Read The Tejano Conflict for Free Online

well.”
    Jo responded in the same way: “No. Though he looks as if he should.”
    â€œBukvan,”
Kay said.
    Jo didn’t know the term, but before she could ask, Kay continued:
    â€œA preener. We have them on Vast. They make themselves appear better than they are.”
    â€œYou just described most of the human race.”
    â€œI am aware of this.”
    Jo chuckled.
    They arrived at the conference room, a large space with a small oval table and three chairs, no other furniture. Dhama gestured. “Please, sit.”
    Kay and Jo sat on opposite sides, to be able to watch each other’s back. Not that such was likely to be necessary, given their hearing if somebody tried to sneak through the walls, but better safe than sorry.
    Dhama sat at the head of the table, accompanied by a creak of his holster leather. He leaned back in the chair, affecting a relaxed pose. He smiled but didn’t speak.
    We are beings of the galaxy here, ho-hum.
    Jo returned the smile and the silence. He had asked for the meeting, let him offer the reason.
    After a few seconds, he said, “Well, I’m sure you are wondering why I wanted to speak with you.”
    Jo and Kay said nothing, waiting.
    His smile faltered just a hair. “We at Dycon Limited seek to represent the best interests of our employers. There are ways, and then there are . . . ways . . .” He gave her another of his shiny smiles.
    Jo waited. She knew where this was going; she had done it herself a few times. Wars were expensive. Sometimes a client would make out better by channeling the money into bribes or payoffs to achieve the same results as a battle. For the cost of a few missiles, a key opposition figure might be socially engineered to look the other way at the right moment, or maybe forget to enter a coordinate into a targeting computer. Even Monitors might be influenced though that was tricky. As a result, the bribed could walk away richer, and one’s client would save a lot of money and grief.
    â€œI don’t think we can help you there,” Jo said.
    â€œYou haven’t heard what I have to say.”
    She shrugged. “Doesn’t really matter.”
    â€œWe are prepared to be extremely generous to our friends.”
    â€œNot how we do things at CFI.”
    â€œNever?”
    â€œNot so far.”
    â€œHow would three million New Dollars sound?”
    â€œLike a lot of money,” Jo said.
    He smiled. “It is.”
    A bribe offered without actually offering anything.
    â€œThank you, but, no.”
    â€œFour million.”
    â€œYou have deep pockets.”
    â€œAnd full ones. My clients want this to go their way.”
    â€œWe’ll pass.”
    â€œSix.”
    Skipped right over five.
Jo stood. “Thanks for the meeting, we appreciate it.”
    He looked entirely nonplussed. He frowned. “Seven.”
    Probably as much as either side would spend on ammo and then some.
“Save your breath. Like I said, that’s not how we do business.”
    He stood. The holster and belt creaked again.
Some kind of reptile skin, maybe? Lizard? Serpent?
    His puzzlement shaded into a controlled, but apparent, anger. “You are making a mistake.”
    â€œPossibly.”
    He stepped closer. She could smell his hormones roiling.
Yep, definitely pissed off.
    Jo stood her ground. She wasn’t worried. He might be augmented so he was stronger, but he wouldn’t be better than Formentara’s tweaks, and he was within reach. He blinked crooked, she would deck him.
    Kay came up like hot smoke on a cold winter’s day.
    Dhama glanced across the table at her motion.
    She gave him a wicked smile though he probably didn’t recognize it as such.
    The sight of the Vastalimi and augmented human warrior focused on him must have finally arrived. Caution kicked in. He edged back a hair.
    Which was the smartest thing he had done so