  No doubt, their conversation would have to be over all too soon.  Sad that, because Annie was a pleasant woman to spend time with.
    “And what did she want to talk to her grandfather about?” Annie said, taking a bite of her salad.  
    “Is he thinking of sending freighters out, beyond human space?”
    “Oh,” Annie said.  She swallowed her mouthful, took another bite and finished chewing it without saying another word.
    Taylor ignored his