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.d%20Empire's%20Fall%2002%20-%20The%20Sundering.html (234 of 324)23-2-2006 20:21:31Williams, Walter Jon - [Dead Empire's Fall 02] - The SunderingFirst she took her group on a long reconnaissance.The Terran neighborhood shechose backed onto a pool filled with old boats and canal barges that werebeing repaired by something called Sim s Boatyard.The ripping noise of pneumatic hammers and riveters sounded in the air.Theapartment buildings were prefabricated and old.The streets were crowded.There were people wandering over the worn paving who had obviously beensleeping on the streets, and the look of some of them made Macnamara hoverprotectively off Sula s shoulder.Page 170 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlExcept for the clothing, this was very much like the Fabs, in Spannan, whereSula grew up.In the Fabs the mode involved stockings, felt boots, chunkyceramic jewelry, and puffy jackets sewn with rows of little silver chimes.Here, she saw, the style featured a brightly colored shirt with the collarworn outside a short jacket that belted tightly across the midsection, peggedtrousers that belled out around the ankles, and shoes with thick woodenplatform soles ornamented with carvings.Sula stepped into a used clothing store and began to page through the racks.Macnamara was dubious when Sula handed him the outfit she d chosen for him. Idon t know if I can carry this off, he said. I m from Kupa.From themountains.We d make our money off the winter sports,and in the summerI d herd my uncle s sheep. I ve seen you wear stupider stuff than this, Sula said.Macnamara decided Sula had scored a point, and went to the changing room.Whenhe came out, he looked like a shepherd with a very unusual style sense.Sula sighed. Put on your regular clothes.You ll have to be my hick cousinfrom the country till you can get used to wearing something like that. Macnamara seemed relieved.Sula, remembering how he d seemed perfectly at easeafter a long hike across muddy fields in combat armor, decided that all thiswas going to take was practice.Engineer/1st Spence looked more at home in the local fashion.She had at leastlived in a city most of her life, and accessorized with some gaudy costumejewelry and a tall velvet hat that looked as if it had been deliberately saton the damage was a little too perfect to be accidental.Sula wobbled a little on her platform shoes as she clacked out onto thepavement.Military life had accustomed her to flats.Spence had a good eye, she decided.Sula spotted a number of the crumpledvelvet hats in the next street. Uhh, Lucy? Macnamara said from over her shoulder.Sula s current ID, one shehad made for herself, listed her as Lucy Daubrac, and the team were supposedto use the cover names and not ranks or titles.file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry%20kruis.d%20Empire's%20Fall%2002%20-%20The%20Sundering.html (235 of 324)23-2-2006 20:21:31Williams, Walter Jon - [Dead Empire's Fall 02] - The Sundering Yeah, Patrick? You know, you walk like an officer in the Fleet.Spine straight, shouldersback.You should try, like, slouching more. She flashed him a smile from over her shoulder.Her hick cousin, theunemployed shepherd, wasn t so stupid after all. Thanks, she said, then she stuck her hands in her trouser pockets andslumped her shoulders.Sula called up a list of apartments for rent on her hand communicator herjacket didn t have a sleeve display but the one she chose was found by a signin the window:TWO BEDROOMS, FURN., W/TOILET.Her sense of self-respect and order demanded, at the very least, a toilet shedidn t have to share with strangers.There was no concierge, let alone a doorman, just an elderly Daimong janitorwho lived in a basement flat, and who let them view the apartment.The placesmelled of mildew, the furniture sagged, some child had scrawled over the faceof the wall video, and there was a creepy purple stain on the walls. If we take it, Sula said, will you paint the place? I ll give you some brushes and paint, the Daimong said. Thenyou paint theplace. With apparent satisfaction the Daimong peeled a swatch of dead skinfrom his neck, then let it drift to the worn carpet. How much is it again? Three a month. Page 171 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html Zeniths? Sula scorned. Or septiles? The Daimong made a gonging noise meant to indicate indifference. You can callthe manager and argue with him if you want, he said. I ll give you hisnumber. The manager, a bald Terran, insisted on three zeniths. Have youseen thisplace? Sula asked, knowing full well he hadn t in years, and probably notever.She panned the hand comm s camera over the room. Who s going to pay three zeniths for this wreck? Justlook at that stain! Andlet me show you the kitchen it sunspeakable. Sula argued the manager down to two zeniths per month, with a two-zenithdamage deposit and threefile:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry%20kruis.d%20Empire's%20Fall%2002%20-%20The%20Sundering.html (236 of 324)23-2-2006 20:21:31Williams, Walter Jon - [Dead Empire's Fall 02] - The Sundering months paid inadvance.She paid the janitor, dragging the cash out of her pocket andcounting out the durable plastic money repeatedly, as if it were all she had,and she then insisted on his giving her a receipt.The Daimong ambled out, leaving behind the sweet scent of his dying flesh, andSula turned to look at her team.Neither Macnamara nor Spence seemed happywith their new home. Uhh, Lucy? Macnamara said. Why did we take this place? Some cleaning and paint and it ll be all right, Sula said. Besides, did younotice we have a back door off the kitchen? It leads right onto theback-stairs landing it s our escape route, if we need one. But theneighborhood & Spence ventured.Sula went to the window and looked down into the busy street.The sounds ofthe crowd floated up to her, hawkers crying, music playing, friends hailingeach other, children running and shrieking.It was like going back in time. It s perfect, she said. You can disappear into a neighborhood like this. She fished in her pocket again and came up with a couple septiles. Here, shesaid to Macnamara. Take this to the liquor store across the street and get asmany bottles of iarogüt as this will buy.The cheapest stuff you can find. Macnamara took the money with reluctance.He returned with six bottles, allopaque plastic with labels pasted on, some crooked.Sula put one bottle on theshelf, opened five, and emptied them into the sink.The harsh bite of the liquor filled the air, the uneasy mixture of grainalcohol and herbal extracts.Sula put the empty bottles into the bag thatMacnamara had brought them in, then put the bag with the bottles outside thedoor, in the hallway, for trash pickup. If any of our neighbors have questions about us, she said as she steppedback into their apartment, this will tell them all they need to know. Shetilted her head back to look at Macnamara. You re on bottle duty till furthernotice, she said. I want anywhere from three to five empties put in the hallevery night. Macnamara s eyes widened. So many? For just the three of us? A serious alcoholic can drink three bottles of hard liquor per night, easy, Sula said.A fact she remembered all too well.Through the memory she forced asmile. We re onlypartly serious drunks
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