Page 57 of A World Enough

“Escheal Kartog. A pleasure to have you with us again,” the receptionist said.

“A pleasure as always, Lara.”

Kartog pressed her hand to the desk, and an untold amount of programmable matter engulfed her hand and took her signature.

Sometimes she had to be incognito, to further the rebellion, but not here. Ninti told Davor that she was sending her escheal on a mission—just a different mission than Kartog was really on.

“Thank you, Escheal Kartog. Your room will be ready when you wish, and as always enjoy chips on the house for the gaming room.”

“Perhaps later. At the moment I’d like to have a drink and something to eat.”

“Of course. Choose any restaurant you please. It will be on the house and complimentary.”

Kartog squeezed her nails into the palm of her hand, trying to act normally. This reverence, wherever she went, wherever the Abnobians went—they paid for nothing, but expected everything. Not out of generosity, but out of fear.

She walked over to the elevator and went down. She decided to pick a dining room that overlooked one of the gaming halls.

There was a long line waiting by the door, but as soon as a staff member saw her, he walked over.

“Kartog, so pleased to have you with us again. Please follow me and pick a table. Any one you wish.”

Again through gritted teeth Kartog said, “Thank you. Perhaps the table overlooking the hall, please.”

She ordered her food and a bottle of Rumian wine, and it was soon brought back to her. The food was delicious, as was the rare wine. Ziggy truly did have magnificent business acumen. She had built this place from the ground up to what it was today—a money-making machine.

Kartog finished her appetizer and cradled her wine glass in her hand while people-watching over one of the gaming halls. There was such a cosmopolitan mix of people here, all different colours and creeds, humanoids and people with differences. It certainly was a mix of all the members of their realm.

Kartog spotted Ziggy, prowling around the tables with her hands behind her back. As successful as Ziggy was, she never took anything for granted. For the rebellion she was essential, keeping touch and reporting anyone who might cause them problems, like Cardo, whom Ziggy heard was on his way, after booking a ship berth. Or if there were Abnobians there, and for the resistance to keep clear.

Being neutral, being welcoming, even friendly to the Abnobians meant they let Ziggy’s business do as it wished, because she rolled out the red carpet for them or any leaders in the realm that needed to be entertained by them.

Ziggy kept all that going, while in the background protecting many of the resistance members who were on the run.

She had special rooms below the bedrock of the moon, where she hid them. The walls were impenetrable to scanning equipment, keeping them safe.

The main thing that made Ziggy’s so exciting, and so perfect, was the ability to melt into a crowd here and disappear, if that’s what you wanted.

Brogan had gathered up the plates and put them on the trolley they were brought in when Camber came back with her satchel, and from it she pulled out her map. She spread it out on the coffee table in front of her.

“This looks so delicate. It looks so old, but beautiful,” Brogan said.

“It is. I swore to protect this as long as I lived, as a small child.” And I always will, Camber thought.

She smoothed her hands over the creases. Creases that must be hundreds of thousands years old.

“I want to confess something, Brogan.”

Brogan looked puzzled. “Confess what?”

“When we were running, and I said I was working on finding your planet—I wasn’t. I didn’t know you, and I didn’t trust you, so I’m starting from scratch here. I’m sorry.”

Camber didn’t know what to expect, but it wasn’t a soft smile. Brogan cupped and stroked her cheek, making Camber shiver.

“That’s okay. It’s much better to do it when we’re friends, surely?”

Camber smiled and nodded. Why did she have to be so sweet? It made it harder thinking of her going one day.

She put her hands, palms down, on the map. “I’m trying to channel what you’ve told me about your home, Ireland, about your friends, so hopefully it will take me to some point in the map.”