Page 22 of Temple

“Oh, what’s in here?”

Bailey smiled as the door whooshed open, and they stepped into an airlock. “Come on. One more.”

She stepped forward, and the door closed behind her. The far door opened, and weirdly familiar scents hit her. Sage moved forward slowly and then faster. “Oh, my god. It smells like a greenhouse.”

“It is a greenhouse. Smart panels provide the light, and I keep the cycles going with stops to the stations for water.”

“Is that...”

Bailey chuckled. “It is. Coffee. Cacao pods. They are ready for implantation to any suitable world with a Terran on it.”

“Where did you get them?”

“I stole them. Sort of. I was sent on a mission to collect them and bring them to a colony, and it was when I was close that I realized it was Symo’s outer colony. So, Nebel conspired with Symo to get me there. Mero agreed to provide the plant samples, and when I realized it was Symo’s world, I offered to drop the cargo at the station, but they insisted on a full drop. I told them to fuck off and made a run for it.”

Sage was already in the greenery, touching the slippery leaves and looking up at the pods growing high in the hold. “I think I could live here. They are for Symo’s collection?”

“The original plants are, but I have been harvesting seeds. We have enough to try to grow plants on hundreds of worlds. Come this way.” She walked through the rows and rows of plants to a familiar set of bushes. “Green tea. I am sure there is another name, but I just nurture things; I don’t name them.”

“Wait. You grew all of these?”

“Sure. I can cut and start plants over and over. Take the seeds and make them sprout. I just don’t trust any planet owned by a Hmrain or occupied by one.”

Sage smiled. “Can I sleep in here?”

“Sure. I do sometimes. It feels like napping in Costa Rica.”

Sage turned slowly. “How much is all of this worth?”

“Less than either of us. About four million standard credits.”

“Wait. What?” Sage jolted. “What do you mean?”

“Well, you are consort class with proven contact with a Hmrain. That puts you around ten million. Don’t accept a contract with a Hmrain or descendant for less.”

“How much are you worth?”

Bailey chuckled. “I am priceless, but on the open market, I am five million.”

“Who is the most expensive Terran so far?”

“That would be Lily. Nebel’s consort. Her contract was twenty million. She has a lot of body mods, and Nebel made her her own set of wings. She can fly unaided with her prosthetics.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah. She’s fun and sweet. She gave me shelter when I first ran and convinced Nebel to give me the ship. I do not want to imagine how she did it. That’s between them.”

“So, you know about a lot of Hmrain and consorts?”

“The Terran ones, yes. Why? Did you want a story time?”

Sage blushed. “Could you? If I have to negotiate for myself, I want to know what I am up against.”

“Okay. So, slumber party in here tonight. I have some glow pads and camp beds.”

“You also said you had cookies?”

Bailey grinned and headed for storage containers on the wall. She opened one a crack, got two packets out and said, “Chocolate chip or Oreo?”

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