Kris came around Jack, arm out for the other one, wrist limp to hide her automatic. ''Listen, I know they rented me the worst excuse for security on the Rim, nothing like back on Earth. I feel like I owe you—''
The leader's eyes grew big. ''You're—''
''Yes, I am,'' Kris said, putting three sleepy darts into her. At lowest power, her automatic was hardly louder than a series of pops. At this range, it shattered her skull. Jack gave the other one the same treatment. Quickly, they loaded the reds onto the cart and buried them under boxes. Tom ducked his head around the corner, grinned, and he and Penny hurried back.
''Anybody seen or heard from Abby?'' Kris asked. Penny shook her head. In their travels, the other two had acquired new clothes as well. Penny now wore Security gray. Tom had acquired a light blue dinner jacket and red cummerbund that went well with his uniform pants. ''Tom, you and Penny stay on this side of the concourse. Jack and I will edge toward the left. If anyone gets in trouble, we'll help as we can.''
They got to where Concourse Twelve emptied onto Circle One with no further trouble.
''Abby says the private yacht basin is left,'' Nelly said.
''When?'' Kris asked.
''I do not know, but she left a small message nano at the corner to tell me that.''
Kris turned left.
The spin of the station was slow enough that huge freighters and liners had no problem catching their first mooring hitch and being pulled into the pier. Yachts and runabouts, smaller and more maneuverable, were expected to find their places along several landings that made up Pier Eleven. Kris wanted a large ship. That meant selecting one that paid extra for an outer birth. Finding the right one could take time she didn't have.
Abby exited a ladies' room, twelve steamer trunks docilely trailing behind her. ''You're right on time,'' she told Kris. ''There's a large yacht out on landing D. There's a slightly smaller one on landing C. Which do you want?''
''Which has the lighter security?'' Jack asked.
''I don't know. It didn't seem wise to be noticed casing the place, what with all the trouble some people were causing.''
''Ever the courageous one,'' Jack growled.
''We're all still alive,'' Abby pointed out cheerfully.
''Let's take the bigger one. I have a plan for getting through their security,'' Kris said.
''What might that be?'' Tom said as he and Penny joined up.
''The same one we used the first night.'' Kris didn't try to swallow her evil grin. ''You can't tell me wealthy yachts don't put calls out for strange, new, and interesting woman flesh?''
''I think I have created a monster,'' Abby moaned, but she was rummaging in the side compartment of one of the trunks.
''Abby hasn't created a monster,'' Jack said. ''She's only putting the finishing touches on Kris's own work of art.''
''And speaking of finishing touches, you might want this,'' Abby said, tossing Kris a small hand purse.
Kris opened it. A compact with an old-fashioned mirror, six sticks of chewing gum and, Kris took a second to recognize the other items, four different kinds of condoms. ''I think I can use some of this,'' she said with a slight cough.
Jack glanced over Kris's shoulder, then threw Abby a glare. ''And you were acting surprised.''
''Surprised, yes. Unprepared, never.'' And she produced a purse of her own. ''Shall we go, Sister?'' Abby tossed Jack the controller for the steamer trunks. ''Don't misplace any of them, and please don't pick up luggage that is not your own. So many look alike,'' she beamed and led Kris into the landing tunnel.
Ten meters around, the landing spiral made a comfortable walkway with wide windows looking out over gaily painted runabouts and small overnighters. Just the thing for in-system travel. Kris jawed a growing wad of gum for a good hundred meters, got it under control, and flashed Abby a smile.
''I know I'm supposed to look like that loony vid Princess,'' Kris said, snapping her gum and putting a twang on each word, ''but who'd go for you?'' Kris knew she was letting the imp get her tongue, but she was seeing a new side of her maid and had to scratch that surface.
''There are men who go for prim, unbending women, and besides,'' Abby said, snapping her purse open and producing a fold-out whip, ''I have other special skills.''
''Men are crazy.'' Kris shook her head.
''Some men are crazy. So are some women. The trick is to match them up.'' The landing divided into two levels. Abby took the up ramp. Now the ships out the windows were larger, more impressive, and less flamboyantly painted. Clearly, the greater the value, the less the need for overstatement. At the end of the landing, two men in black suits and ties lounged at the entrance to a gangway elevator. Kris got her hips going, her dress swaying, and gave the sashay all she had.
''Don't overdo it,'' Abby whispered through her smile. ''These guys are not the customer.''
''Yeah, but ain't they hunks. I could go for them.''
''You give nothing away for free, young woman. How can your dear mother make a living off you if you devalue what you sell?''
The words almost knocked Kris out of her walk. Had Abby just let something slip? Yes, Mama, Kris mouthed silently.
''Can we help you… ladies?'' the guard with a shaved head said as the younger, cuter one, took a step back and rested his hand on what had to be his weapon.
''Our agency had a call from Pier eleven-d-one for a rush escort service,'' Abby said as Kris brought a hand up to her hair, put her hips in low and her gum on high. ''They weren't quite sure what was required, so they sent us both.''
''This is the right pier,'' the guard said, trying not to eye Kris. ''What was requested?''
''Candy, get rid of that gum,'' Abby whispered from the side of her mouth, then smiled at the guards. ''Someone with a certain media cache as a reward, though punishment might be required.''
The guard paged through his hand unit. ''I've got nothing.'
''Yeah,'' the young one said, ''but the kid's been having a lousy week. Maybe the boss is trying something new. You heard about tonight.''
The two guards turned to exchange knowing grins. Abby sniffed—and she took down the hunk, leaving the closer guy to Kris. Three soft pops and enough sleepy drug was in their chests to keep them down for the night.
''What was that all about?'' Kris said as she stepped over the guard.
''I have no idea, but we better be ready at the inside door.'' So they entered the elevator, pushed the one button, and slow and easy rode it down.
The elevator stopped at a landing facing what Kris thought of as the quarterdeck. Two men in dark suits, apparently the uniform of this ship's security, eyed them cautiously. ''What brings you here, ah, ladies?'' one with a bull neck asked. Beside him, seated at a console with blank monitors, was a smaller but equally muscled model of himself.
''My agency received a call for our services.''
''We didn't make a call,'' the small one said, turning to his board and flipping through the one active screen.
''Yeah, Marko, but there's a lot of stuff you're not monitoring tonight,'' the other said, waving a hand at the blank screens. ''Station lines were max flaky even before the boss hit the disconnect.'' A thick comm line lay on the gangway. Normally, it was one of the last things disconnected before getting under way. Tonight, someone had unplugged it, leaving the ship out of any land line loop and killing the camera feed covering the upper part of the gangway. Bit of luck for Kris and her team, she thought as she and Abby took advantage of bull neck's momentary concentration on winning his point with Marko to shoot the two of them full of sleepy darts.
Gun out, Kris stood guard while Abby lugged the two sleepers onto the landing, then rode the elevator up. She returned a moment later with Jack, Tom, and Penny.
''Jack, you and Abby secure the ship. The rest of you, with me. Let's see what the bridge looks like,'' Kris said, then halted. The only way to the command deck was an elevator. A good option for a ship under high acceleration, but being locked in a box was not an idea Kris liked tonight. ''Penny, you stay down here. Tom, you're my pimp.''